6 Ways To Deal With Overprotective Parents

Most of us have parents that, in some moments, are overprotective. You know what, they’re your parents, so it’s in them to want to protect you and make sure you’re safe. But when do those overprotective parents cross the line and become too much?

If you’re sixteen and your parents want you home by eleven, well, that isn’t being overprotective, that’s being smart. But if at thirty, your parents want to try to keep you home or make you call them whenever you leave the house, well, that’s a little much, no?

You’ve probably lost your shit a thousand times, went crazy with all their rules, but there’s a better way to deal with your overprotective parents than to argue with them. Of course, becoming angry is only human, so if you get angry, it’s understandable.

But, why not make this experience better for all of you? Here are the 6 ways to deal with your overprotective parents. Selective hearing only works for so long.

# Over protectiveness doesn’t mean they’re evil

Your parents aren’t evil, they’re just scared shitless of something happening to you. Letting your child go into the world is scary.

There’s the chance of something happening to you and no parent wants to think about that. So, they keep you in a bubble. Not because they’re evil, but they’re scared.

# Don’t get angry

I know you probably want to blow up in a rage, yell, and tell them everything that’s on your mind. But does that really help? I mean, sure, you vented all your frustrations out but that doesn’t change your overprotective parents.

You didn’t talk to them about boundaries or what you need. You just yelled.

# Sit them down and have a talk about it

This is really the best way to show them your maturity as a young adult. If you want them to back off, show them you’re serious and that you’re approaching this situation as a grown adult.

Sit them down, talk about how you’re feeling, and listen to what they have to say. You may actually be able to come to an understanding just with that one conversation.

# What do you want?

You need to know what you want. What is it about their rules and behavior that you don’t need? Do you want to be able to walk home from school alone? Tell them. Do you want to be able to go out on a Friday night with your friends? Tell them.

Make sure you know exactly what your needs are because they’re going to expect to hear them.

# Talk about your feelings

Though this is about them, it’s really about you. It’s how they affect your feelings and your life. So, narrow in on that. Talk about how this makes you feel. Use the sentence “I feel…” in order to show them how their behavior actually affects you.

Blaming them for their behavior isn’t going to help you, it’s going to start an argument. So, if your parents call you ten times a day, say, “I feel stressed when you call me so many times during the day. I feel like you don’t trust me.” This helps them understand how their actions emotionally impact you.

# You’ll have to compromise

Now, if you think your parents are going to give you everything you want, you’re wrong. Maybe what you want is simply too much. So, be ready to compromise.

Don’t make your needs the extreme opposite or else they may not be able to handle it. A better idea is to make small changes and have them slowly adapt to those before increasing the boundaries.