How to Deal With a Controlling Parent

When you ask a person what he or she envisions to be in life, a lot of them would answer that they want to be free and independent. We want to show others that we are mature individuals capable of doing things, surviving by ourselves and making big decisions in our life.

This can be really hard to do, especially for teens and young adults, if they have a controlling parent. A lot of parent-children arguments and fights stem from parents who are too involved in their children’s lives that the children would feel suffocated, restrained and too dependent.

Here are some applicable tips in dealing with a controlling parent.

Observe and tell

Usually, controlling behavior from parents can start from the smallest things- what to have for dinner, what you wear and how you act in front of other people. Ask yourself why they are acting this way and recall instances in the past where they have been too controlling and stifling.

If you spent enough time thinking about it, you can now talk about this with them. There are a lot of cases where parents tend to be too controlling and they don’t even notice this themselves. Make them aware of their behavior and how this is affecting or hurting you. Bringing awareness to their behavior os the first step to them being less controlling.

Assurance

One way to assure parents that their children are mature and independent individuals capable of making their own decisions and facing the consequences of their actions is by showing them. Follow their rules. If the agreement is to be home before midnight, be sure to follow so that they can see that you are responsible and trustworthy.