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Anyone else have deal with a hyper critical parent? I recently moved closer my parents, my mom has always been very critical of me (I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, wasn’t popular, didn’t marry well....). I’m on her radar even more now and it’s draining.

There’s no way tactfully point it out either so please don’t suggest that. It only gets me the silent treatment weeks. Not as fun as it sounds, believe me. Plus I’ve had borrow a fair amount of from them so that’ll be help over my head if I say anything as well.

I am going try find a way get her stop venting to me about my dad though. My parents are still married and my poor dad can’t do anything right. She constantly bitches about him. I don’t know if she’s trying to turn me against him too? Or if she just thinks we’re BFF’s so she can complain about him to me. He’s still my dad!!

Really not looking advice, just needed vent. My daughter’s school graduation party is Sunday and she’s adding stress it.

Marcie1974 8 May 28
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16 comments

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1

I'm so sorry. That sounds stressful. I know i would not like that myself.

1

Ugh. I am in similar situation with same immobility. My dad had to die to get out of her verbal abuae and vocal dissatifcation.

One thing i tell my kids when they bitch about me or siblings, "go tell your friends, not your mother. I don't talk about you to you." ... That unfortunately will not work with my mom.

Stay strong and keep venting it out. If you internalize you'll start believing her words. And you're better than that!

💙

I like that advice.

2

Miss Manners covered something like this once. She said to say " How kind of you to notice" and repeat it each time they do it to you. Then change the subject to the weather, the ball game anything non person and then leave the room before it comes around again to you. It worked for me on my mother-in-law.

That's good practical advice i think. I may use that strategy. Thank you.

That’s very good advice and might actually work with my mom, thank you!

She’s not completely narcissistic and had a pretty rough upbringing so I don’t want to cut her out of my life. Yet at the same point I have to be extremely cautious when pointing out that she’s being critical.

2

Yes both parents were/are fckd up. Have you tried the approach used with narcs called grey rock method?

"The Gray Rock Method gives you an option of blending in so that you no longer serve as a target for that person. Gray Rock provides a safe and effective way to dull the impact you have around these people, and they will eventually just leave you alone. If you can’t cut them out of your life completely, try separating yourself from them as much as possible. If you need to be in the same room as them, distract yourself with your phone. Don’t be present for conversations.

Answer short answers and don’t engage in conversation. At first, they will become frustrated by your inaction, but they’ll eventually see that there is no getting ahead with you and they’ll move on to someone else.

If they aren’t getting what they want: satisfaction from hurting other people or manipulating them, they’ll find another source of that satisfaction.

When the person enters the room, do your best to just leave.

Continue to remind yourself that what they think and do is not a reflection of you and that they can hold all the opinions and thoughts they want.

You don’t have to give into any of it. You don’t have to allow them the space in your mind to take over your thoughts. You don’t even have to do much more than just smile and nod at them.

You can keep your thoughts and feelings close to your chest – they won’t come looking for them anyway and you get out of the conversation unscathed and feeling like you were in control instead of feeling like you got railroaded by them."

Hope the tips/method helps you! 🙂

Gray Rock Method... ill look into that further.

0

What makes you think you have to point anything out? Don't you think she knows exactly what she is doing? I tolerated my alcoholic, wife beating, narcissistic bastard of a father into my early fifties and then did what I should have done 30 years earlier. I completely cut him off. That's my advice. No daughter should tolerate the treatment you are getting. Some people just don't deserve being part of your life. I don't care who they are.

1

Have you ever researched narcissistic personality disorder? Hyper-criticism, combined with extreme sensitivity and a penchant for doling out the silent treatment are classic narcissist behaviors.
You might browse on toxic narcissists or narcissist parents and find that there is a pattern that many others have experienced.
On a completely unrelated note (🙄) there is an abuse survivors group here.

I’ve deliberately not looked up narcissistic behavior. Part of me feels guilty for complaining because she grew up in a very physically and emotionally abusive household and did break that cycle.

I did grow up with a lot of love as well. I don’t know, maybe I’m just overly sensitive

@Marcie1974 that’s how people develop personality disorders (trauma). I’m glad you grew up feeling loved but that doesn’t exclude the possibility of a toxic environment.

0

it's difficult to accept. but some parents/children just do not like each other.

4

I am nearly 60 and my father still thinks I am the biggest disappointment of his life (his words not mine) regularly takes huffs with me over things I have apparently done or said but which he won't elaborate on, because he says I know what I did and if I don't well that's just another thing to find fault in me for. Criticises everything I do, say or think, buy or produce.

For the last twenty seven years I have simply ignored this, which in itself is a source of disappointment to him as it apparently means I have no respect or manners.

Some parents simply cannot accept their children are different from them, and different equates in their mind to inferior.

In my experience, if a person refuses to tell you what you did that upset them, it’s because their reason is batshit crazy and saying it out loud would reveal how ridiculous their expectations are.

Totally immature, i know... but have you given any thought to popping him in the nose?

@MrLink My brother did that years ago

0

Good luck!

3

I have a toxic family. My father was extremely critical and passed away from Alzheimer's. My younger sister and I were very close, but it always seemed that my mom needed a scapegoat, so she would try to get us to confide in her and talk about each other. When my poor sister became mentally ill, she took my place as the scapegoat, and I participated in a toxic relationship in which I attacked her in order to gain favor with my mom. After my sister died from suicide I was punished for this with rumination and guilt. My sister was very loving and loyal to me, but I betrayed her. After the death my mom went for counciling but still continues to blame and gossip about others. I finally came to the realization that, since she is now my only living close relative, I must accept the fact that she can not change. Our relationship is close since I've come to realize she is now old and lonely, and see need each other for support. I decided to never let her know how I really feel, and that in some ways she failed as a parent. At this point, it wouldn't be productive and I don't see the need of punishment. I think she knows deep down inside, even though I console her.

I've had some similar experiences with my family, but my mother is dead and my father will be too soon, so my critical parents will both be gone. I have no contact with my siblings except around my father's health and welfare. I look forward to closing the book on the whole family soon. It sucks trying to date online when almost all the women seem to act like their family is everything to them and mine is in my life as little as possible during my adult life. But if I tried to explain why in my profile essay, it would just be held against me and I would be blamed for not being close to my family. The only people that understand are the ones who have shared my situation without being in denial, which is a damned small group.....

@TomMcGiverin Really, I never considered that! Of course I don't try to seek out relationships online or otherwise. I have come to expect that most people are just not compatible with me, regardless of my family. By the time you get to be middle aged, I don't think people expect you to have such close family ties, or even many relatives that are still alive 😀

@friendlycatlady That is probably true in most places, but not here in farming country, where everything is around and about family. It is held as a big strike against me even tho I am probably more emotionally healthy than most of the people in online dating that are so big on family, at least in their profile essays.

0

There comes a time that no matter what my parents say to me after age 50, i do what i feel is right for my own happiness. they have their life I have mine, they did their job and raised me, and i love them very much, but not only they but no one leads my life for me except me.

1

Your mother sounds pretty unhappy. She is the one with the problems, not you. I know it is easy for me to give advice and not so easy for you to take it....so I won’t. The fact that you have let off steam to us may help just a little. I will just say this though....no matter what she says or does, try to remember that her words are just that, words, and words can’t really hurt unless you allow them to. You know your own worth, don’t let anyone make you feel less than that, not even your mother....especially not your mother.

Words hurt more than ANYTHING

@A2Jennifer only if you let them.

@Marionville that’s really an old trope that blames victims of abuse for “letting” someone hurt them

@A2Jennifer No it isn’t...I’m not saying that at all...please don’t misinterpret my words. If it was anyone else but her mother I would suggest that the “bully” was treated in a very different manner, but Marcie has indicated that she isn’t actually looking for advice, only wanting to vent her frustration. What I was trying to do was strengthen her inner self, to build up het own resolve and self-confidence. Her mother seems to have a mental problem of some sort, either that or great unhappiness....probably the first leading to the second.

1

Both parents INSISTED, with physical force & emotional pressure, that I be perfect. Anything less than an A+ in any school subject was cause for a Lot of punishment, denigration, including whipping with the buckle end of a belt. One time I got a B+ in Art and burst into hysteria, so badly the teacher altered the report card (not the actual grade).
So, I ended up getting pregnant at 17, to escape, marrying a wife-beater, because being beaten when things weren't "perfect" felt natural.....
Over it now, and does it feel Great! Only took about 40 years.......

I relate to this. My father was hyper-critical and withheld attention and love when I failed to be the person he wanted me to be. I went looking for a boy who was “nothing like my father,” which meant I picked someone who shunned intelligence and education, but controlled and punished me exactly like my father did. Also got pregnant at 17 and stuck with the abusive loser. Took s lot of years to lose the loser and set and stick to boundaries with my father.

0

My mom is extremely critical of how I look, talk, who I date, and how I walk. I kid you not. Things were extreme when I was a teenager and I ran away from home. Over the years she's been critical of my home, my career, my friends, my clothing, my hair and how I handle money. I've had to cut her and my now deceased dad off periodically over the years.

I have a friend who also had to cut her mom off. It’s not to that point but yeah, pretty damaging to ones feeling of self worth when even your own mom thinks you’re less-than in pretty much every way

1

Sounds like your mother is venting as well...nothing will change exception your reaction to it...

I think now that I’m finally gaining some self confidence in the last few years, I’m realizing how critical she is. Up to recently I just accepted what she said at face value. I’m finally realizing I’m not dumb. I may not be pretty but I’m certainly not hideous. Having extra weight does not make me a bad person.

@Marcie1974 The main thing is not to pass the torch to your own daughters...My mother was the opposite...I could bring home a poop statue and she would say it was genius...

@thinktwice oh believe me, I’ve been very aware of not criticizing them the same way. I made plenty of mistakes!! But never shamed their intelligence or looks. My oldest even mentioned to me that she heard some of the things grandma said to me. She wanted to stand up for me but also didnt want to get in the middle. She’s only 20.

@thinktwice Same daughter was a very very chubby baby. My mom made a comment to the effect of “she hasn’t missed any meals” when Gabby was only about 9 months old. I did stand up to her then because I was NOT going to let her fat shame my children.

Mom still brings that up every once in a while and I have to bite my tongue not to tell her the reason I made such a big deal about it is because I didn’t want her criticizing my kids’ weight, at any age, the way she did/does mine

2

My Mom was critical with me until I turned 17 and went to college, then it's like a switch was turned off. She hasn't bugged me since. I'm 57

Lucky! First time I really remember it was 4th grade. I’m kind of realizing some of the things that have contributed to my low self esteem. Definitely not saying it’s her fault. And she did WAY better than her physically and mentally abusive parents. But at the same time, I can’t imagine saying those things to my own children

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