My mom is always reading these parenting magazines?!?
Posted on 30. Jul, 2010 by Eve in Parenting
I am 13 years old and my mom is constantly reading these magazines that talk about how to be a better parent. That’s just fine and dandy, but she always is quoting the magazines and stuff; it really is annoying. Example:
She says, "You should try blah blah blah because that’s what my magazine said." and she comes up with statistics out of nowhere, like some kind of calculator. "Did you know that 76.9% of people who paint their nails on a regular basis will end up with some form of cancer from the inhalation of the fumes?" she says. I paint my nails a lot, and so I asked, "Where did you hear that?" and her unspecific answer is, "Oh, in some magazine." She makes up the numbers, usually; I think…
And I’ve read the magazine articles. They sound sort of like this book I had once that talks about how to take care of you pet, except in the articles, it’s "How to _____ for your Teen." Like, teens are such alien creatures! One month the magazine will say to give your teen tough love. The next, it will say to pamper your teen. She always goes along with it, and makes the whole family [my dad, and my 11 year old sister] try whatever new trick it gives on how to have a better family life and how to build a relationship with your kid. Frankly, I would have a MUCH better relationship with her if she would stop reading the magazines and quoting them and basically becoming a slave for them and whatever silly idea they have!
I know she’s just trying to be a good parent, but I’m not sure how long I can put up with it. My sister agrees with me, but obviously, she’s too young for an account on here.
So, the question is, what should I do about this? I’ve tried actually hiding the magazines, but then she just went out and bought them in the grocery store line. It’s really ruining any relationship [as the magazines say] that I would potentially have built with her. I’ve also tried talking to her about it, calmly and rationally, but her reply was, "So, you’re saying you know more than Jane Doe, MDD? I don’t think so, young lady!"
CathyLoveeŦ
30. Jul, 2010
ok my parents watch these chinese shows about teenage facebook/myspace, and trust me, it’s even worse than those magazines. Just explain to your mom that the magazines really dont explain what teens actually act like/or do. Tell her you don’t like her qouting the magazine, and she should find her own unique way of raising a child, that theres no "manual" in raising a teen. But remember shes doing it for your good too, she wants to know you better and build better relationships.
Connie
30. Jul, 2010
LOL tell her you want to live a normal life and not so serious =[[ those amgazines are rediculous. my god hahaha
Heal The World I love U Harry &l
30. Jul, 2010
hahaha i have the same prob can u give me best answers? Thanx
Skilz
30. Jul, 2010
you just need to talk with her.
look at it this way. you mom loves you soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much, more than anyone in the entire world. your her baby girl, and she wants you to have the best life possible! all moms do. thats why their over protective and demanding, because they want to improve your life to the max.
so, your mom thinks that those magazines will give her ideas of how to do that; "how to make your teens life better" books or articles are the way she thinks she should parent you.
ccompromise talk, meaning she sits and listens to what you have to say and what you think about what shes doing. then, she gets her turn, and after both of you have talked for however long youve wanted to talk, then you talked together on how to compromise the situation.
start of like "mom, i dont know more than Jane Doe, MMD, but i know that shes not my mom. i want to learn things from my mom, not from a magazine. you love me very much and these magazines give you ideas of how to raise me, but i dont whats a stranger raising me. i want my mom, because my mom knows best and a magazine doesnt."
you mom doesnt understand how you feel about her magazine, so you need to tell her in a nice way, not a mad way. its not an argument, its a discussion.
Ken
30. Jul, 2010
Tell her mans wisdom is folly– drop the magazines and pop psychology.