Sick of my parents’ “purity” culture (and then demanding I give them grandkids.)

r/

Basically all my life, I have been a good kid. Shy, meek, kinda awkward, but also kinda smart, doing well at school and, overall, my parents were mostly proud of me. I did not have too many close friends, but I did have lots of hobbies, after-school activities and so on. I did not even mind having only a handful of friends around me, as I did have quite a bit of socialization at school and after school.

Only recently, though, it hit me that I never have been invited to a birthday party, or a sleepover, or a weekend-long hangout, and I wasn’t sure why. I don’t think I am unlikable so that I wouldn’t get invited to anything, but… recently, I probably figured where the issue is. And that issue is… you guessed it, my parents.

I love them and all, but… only now do I realize they have been a bit overbearing, and perhaps a bit overprotective, and definitely too obsessed with “purity,” so to speak. When I (female) mentioned I made a male friend, my mother would freak out a bit and say I should be careful around boys. I had no idea why, we were just friends? And kids? Why should I be on guard near my friends?

Eventually, that paranoia turned to occasional teasing about “when will your friend become a boyfriend?” As well as “well-meant” advice about “not staying in the same room as the opposite gender, or else something might happen!” Again, what the heck should happen, mom?! I have no clue! Will we play too hard, talk too much, eat too many potato chips…?!
Again, only now do I realize she probably meant well and was hinting on me getting pregnant when in one room with a boy, but… what the hell. Why would you say that to a literal child? And later, yes, teenager, but still basically a child?

Needless to say, that constant teasing, worrying and poking into my relationships ended up preventing me from any party, sleepover or anything like that, because I do not believe I would be able to enjoy it, being constantly on edge, not to mention having to endure lots of “friendly teasing” after.

Now that I am an adult, a functional, working, self-sufficient adult, guess what? I am still unable to bring myself to let loose at a party, and I tend to drink and relax only until about ten or eleven in the evening, midnight at most, before going home and to bed. I am conditioned to think something bad might happen, even if I am with my (both male and female) friends who I trust and know are good and would never hurt me.

And, here’s the kicker – now the comments from my mother turned from “Don’t stay in the same room as a boy, or something will happen!” to “you are all grown up, when will you give me grandchildren?”
I don’t know, mom, why am I unable to give you grandchildren? Maybe because I am constantly on edge, not to mention annoyed by the fact I should suddenly change from a demure, untouched maiden into a lustful woman that just wants to breed and make lots of children?

Give me a break.
Or, better yet, go adopt a kid, if you want so much to take care of another kid.

TLDR: I got constantly teased about making friends with the opposite gender, now am unable to enjoy parties and/or sleepovers, as well as have no desire whatsoever to suddenly switch to want to have kids (after getting constantly warned about getting pregnant as a kid/teen.)

Comments

  1. CeciTigre Avatar

    I am really sorry you were raised by a very domineering mother. It doesn’t sound like your mother has any clue as to how her constant need to control you has impacted you.

    You are an adult, living your own life and the only one who has any say about how you choose to live your own life… is you. Do your own thing and ignore anyone who try’s to manipulate and control you.

  2. ohyerasofa Avatar

    Hey, I know Reddit like to jump on the therapy bandwagon but I think you should really consider it. It sounds like you’re unhappy with how you feel about your early programming. Having a disinterested third party help you unpack what’s going on could help. They’re not there to fix you but to help give you the tools to sort things out. I am going to suggest you avoid any religion based counseling.

  3. Ginger630 Avatar

    So your mom didn’t teach you how to socialize properly and now expects you to give her grandkids? How does she expect that when you aren’t even married? And what would happen if you did get pregnant out of wedlock?

    I highly suggest therapy to untangle your brain from her views.

  4. Abducted_by_neon Avatar

    I understand you so much!! I grew up a fundamentalist Christian and I was SO terrified of men. I remember a time my friend, I was about 10, invited me to a baseball game. It was 100% him just wanting to hang out.

    I went to ask my mom and she immediately started to tease me and say it was a “date” and started to harp about how she needed to go with to “supervise” and make sure we were “courting properly”

    When I finally had sex at 20 I cried the entire time because I thought I was going to get pregnant immediately and I had to marry the man taking my virginity (spoiler, he was extremely abusive).

    I’m sorry you’re going through all this, you don’t deserve it and I wish I could say something to help. Thats such a hard thing and it wasn’t fair if your parents to do that to you

  5. andmewithoutmytowel Avatar

    “Ye shall reap what you sow”

  6. Christian_teen12 Avatar

    My mom is oddly similar but in fact ,she never trusted me with man since I was a kid.