Most of us leave the nest in our late teens or early 20's to live on our own and provide for ourselves - however much help we still may need from our 'rents.
However, some young adults (or worse, full-on-grown-ups) may live on their own but do not cut the cord. Instead of a boyfriend, they talk to mom every night. Instead of throwing caution to the wind and making chili with chocolate in it, they use mom's recipe. They call for mom's advice on paint colors. They ask for the 'rentals permission for... well... anything that doesn't directly affect the family. They may have even moved in down the street and dad still comes over to unclog the shower drain. Not that living near your family is bad. Being family centered is one thing, a good thing. Keeping blinders on and mom/dad at your 12 o'clock is another.
Marie from Everybody Loves Raymond was a mom-clinger supreme.
Sometimes parents do this to us if we let them. Sometimes we do it to ourselves by not standing up for our independence.
When is the right time? How do you keep a mom from meddling without hurting her feelings (we do, of course, still love her!)?
I once had a boss that tried to mom me. She even tried to make a doctors appointment for me (I was 24!). The solution to that? Quit. Now, we can't quit family, so let me hear ya!
Let me take this time to thank my mom for being a great balance of a things "mom". She was a cheerleader when I needed a pep-talk, a friend when I needed an ear, a coach when I needed a "buck up", a patient teacher when I needed a lesson and I appreciate her now more than I ever did. I find that I am becoming more like her daily and I am becoming increasingly more proud of that fact. Love you, Neener! (Did I mention she's a great sport when it comes to silly nicknames?)
