What do your parents disapprove of about you?

[LynetteScavo]

My mother disapproves of me drinking alcohol.

She disapproves of me doing the RICA course. (even thought she doesn't know I'm doing it and thinks it's just me chatting with the priest in the presbytery -she is very anti Catholic, but would never admit it)

She disapproves of me staying up late (after 10 pm, even though she is seldom in bed before midnight, if not 1am)

She disapproves (nay, is shocked, so she tells me) of me giving my DC drinks whenever they say they are thirsty. Because in her day, you only got something if you were competing in sport, and that was only a thin piece of orange to suck on.

That I buy things in the supermarket that cost more than a pound
That I have the heating on for more than an hour sometimes
That I buy ready meals sometimes
That we drink pop and not cordial
That we sometimes go out for dinner even though it's not special occasion

My mum and dad were super skint getting their family started in the late 70s, they had 5 jobs between them to pay an enormous mortgage (at the time). My mum's never quite got over being skint and constantly stashes small sums of money around the house 'for a rainy day' and never ever spends without thinking it over first. I think she thinks I'm super frivolous with money, when I'm actually quite sensible (with what little we've got!).

When I 'm alone with them, pretty much everything, in fact in a memorable conversation recently I was 'getting above myself' having been asked to join the Community Council.

When there is anyone else around, I am practically perfect in every way, in fact the prettyist, smartist and best mother in the whole world, FFS.

My mum is pretty good and does't say things
But I know she thinks my DS1 watches too much TV
and that BF past a year is a bit wierd
and she didn't like the house we bought

My swearing. I wasn't even allowed to use slang terms when I was growing up, and she still physically winces every time I say anything worse than 'gosh', so she looks like she has some sort of nervous tic whenever she's with me.

I can't think of anything else that she disapproves of to be fair to her. Or perhaps it's only the swearing that she struggles to hide her disapproval of.

Should have said, my dad doesn't disapprove of anything. I think he's just glad I grew up to be relatively normal so I have no issues to blame him for. Anything for a peaceful life, my dad.

Smoking
Drinking - my dad thinks I drink loads more than I do, I think.
Not using coasters.
Any choice of car that isn't Japanese.
Not having taught the girls to read before starting school.
Any time I am annoyed with the girls.
Not having a better job: specifically, not doing a PGCSE.

That I'm still pretty poor with money. To be fair, I disapprove of me, too, with that one

That I don't relish her swearing in front of DD (I swear a lot, too, learned behaviour, but I'm trying to curb it)

That I don't smack or allow her to do the smacking

That I have an equal relationship with my DH

Generally though she constantly goes on to family, friends and random strangers that I'm a brilliant mum and wife so I can't really complain.

My Mum...nothing

My Dad... It feels like the fact that I am female is enough, he has issues. Every time I see him, he belittles women. Sometimes half heartedly joking but mostly, he has a branch of Harry Ramsdens on his shoulder

He has never spoken to me about my greatest love (painting) Since I went to University to study Art (17 yrs ago)

That I have suffered from and am being treated for Depression. This is such a big wedge.

Sorry for typo's sticky keyboard.

most things when I actually see her.

the way I hang the washing out

what I spend my money on

How I bring up my children

I don't see her very often,this suits my blood pressure

The fact I didn't take DH's surname. She insists on using it against my wishes when she writes to me.

The fact I do karate. She thinks I've joined some kind of cult, and is probably plotting to steal me away to be reprogrammed.

The fact I make my children eat their veggies before they have cake. Although I have memories of sitting at the table for hours pushing bits of eg onion around my plate before I could have pudding or get down.

The fact I want to limit the cake to one slice (I've given up on that one).

the fact I have my nose pierced

My tattoo

That I vote Green

That I read the Grauniad

That I don't dress baby DD in pink

That I detest the Tories

DS is a vegetarian and you'd think this was the weirdest, most way out decision ever - they tease her every time they see her.

My mother disapproves of me quite a lot. I ended up not talking to other than email for over a year because all of the phone conversations were her telling me what she thought I was doing wrong - the same thing every conversation.

Mostly she disapproves of me:
*being married (She's anti-marriage, particularly if the guy isn't wealthy enough to take care of her as well ),

• having any kids (She thinks babies are disgusting, and doesn't get why anyone would choose to have kids.)
• not being on the Pill (regardless that that would be dangerous with my medical history, to her any other contraception is too much work and doesn't work as well...even though all her kids were pill babies and mine have all been planned)
• not drinking or doing any drugs. I'm teetotal mostly because both of my parents had multiple addictions, including both being alcoholics, when I was growing up. Watching them be drunk pretty much took any pleasure out of the concept.
• not colouring my hair - she coloured my hair blonde since I was...4ish. I don't think I look good enough blonde to do through the bother and really prefer my dark hair. She hates my dark hair (it's actually the same as her natural hair colour).
• for choosing to start my own business with my husband that fits around our kids rather than going off onto a career that would make me rich and famous enough to take care of her...

My father disapproves that I didn't go to work for his (now ex-) wife, that I'm a different faith and political bend, and that I don't give him free rein to my kids and my life after saying the above different beliefs mean he should take my kids away...

My parents aren't especially disapproving but my mum does disapprove of me swearing, though I never swear in front of her.

My dad would have disapproved of me smoking, had he fond out before I gave up. He thoroughly disapproved of my black, spiky hair when I was 15. Nowadays he disapproves of me letting DS wear a baseball cap.

That I like red meat. And roast dinners. And gravy. They think all of these are common. They are lentil weavers.

That is all.

• I'd more say disappointed with a few things. That I'm an atheist and not a Catholic, which is how they raised me. That we never got married in a church, or had a 'proper' wedding with fancy cars, bridesmaids etc (she said at the wedding "This is actually quite a good wedding" in surprise. Thanks.). That we're not going to baptise DD. Or have a naming ceremony. That I don't dress DD in really girly clothes. Even made a comment that she had a denim dress on. You should have seen her face when she wore an AC-DC t-shirt That we used to put her tights on 'wrong' (under her bodysuit). That I don't spend money on expensive handbags. Or any handbags for that matter. That DH and I don't buy anniversary presents. Or give each other lots of gifts at Christmas/birthdays (never mind that we had just bought each other a house!) I could go on.

Notjustkangaskhan Are you one of Keith Richard's kids?

My mum hated me spending any money on anything and would always ask the cost of it, and then tut at the price, even though I'd already halved it.

She also hated me going away for the weekend with friends (once a year) and leaving DC in the obviously totally incapable hands of my DH. She would pester me for a week beforehand as to what I'd 'made for their dinner' and if I'd stocked up the freezer (My dh is a really good cook).

But anyway, now that my Mum's gone, I quite miss someone disapproving of me. I'm just another conventional, middle-aged Mum now. Think I'll have to go and buy a motorbike!

that I go to work and have not waited until my DC go to school.
that I do not take or pick up my DS from nursery.
my DH full stop.

Hmm.
I have so little in common with my parents (it has always been that way, scarily) that I couldn't possible tease out what they disapprove of (cf what they dislike, what they think of as me overreacting, what they think of as me being precious and pretentious, etc).

Yes I married a posh (ish) boy too.
My parents vastly prefer him