Am I in the wrong for feeling this way?!

January 25, 2013 1:37pm CST
Hi all, Long story short... My family is very dysfunctional. I have a fabulous life, great kids a wonderful husband and I am an extremely busy Mommy. I got out of being around my family that is so dysfunctional for a reason, I don't want to have my children around that type of environment and no way will I allow history to repeat itself. My point here is, I have an okay relationship with my parents and the only reason why I think it's been going good is because I'm always there for them. I think in a sense I feel guilty, because my dad is a very unhealthy man, so I feel obligated. I feel as though I'm the one with the big heart and they know that. They really could care less to spend time with their grandchildren, only when I bring the kids to them that's the only time they see them, they never go out of their way. My mom works a full time job and doesn't ask me to take my father to his doctors appointments, she tell me. Now my brother who has no children and is in the military comes down almost every weekend. But, my parents hang out with him and watch football with him and go to the bars with him. He seems more like a buddy as opposed to a son. Now, I the responsible daughter and they expect me to take on their responsibilities on top of my own. I just feel like they don't consider me at all and are just taking advantage of me and I'm sick and tired of it. I honestly don't know what to do... advice is appreciated... thanks for letting me vent! =)
1 person likes this
4 responses
• Indonesia
26 Jan 13
be patience, i know you feel sick and tired of this but you also must to think that you still have a father. in my opinion if i being you i will take care on my father whatever it takes even my mother or all of my family don't care about him. because if anything happened to my father i will feel so guilty even if not my only responsible to take care of him.
@nesaza (29)
• Indonesia
26 Jan 13
I'm sorry to the family situation like that. But I like to give advice that would be helpful. Fist, thank God for the family that you still have. Second, pray that God will help you to be patient in the face of chaotic family. Third, fix your attitude towards your family first.
@andak2007 (3229)
• Philippines
25 Jan 13
I can somehow relate to how you are feeling. Why don't you try and talk it out to them? I know it is hard when you are really not used to talking and having an open communication with your parents, i have the same problem too! That is why i am trying to tell my kids that they can tell me everything that they want to say to me and for them to feel that i will always be here to listen. Go and try to talk it out to your parents about what you feel maybe they are just not aware of how they are treating you and just got used to it because you let them go on thinking that everything is ok with you. You can do the talking over a dinner in some place else rather than their home so that the also get a different view of you. I hope this helps. I am lucky i parents who are willing to help me in anyway.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
26 Jan 13
Well you kind of have to choose what you are going to put up with, and what you are not. First, you should let go of how they treat your brother compared to you. It's pointless to get upset about something you have absolutely no ability to change. You have no control over your parents and how they treat their children, you or your brother. I've had this myself. My parents have always treated my sister very different from myself. I had to simply learn that that's how it is. They simply love her more. I can get bitter and angry and so on, but the bottom line is, they won't change, so what good does it do ruining my life over it? Second, as to you and what responsibilities you take on, that's up to you. You are an adult now. You are not their little girl. You have responsibilities as an adult, responsibilities that take priority over your parents. Now if the problem is, you are just bitter that your brother doesn't help out, and you help, that's an internal problem. You need to dump that bitterness and let go. You can't change anyone but yourself. If the problem is that your parents have expectations, and they take you for granted, and expect you to do things because you are their little girl.... Well that's different. The answer is are you going to stand up for yourself, or are you going to be a door mat? No one can answer that for you. You have to make that choice. And there are going to be consequences to actions. If you choose the door mat approach, the consequences are that you are going to continue to do whatever they ask in order to maintain the peace, and it's going to bug you until they die off. If you choose to stand up for yourself, the consequences are that both your parents and your brother are going to be angry with you. Because you have allowed this to go on for some time, both are used to you being the dutiful daughter. If you stand up to that, they'll be angry. This is why you should deal with problems INSTANTLY, instead of letting them drag on and become 'normalized' to the people around you. Once a situation is "normal" to the people involved, when you try and change it, people get ticked off. But you are here now, so the choice is up to you. I know you were hopping for a 3-easy-steps solution, but no such solution exists. You have to create boundaries between you and your family. Make a choice, I can do this and this, but no I can't do that and that. I have other responsibilities to take care of. And if they don't like it, tough. If they cut off communication with you, tough. If they are angry with you, too bad. The only other option is to just let them walk over you until they die. But it's all on you from here on out. You choose.