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How To Deal With Hella-Protective Parents

It's possible to get through the parent trap, and still have fun!

While researching this story, we did a Google image-search of “over-protective parents.” The first (and funniest) pic to pop up was a photo of a kid wrapped in bubble wrap. The second? A lil dude in a cage.

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We’re not saying your ‘rents are that crazy, but when you’re dying to *insert awesome things* and your ‘rents say no (again), feeling as frustrated as Bubble-wrap Boy ain’t so far off.

We hit up life coach Robyn Brass to find out the best way to deal with over-protective pearz, minus the screamathon.

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“You’re more likely to get what you want from your parents if you communicate with them.”

SHOW THEM

All parents are different, and if yours just happen to be tougher than most, it just means you’ll have to work a little harder
to gain their trust. Er, how? By showing them you’re trustworthy, of course!

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Robyn reinforces the importance of doing the right thing, rather than just asking for more freedom. “Sell them the benefits of trusting you. Do your chores, take pride in your schoolwork and keep your promises. Prove that you can be responsible, and the freedom will follow.”

TALK TO THEM

Creepy fact: your parents were young once! Sure, it was a bazillion years ago and a lot has changed since then (hello, internet), but they’ve done the whole teen thing – and maybe that’s what scares them.

Let them know that you appreciate their concern and care. Give them the deets about that awesome party/concert/random social thing you want to go to, and assure them you’ll keep them in the loop while you’re there. Regular SMS updates = guaranteed bonus trust points!

“You’re more likely to get what you want from your parents if you communicate with them,” advises Robyn. “If you put up a wall of silence, they’ll only get suspicious.”

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BARGAIN WITH THEM

It’s natural to feel like going postal when your mum won’t let you watch an entire season of Gossip Girl on a school night, but having a screaming match will get you nowhere – except maybe grounded. Instead, make yourself a chamomile tea (a.k.a. chill) and talk calmly. Similarly, if there’s a party you want to go to, negotiate terms with your ’rents so everyone’s happy.

Robyn says asking straight out, “What can I do?” often helps. “Be clear about what you’ll do in return. Completing homework before you leave for the movies or providing the phone number of a friend you’re hanging with adds a sense of trust and security.”

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PARENTAL TIPS IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS

So you wanna…

  • Go to a party: Address their safety concerns. Work out how you’re going to get there, who you’ll be going with, and what time you’ll be home.
  • Go on a date: Introduce your date to your parents. Once they see that they aren’t a total drop-kick/vampire/werewolf, they might chillax more.
  • Spend more time online: Be open about it. Don’t add to the suspicion by locking yourself (and your laptop) alone in a dark room.

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