Grownup Children

I was talking to my parents yesterday, my mother asked me where my son was. That was one of the instances where I knew where he was, so I replied he is at Best Buy. Next question came little unexpected, what is he getting? I have no idea. He no longer needs to ask my permission to go somewhere, or buy things.  That made me think that my parents never started seeing me as a grown up, they still consider me a child, who does not know any better. That realization actually was really upsetting. They never asked for my opinion for anything, and that hurt. 

Also Vik and I was playing a game Heroes Might & Magic, well, we just started, I don’t usually play games, and that particular game is very pretty, but very confusing for me, so I was just asking him many questions and watching him play. So I when my dad called me on Skype I told him what we were doing. They started calling us children once again. But if you think about it, how is playing a strategy game where you need to think is worse than just sitting on the couch and watching a movie, where information just being fed to you? At least the game is making me think. And they are sitting and laughing at us, and calling us kids. Why? Why am I still being treated like a kid at the age of 41? I have a family, I have a house, I work, I have a full time job and 2 part time jobs, I take care of my family, I take care of my dogs, and I also model. When do I officially grow up in their eyes?

It bothers my mother that I don’t have any weight problems, that I take care of my body and always have done that. Why do I need to be 30 lbs. overweight to become a grown woman? Is there something I missed? Some unwritten Jewish rule? She considers herself an adult when she is eating plain oatmeal for dinner and getting upset that her weight is not going down. Why does she want the same for me, when I am perfectly happy with myself? Is it an evil joke that I am just not grownup enough to understand? Anybody, please enlighten me!!!   

Letting your kids grow up is a process, it does not happen overnight.  At first when my son got his DL and was no longer reliant on me to take him places, I still asked when he was going to be home, that lasted probably half a year. He is very responsible, he was able to show me that I don't need to worry about his wellbeing. I still want to know all about everything that is going on in his life, but I treat him as a grown up, and not a child. He will always be my baby, but as a grown man I accepted him as such.