“Trapped Under the Chopper: 40 Adults Reveal the Dark Truths of Growing Up with Helicopter Parents”
*I was not allowed to wear anything other than skirts and dresses that went below my knee
*My mom picked out my clothes for me until the 11th grade
*I was not allowed to date or even be alone with boys (jokes on my parents, I’ve had a girlfriend for years under their nose)
*No music was allowed in the house besides SOME contemporary Christian and hymns (This REALLY killed me because I LOVE music and anytime I had CDs or merch, my parents would burn them and call it the devil’s music)
*I was not allowed to have a phone or use the internet until I moved out
* I was not allowed to watch TV by myself, even at 16, 17, years of age
*I could only read approved books from the christian section of the library and the Bible (of course)
*I did LOTS of chores
*Doors were not allowed to be closed, except for at night when my parents locked me in my room
*My parents handled all my money and used it as they pleased
* I could only have friends over, I was never allowed to go anywhere
*I was subject to full body and room searches at anytime, including my journals and other personal things
How do I deal with them now? After I moved out I came out as gay and agnostic, dyed my hair blue, got several piercings, BOUGHT A PHONE, and listened to whatever the f***k I wanted too (mostly punk/emo/metal). My parents still visit me and try to got through my things or question me about all the “satanic” band symbols on my walls, and recently my mom went through my medicine cabinet, but I have found that a respectful but firm “No” and a reminder that I am an adult now always helps. I pick and choose my battles, though, because I have younger siblings and I still want to have a relationship with them, something my parents have tried to take away many times.
