Hello all. My parents are very overprotective and I’m quite over it. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always had a dream of being a musician like my favorite bands. I picked up a violin at 10 and got my first guitar when I was 15. But, I begged my parents for guitar and vocal lessons and they said, “You do (insert thing here) and we’ll pay for them.” I did said thing and I never got those lessons. I self-taught for 3 years before finally picking up guitar lessons with Mike Gross over Skype. My parents yelled at me for spending $109/month for spending money on something so “stupid.” When I threw in their face that they wouldn’t pay for them, they made up some lame excuse. Yet my brother’s in baseball and they jumped at the opportunity to get him in batting and pitching instructions for $100/week. They even told me that they tried to stray me from the musician path because it “doesn’t make good money.” Unfortunately for them, I don’t care about money. Money means nothing to me.

I wasn’t allowed to cross the street or go on a walk without parental supervision until I was 17. I was never allowed to do my own projects and reports because my mom hopped all over doing everything for me. Even as a Junior, I was writing a paper on John Lennon and I went to Mom for advice. She ended up writing the whole thing. I tried to put my 2 cents in but she said, “No. Do this.” And when I have a problem with a manager at work (I do work with my mom) my mom tells me what to say and won’t let me say what I want because she knows I’m not very confrontational and I like to keep the peace. Which brings me to my next point. I hate my job. It stresses me to no end because it goes against all of my values and morals. I come home every time in hysterics and tears yet they won’t let me quit until I have a driver’s license. When I point out that I have to have experience behind the wheel to get my license, they ask me when they have time to teach me.

I have no friends anymore. All of my friends went off to college. I lost all of my musician friends, so I don’t have anyone I’m comfortable with to start a band with. And when I make friends out of the blue by connections from friends, my parents freak and ask for their name, age, number, address, and how I met them. I shouldn’t have a problem with this, but I do. Why do I need to tell them all of this crap that is none of their business? Just because I made the mistake of miscommunication once and had the police looking for me? Even before then, my parents still wanted to meet them before I hung out with them, which I believe is total bull crap. I don’t know all of their friends. Why do they need to know mine? I understand they want to protect me, but they’re going WAY too far. A girl from work and I became really good friends and we’ve even talked about moving to a different state, rooming with 2 or three other people to split the cost, and starting a band. I’m tired of being trapped in this stupid small town and not doing what I need to do for myself.

They always hounded me growing up to be more like my sister. Be outgoing like her. Be confident like her. Get good grades like her. They didn’t treat me as an individual. They saw that me being an old soul, a modern day hippie, a musician, and a vegetarian as a problem. “I don’t understand reality.” Oh yes I do. I understand what risks I’m taking following my dreams, but it’d be worth it in the end because I know I reached for them and I believe if given the chance, I could make those dreams come true. Yet, they won’t listen to me because it doesn’t make enough money. They and my siblings also tease me. I get that they’re just teasing, but I don’t think they know it hurts. Yes, I’m aware my idols are 30+ years older than me. Yes, I get that I have nothing to do with today’s generation because I hate this generation more than anything in the world. Yes, I do believe in seeing the good side of people instead of the bad. It’s gotten to the point where I just have no relationship with my family anymore. They’re just … there. And it irritates me. It irritates me knowing they’re there because I feel like they’re constantly judging me instead of supporting me for not being conventional. Conventional irritates me. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve tried telling them this, but they won’t listen. I forever long to be on the stage again with a band I connect well with, away from adult responsibilities for a while until I get a little older. Not have to worry about regrets. Not have to worry about the constant judging from my family. Knowing that I’m living my dreams and being what I was meant to be.