[Chris]

Hi there.

I'm really sorry to hear about the long situation you have been in with your parents. You know, while I definitely blame them, I blame society for a lot of things too. Most likely, your parents were raised to accept nothing but the best. Actually, most likely, your grandparents pushed, threatened, verbally abused, placed harsh rules and regulations, etc on your parents when they were growing up. And now you have to deal with similar circumstances. Society in general pushes for "smart", "skinny", and "safe", kids now adays, and it seems your parents are following that trend. They clearly want the best for you, but they are going about it the wrong way. In fact, I would ever go as far as saying they are severely verbally abusing you at times (particularly your mother).

The situation you're in is a gray one. As far as I see it, you have the following options:
1) Seek help. Go to family therapy, tell them everything (including how you feel, etc). See if that improves anything.
2) Seek help X2. This would be getting the local police involved (i.e., not healthy living environment), and/or Family Services.
3) Wait it out and then move out. 18 is the legal age, so once you had enough or you finish high school, I think it would be safe to say that it's a good idea to get out of the house. If that means going to college far away, enlisting in the Military, or even finding a job and apartment a few towns over, I think it's a much better idea then allowing yourself to stay in a hurtful, unsafe, and non-healthy household.

What would I do? I would get a counselor involved. Really lay everything on the line. Tell him/her how you feel, and that you need to help/advice/guidance to get out of this situation. Also, consider family counseling so your parents can hear your side of things in a safe environment. If after doing one or both of these things nothing improve, I would seriously weigh the pros and cons of option #2 and #3 and then take action accordingly.

I hope that things at home eventually improve. You deserve peace, love, and a stable (and safe) household.


Best wishes,
Chris