Xena_Sophia wrote:
Mom is more sympathetic generally, but I know she supports Dad on principle, because she tends towards practicality. Also, Dad is usually the parent I go to for help, because he understands me better...
As for what I do that he considers "abnormal", where do I even start? Well, first of all, on scool nights I usually spend 20 minutes to an hour sharpening my pencils, packing my backpack, and setting out my clothes for the next day in an elaborate, ritualistic sort of way. He considers this an inordinate waste of time. Secondly, I am an extremely picky eater. If my food has sauces or condiments on it, I have to scrape them off as best I can before eating it, or I feel nauseous. When I eat pizza, I only like pepperoni, and I rearrange the pepperoni into a pattern of straight lines accross the slice covering the maximum possible surface area and strip off most of the cheese before eating it. I also cannot eat foods with certain textures (eg slimy, like yogurt), or foods that have a strong dairy aftertaste (like milk, mashed potatoes, and cheese) without feeling extremely nauseous. These are the ones that he tends to comment on negatively. In addition, he tells me that I need to curb my tenedency to hide from people in my books and not assert myself with authority figures.
Please don't be too hard on him, he just wants me to do well in life, I know. Still, do you have any advice?
Well at least he isn't hitting you, or worse... But calling you "abnormal" probably isn't doing you any favors.
Anyway, sounds like you might be on the spectrum. Also sounds like you might have a touch of OCD. I can certainly relate on the food thing. I can't eat anything with a mushy texture or overly bitter flavor, and if it's been swimming in a can of brine.....EWWWWW! I also can't stomach the taste of eggs, though I will eat them if they're drowning in a sea of condiments.
As far as reading instead of socializing goes...people suck and are untrustworthy. You're already down a path where all that reading has made you hyper-intelligent, right? People will resent you for being smart. They will undermine what you say, plot ways to make you look stupid and will even go to the lengths of denying things you say that are flat out indisputable. I'm not kidding on any of that. I have actually had people tell me I was wrong after flatly stating "The sky is blue."
On the matter of authority. You should assert yourself with them, I will say that you need to pick your spots though. Don't overly assert yourself for it's own benefit, especially if the cause is lost. People in authority tend to enjoy throwing their weight around. Some will respect you if you assert yourself, others won't. It's a poker game, unless you want to be a suck-up. Then no one respects you, especially me.
As for your Dad, mayhaps you could privately discuss his lack of tact with your mother and maybe she'll go to bat for you on that. That's a guess there, I don't know your family. But it seems to be worth a shot. If all else fails you can run away from home, or you can become a bitter, spiteful, vitriolic misanthrope. I chose the latter route.
13 Aug 2012, 1:16 am
