It started innocently enough. You heard it from your mom at a family dinner.
“Why did you have to go and get a 6th job, you'll never have time for a social life!”
At first it was funny. You laughed along with the rest of the family, thinking it was just a joke.
But then it happened again. And again. And again.
Until you were trapped, reliving the same 10 minutes over and over in an infinite loop of dad jokes and mom's bad puns.
1. Mom's desperate need for attention and validation.
2. Your family's inability to set clear boundaries.
3. The fact that you're an adult and you're still eating at home.
Step 1: Set boundaries. Firmly, clearly, and repeatedly.
Step 2: Practice active listening. “Mom, I hear you. I just don't care.”
Step 3: Develop a sense of humor. About yourself, about mom, and about the inevitable.
Continue to Step 4: Learn to laugh, not with mom, but at the absurdity of it all.