People who keeps interfering your life...
By klaudine
@klaudine (3650)
Indonesia
July 27, 2008 7:03am CST
I have an aunt who keeps interfering my life. I went to the other city to study, my mom told my aunt who's live in this city that I am moving here. But then she started to act like she's my mom. Even my mom never told me what to do with my choice of beliefs, she made me do whatever I don't like to do. I chose to live in my GF's house to avoid her, but then she started to bothering my sisters who used to live with me.
How do you deal with these kinds of people? I don't like her, and I tried as hard as I could not to see her anymore. Her daughter will get married this months, and I don't want to come to the party, but to save my mom and dad's face I have to come and show my respect.
I really want to confront her and tell her to stop, but she's my dad's sister and she's older than me. In my family we're taught to respect the elder and love the family, but I can't stand it anymore.
5 people like this
14 responses
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
27 Jul 08
Your Aunt might just think that she is trying to be helpful when really she is just annoying the heck out of you. My advice to you is to take her aside and politely ask her to be less interested in your choices and decisions becuase they are just that yours. Tell her you love her but you are out on your own and you have to learn and have experiences based on your decisions not someone elses. She might be sad that her daughter will no longer be living with her and looking for someone to take her daughters place and that might have been you.
You need to be firm about what you want but diplomatic on how you say it ... Becuase she is family she isn't someone off the street trying to get you to do what they want just for fun. I'm sure she has good intentions it's just not her call to tell you how to live your life and you need to make sure that you point out to her that you understand that she is trying to be there to help you and make sure things go good for you but you also have to tell her that your parents raised you good enought to trust your own decisions and if you make a mistake you will learn more from the mistake made then never having to have had the learning experience. Good luck and take care.
2 people like this
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
1 Aug 08
Well if she is just doing it to be control freak and do the power thing. I think it's time for you to give her a well thought out tongue lashing. But when you do it say what you need to say very calmly and make sure that you have your points and examples and don't let her get in a word edge wise and then at the end tell her you don't want to hear anything she has to say because she is a busy body that has nothing better to do than cause problems so that she can feel better about her pathetic life. There are points in time where you just have to stand up for yourself no matter what the situation or cost.
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
27 Jul 08
Well actuelly she did more than just calling me to tell me how to live my life. She called my mom and told my mom things that wasn't her business. She contradict facts and made my life harder because she involved my mom between me and her, and she wants to show me how powerful she is with the way she always able to interfering my family's life with keep bothering my sisters instead of me.
She knew that I am a bit of rebel, so that she 'attack' someone who she still can control.
2 people like this
@eveofsummer (94)
• Philippines
28 Jul 08
there are people who think that they're doing me good by interfering with my life - directly or indirectly. there are others who simply want to interfere, just for the heck of it.no matter how i try to be optimistic about it, it all boils down to the fact that they simply want to mess up with my life by causing me pains and troubles. it's as if they rejoice in my misery. they always try to find faults in everything i say or do. there's no easy way to handle these people or their attitude. there's no stopping them from thinking, doing or saying whatever they want. i have realized, after almost 6 years, that the best way to deal with them is to stay away from them.
2 people like this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
27 Jul 08
Whether she is older or not makes no difference. She is infringing on your life and she has no right to do this. I would confront her but in a nice way. Like maybe have her come over for tea and talk about other things for a while and than without her realizing it slide the subject over to how she is doing with you. If you don't confront her you are going to be miserable for a very long time to come. It doesn't sound like she is going to ease up. I am the kind of person that I would definitely confront her but in a tactful way.
2 people like this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
27 Jul 08
If you are familiar with Petunia, Harry Potter's aunt, you should think about something like her. Well, not that horrible, but it was enough to make me feel uncomfortable to see her. I can run away from her by living with my GF, she's no longer able to reach me. I even never answer her call.
But now since I can't be reached, my sisters become her next 'victim'. She kept contacting them only when she need them to help her with something. But when my sister has to get a bed rest for 3 days because of food poisoning (and it is very possible because of the food she had the night before when she had dinner in my aunt house), she didn't even bother to call.
I am not a good talker, she is. I can't argue with her because she knows everything too well, and my parents trust her too much, and I don't want to have troubles with my parents. I've been thinking of asking my sisters to move out from that house so my aunt cannot reach them anymore, but my parents would never approve. It's quite dilemmatic
1 person likes this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
27 Jul 08
Hi there klaudine!
There are some people who can't help but interfere with other people's life. It can be annoying you know. I also had this aunt who keeps interfering with my life. At first, I really wanted to confront her about what she is doing. Later on I realized that it was not worth it. I just ignored her and it even reached a point that I did not really talk to her. Well, we are good friends now and I think it helped that I made her feel how irritated I was with her.
Sometimes, people interfere because they think it is okay but if you let them know that you are not comfortable with it, they may leave you alone. However, there are people who would claim that the reason why they are interfering is because of them love and concern. It can still be annoying though.
Well, why not try talking to her about it? If you can't do it, maybe you can talk to your dad or mom about it. They might have a better idea on how to handle this.
2 people like this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
27 Jul 08
Well, I think she actuallt knows that I don't like her interfering my life too much, that is why she said nothing to me whan I decided to leave and live with my GF, but she backstabbed me and said something nasty to my grandma about my decision to leave. She doesn't want me to have a life, and minding her own business.
I was very angry when I eventually told my mom that until the day I die, I would never ever stepped into her house ever again. But she told me to be patient, because no matter what she is still my relatives. And yeah, my mom made me come to her house the day her daughter planned to get married.
Today I had a fight with my mom because of this aunt again. I can't tell the real problem. Family problem actually, but I can assure you I never spoke anything to this aunt all these years, so there's no way she knows anything about me, so whatever she told my mom about me are lies.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
28 Jul 08
I know that different cultures have different beliefs, and I can understand you respecting your aunt, and saving your mother and father's own reputation or namesake by showing up to your cousins wedding even though you do not want to as your aunt is causing you distress. I know that in my own culture we are taught to respect our elders, but sadly, we do not do that anymore, or rather, not all of us like to follow this simple guideline. The best thing for you to do is to confront your aunt and tell her that although your respect her own opinions and beliefs, that you have your own and that you would rather learn from mistakes she feels you may make, as that would only make you stronger. Showing her respect but also letting her know that you would rather learn for yourself may help her to lessen her attacks on you if not quit altogether. If you end up marrying this gf your aunt will see that although you did live together, nothing bad came out of it, rather something of the good. Either way, I hope that you have fun at your cousins wedding and enjoy the festivities. I hope you have a very wonderfully lovely day.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
28 Jul 08
This is very true, and I hope that if you do have a chat with her she does not feel as if she should talk badly to or about your parents. Good luck!
1 person likes this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 08
thank you :)
I'd like to have some talk with her, but I guess I have to wait until the wedding over, at least I have to save my mom and dad's face in the wedding. She could talk bad about my mom and dad too if I talk something unpleasant to her.
2 people like this
@dropofrain (1167)
• India
28 Jul 08
I swayer these aunts are horrible. Even my aunt is like that. Even I was staying in another city and my aunt had all the issues with the same. She used to continuously ask me to come to her place and later told people that it effects her personal life as sunday is the only holiday for her husband. I hate her so much.
1 person likes this
@tyt2222006 (172)
• China
28 Jul 08
Your aunt is not your enemy.There is no need to purposely hurt the person who ever cared about you. Be grateful for her intention that she just wanted to help you and ingore what she did that made you unhappy.Anyway, life proceeds in your own hand and nobody,except yourself,can change it completely,not to mention others who try to 'interfer' it.
1 person likes this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 08
she is not my enemy indeed but she acted like she wants to control everyone's life, include me. i don't want that to be happened, and I don't like her making up stories in front of my mom to discredit me. I doubt that she loves me because I never love her.
1 person likes this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 08
Thank you for your response, riocab, but my mom just doesn't know anything that happened all these years. She lives in different city. Me and my sisters know it, we've trued to tell my mom the truth but she kept insisting that it was MY conspiracy with my sisters. Well...
1 person likes this
@lixiaos77 (1030)
• Shijiazhuang, China
27 Jul 08
I believe you aunt love you as you parents do and i don't take her as annoyance. There are just generation gap. She love you in her own style. If you live far away from all your relatives, you will be easily moved by her care.
Be sure to attend the wedding and help them if you can.
1 person likes this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
8 Aug 08
well.. you never been in my place. but i have a good news, my mom now believe me, after my sisters complained too about my aunt's attitude. She had a fight with my mom and my dad about something i cannot tell here, but now my mom stated clearly to her that me and my sisters are no longer under her control. she said that to her. at last
@normanroses (1)
•
8 Aug 08
I would just like to say that that this was the nicet comment i read out of all the others and the best. It is true as annoying as it is, just put up with it because their intentions are genuine. If you feel overwhelmed to not put up with it, it is a bit of misplaced hostility on your behalf, because why wouldnt anyone really want family looking out for them unless they have other issues about it. If she is really interfering then tell her straight, but try and evaluate it first, because in time when you feel you need family, you will reflect on it and realise her intentions were good (dont forget when you might be in a position like this)and you might feel because you offended her by saying something in the past you now cant turn to her really when you need her because you feel she will say "i told you so". it is a little like pooling your resources. Your aunt is a resource and you might need her one day.
@lloydmarie (36)
• Philippines
28 Jul 08
you know what, we have the same problem. it is also a common practice here in our country. elders interfere with the family members life. that was good then, way back than, but now a times is not. people now are educated which ever, so people are more attentive to what is happening in the community or the world for that matter.unlike yesteryears, we learn through them.
a good example for me is also my aunt, a wife of mom's bro. even the other family member complain about here attitude or character. like you, we were raise to respect elders, but how can we respect them if they don't respect us. respect is earned not imposed.
most of the time, her interferings results to argument between me and my wife. i can't help it, i was trained to respect and my wife can't accept that fact. until one day, i was fed up, cause she'd started messing with my daughter's life. so i stood up and fight back. it was a good feeling, but somehow along the way, it resulted my mom to getting mad at me. (i wasn't guilty about it)
that is the price i have to live with.
as for you, you can end it, by doing what i've done, but suffer the consequences. or you could just ignore her and pretend as if she doesn't exist. either way, you'll judge as a disrespectful person by them.
it's good you wrote about this, that you can let go some of your anger and frustrations.......
regards.....
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 08
good for you. The difference is that you have your own life. You have wife and daughter and I believe you are no longer living with your parents. I haven't got my own life. I haven't even get a decent job for a living. I can't fight without showing my aunt that I can live bymyself and it is time for her to back off.
But I like your response. I mean, listening to your success story make me believe that one day I will be able to do the same.
1 person likes this
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
28 Jul 08
well I did. That was the first action I did. no reactions. They just thought that I was only a spoiled girl who never get satisfied with everything. So they just ignored my protests. Further more, I have a rebel history in my younger age, and I was always in confrontation with people. They didn't take it seriously
1 person likes this
@lloydmarie (36)
• Philippines
28 Jul 08
thanks...
it wasn't easy for me too. cultures and traditions really gets in the way.
have you explained it to your mom or dad? i am sure, they won't dis owned you since you're family too. try to explain to her how your aunt annoys you and how it bother's you. tell her it affect your schooling mood, and also it kinda makes you feel ashamed when badged at in front of other people. you have a life too you know.
just a suggestion....
regards....
@swennerholm (664)
• Sweden
12 Aug 08
I understand what you mean,I never treated like that with my auntieĀ“s but i have one friend who is asking me where to go or when to go.It like she is telling me that i do this i do that,and i hate it so much.She called me everyday to ask where i am or what i am doing and she is suspecting me that i have a bf and i dont like it.Its really iritating i told my husband about it and my husband said just try to avoid her,so what i do is i dont answer her call.I really dont like it that somebody telling me what to do my family and husband did not tell me like that and now she try to said it to me who is she by the way.I hate it so much.
@klaudine (3650)
• Indonesia
13 Aug 08
I know it... everybody always has the desire to interfere soemone's life, sometimes because of that they care, but sometimes they just want to show that they have a power. But whatever it is, everybody has their own privacy, and the best way is to let the privacy, and step aside from the border line.
I agree with your decision not to answer her call anymore, don't give her more fun with giving her more opportunity to dealing with your life.