The worst case I've seen was a young adult whose parents still treated him like a child. They wouldn't let him choose his own career path. They forced him into a field they thought was safe. He ended up being very unhappy and resenting his parents.
One horror story I heard was about a girl whose parents wouldn't let her go on a school trip even though all her friends were going. They were afraid she'd get lost or something. It made her feel so left out and she was really sad.
One time, my friend's parents made him wear a life jacket even when he was just wading in a knee - deep kiddie pool. It was so funny because he looked ridiculous all puffed up like a marshmallow while the other kids were in their regular swimsuits.
One horror story is when a mom wouldn't let her 16 - year - old daughter go on a school trip. The daughter had been looking forward to it for months, it was an educational trip. But the mom was convinced something bad would happen, like the bus would crash or the daughter would get lost. The daughter was so embarrassed in front of her friends and it made her really resent her mom.
One horror story is when a mom wouldn't let her 16 - year - old daughter go to a school dance. The girl had done everything right, had good grades and was responsible. But the mom was so overprotective, she feared for her daughter's safety at the dance. She made the girl stay home while all her friends had a great time. It really damaged their relationship for a while.
Well, I remember a story where a friend's mom made him carry an umbrella everywhere, even on a sunny day. She was worried he might get sunburned on his head. So, he walked around looking like a bit of an oddball with this umbrella up, while everyone else was enjoying the sun. It was really comical.
Another common element is the over - control of the mom in the child's appearance. Moms might force their kids to dress a certain way or not allow them to have a normal hairstyle, which can make the kids feel different from their peers. Also, moms may be overly involved in the child's social life, like constantly checking who they are talking to on the phone or online, which can lead to a lot of resentment from the child as they grow older.
Another is the lack of trust in the child's capabilities. In the case of the mom who wouldn't let her daughter play sports, she didn't trust that the girl could handle herself on the field. This lack of trust can be really damaging to the child's self - esteem. Also, overprotective moms tend to overstep boundaries. For example, the mom who called her son's professors in college. It's not appropriate behavior and can make the child feel smothered.
Well, once I went to meet my partner's parents. His mother was super critical about everything I did. I just casually put my feet up on the coffee table for a second and she gave me this death stare. Then she started lecturing me about manners as if I were a child. It was so embarrassing.
One horror story is when a strict parent locked their teen out of the house for getting a B on a report card. The teen was left outside in the cold all night, feeling scared and abandoned. It was a cruel punishment for not meeting the extremely high academic standards the parent set.