question three

Describe your relationship with your parents.

I have a traditional family. My mom and dad have been married for 30-something years and are still together, for which I am grateful.

My mom and I are very close. I call her often and tell her just about everything. I feel like I can tell her a lot of things and keep her informed, but she respects that I am an adult with my own family and knows exactly where our boundaries are. I love that I can call and say, "You will not believe what I did today. I was so dumb! It was embarrassing," or "I have some bad news," and I won't get a huge lecture or get in "trouble" for something I did. She's just a good listener, waits for me to offer information and share things rather than pushing, and "oohs" and "awes" and says, "that really sucks," at the right moments. Of course, she still helps and offers advice that I take sometimes, but it's not the same treatment that I had when I was a teenager living at home and she doesn't expect me to do everything she says anymore. She's still my mother and will do anything for me and helps when I need it, but I feel like there is a lot more friendship than stewardship in our relationship now. She's had a lot of practice at this empty-nester-mother thing, since I am the last to leave the coop.

My dad worked a lot when I was living at home so I didn't see him much. I always loved and appreciated that he worked so hard to support the family. But he still always managed to attend all of my plays I did growing up. I love my dad and feel like we have this understanding that we know we will always love each other but we don't need to talk on the phone often. When we do talk on the phone, it's always a two or three minute conversation just telling the basics. I'm sure most information is passed through my mom anyway, so we are always aware of what's happening. But I don't think he's a phone person, and I'm not a phone person with anyone but my mom. So it works out.