I want to share a little story that might give you some insight and forever change the relationship I have with my parents. At the ripe age of 24, I was working my first "career" job, and living on my own. I had a car that was giving me fits and my father finally told me it wasn't worth spending money on it. He told me to go out and look for a nice used but reliable car I could afford. I was visiting them for the weekend, and they left for awhile that day. They returned and my father asked if I found a nice used car. I told him firmly, "NO". This started the argument. At the end of the day, I told him through tears, if I was to have a payment it would be for the car I wanted and that would be a brand new car. Later that day we were at the car lot of my choice, and to show that he didn't agree he let me handle the entire negotiation waiting for me to fail or be denied a loan. A week later I was driving off the lot with that car. I made every one of the $426/month payments on my own without ever asking for help. Since that day my father has realized I will always be his baby girl, but I am an adult and capable of handling myself. Since then I have moved across the country twice, bought two homes and sold one, and bought another new car. All while asking for my father's input, but at the end of the day handling the negotiations and transactions on my own.

My father is an abusive man (physical and emotional and verbal) - to say he is intimidating is an understatement, but I know what I want from my life and living under his roof for all my life was not it. Pick a battle, stand up for yourself and handle yourself like an adult. They will start to see you as an adult when you act the role.

__________________
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and swing.