What's your experience living with Overprotective and Religious Parents?

I have parents who are really protective and religious. They have taken good care of me and my siblings but they struggle to let us be who are. In terms of the way we dress, way we wear our hair and the type of lifestyle we live. It's similar to India where parents tend to want to dictate how their children live their life. I come from West Africa and it's the same way. My older siblings are more traditional like my parents. As the youngest I am pretty much the rebel of the family. I am 31 and they still refuse to let me live my life by my own terms. I have done things that no one in my family knows about because it goes against our tradition.

As I mentioned before they are very religious in that they live their life by the Bible. I believe in a higher power as well but don't let the Bible dictate how I live. My Mom is the type of person that stays on a prayer line all day, every day just praying. I have issues with the people who run these prayer lines because there are a lot of false info that gets passed around in them. Info that can quickly be debunked if the listeners would just do some research.

My parents recently found out that I drink alcohol and are now losing their minds. They ask me if there's anything wrong with me. I drink because I am a bit depressed but it isn't extreme and will never let it get extreme. I am planning on finally moving out in March. Going to spend the next 2-3 months just saving money. I need my freedom away from them. They have this idea that life should be lived in one way. But they fail to understand that you have to let your kids live their life. I lived for them for far way too long. I have done everything that has been expected of me. The only thing I can say I have done wrong is not saved money the proper way and have wasted lots of it. But that is something I have under control now.

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Michael91142 · M

My parents weren't religious or overprotective, but I know exactly what you mean. I and my siblings should also live the way they wanted and live according to their expectations. I also broke out of their cage, because that's how life felt with them. I lived like in a cage, I saw the world outside, saw the possibilities it offered me, but it seemed inaccessible to me because the invisible chains my parents had put around me and with which they held me, prevented me from going out to find my own way in this life outside of my cage. At some point it was too much for me and I broke out of a life full of constraints and expectations which I didn´t want to meet and couldn´t fulfill. Your parents' intention may be good, but they have no right to force their outlook on you. There is a saying that every parent should take to heart: "When your child is small, give him roots. When your child is grown up give him wings!"