Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents: Practical Tools to Establish Boundaries & Reclaim Your Emotional Autonomy

by Lindsay C. Gibson

parents wanted Gina to handle things, she wasn’t obligated to ignore her situation to give them whatever they wanted. It wasn’t Gina’s responsibility to endanger her mental and physical health just because her parents preferred her as caretaker. Gina’s parents were financially secure and had two other children near them they could turn to, along with a supportive community of friends. Realistically, Gina could recuse herself from her parents’ demand without a shred of guilt, but she still felt troubled and obligated. Gina’s parents hadn’t considered for a moment how their wishes might place a hardship on Gina. They didn’t ask her how she felt about their idea; they just told her they were coming. Gina rightly feared that her EI parents might accuse her of not loving them if she dared say no to them. But this is a false conclusion: setting a limit doesn’t mean you don’t love somebody. It just means you are claiming the right to think of yourself too.