Allyson, can you take a walk? Just get outside and get some air? I'm sorry you've had such a shitty vacation. Family can be so hard.

Consuela, I wish I had advice for you. That's a real rock and a hard place situation. (But don't quit your job and move in with them. That's not a good idea for you.)

Okay, now I just need to feed the dog and then do pretty much anything that isn't data entry for a while. Like eat, maybe.

Punishing my parents isn't going to make me feel better. I just lost my poker face. I'm too old to do this spoiled baby routine. As typo pointed out, I'm a functional adult who tries to do the right thing and pays the bills. Big girl panties, al.

telling them how you feel is not necessarily punishing them.(Although if I had great advice, my life would be *MUCH* different.)

Saving your sanity isn't punishing your parents. They have grownup underwear too. If you have to extricate yourself to keep calm and healthy, they should learn to cope. That's their job.

As I said--put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. If you're upset and stressed and ready for a fight, you will not be able to be civil to your family, and you'll only upset them...which will make you more stressed. If you take care of your own needs first (get a hotel, take a walk, destress, even if it makes them unhappy) you'll be in a much better frame to either deal with or just ignore their drama.

Allyson, I might be out of line here, but I just finished the program so I'm all hopped up on it. I just did this online cognitive behavior therapy skills program, called MoodGym. I found it helpful in managing my low-level depression and anxiety.

I'm suggesting it to you because it has a module on dealing with your parents, although I recommend doing the whole thing. It's aimed at a demographic slightly younger than us, but I still found it apropos.

Feel free to ignore at will. But I hope it might be helpful.

Saving your sanity isn't punishing your parents. They have grownup underwear too. If you have to extricate yourself to keep calm and healthy, they should learn to cope. That's their job.

ita ! is very, very right. You taking care of yourself is not punishing your parents.

I'm sorry it sucks so much, Allyson. They're all saying wise things up in the above posts, so... yeah.

And, Consuela... same thing, really.

***

On a completely different note...

Anyway, I worked it out with the coffeeshop owner, so at around noon, some balloons should show up for him. Shortly thereafter, they will bring out a strawberry shortcake birthday cake for him, which can then be given to coffeeshop patrons, too. And from that point on, about a dozen of his friends will randomly show up at the coffee shop to say happy birthday and eat cake.

I love this!

Well, ok, probably arson is, but don't think I haven't considered it.