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My Dad is too authoritative!!!? What do I do?

He is wayyy too controlling. He always wants to know who I'm talking to on the phone if he finds out its a boy. He wants to meet all the parents of my friends before we hang out. He put PARENTAL CONTROLS to monitor what I do on the computer. (Luckily I found a way around it). Whenever he comes home from work he knocks on my Closed bedroom door..... then opens it anyway to find out what I'm doing and ask one or two questions about it. (sometimes I just want to read or watch tv in peace, you know?) He wants to know the rating of every movie I want to see; and if its rated R he reads reviews and watches the previews to see if its "appropriate" geez I'm 17 already! And... he was dissappointed that I'm going to start driving in January because he says driving in snow isnt safe for a first time driver! He kept trying to convince me to start in March and was upset when I told him I wont. Why doesnt he trust me by now to make my own decisions and do things without his help??!!! I talked to him about it, and he just thinks he's right and has a right to act like this.

Public Comments

1. Perhaps the right word to use is 'authoritarian' instead of 'authoritative'. Authoritative means that he is very knowledgeable and competent. I think you have to wait until you are an adult. And then you can move to your own place in order to have the kind of freedom you want to have. You are not going to have much freedom while you continue to stay with your parents.
2. Sounds like he doesn't want you to grow up. You need to take the driving course NOW in the summer... go sign up. You are certainly old enough. You need to get a job so you will require the car on a regular basis. You are probably going to have to take control of your life one piece at a time. When you get a job, get your own cell phone and your own bank account. Get a PO box for your own mail/bills to hit. Save some money so when you are 18 you will be able to get your own place.
3. Unless you move out, there is nothing you can really do Just try and understand he is probably not doing it to be mean He just cares Which is something that cannot be said about some other parents who let their children get up to everything imaginable... Or get a job to show him you are a responsible adult and you know how to take care of yourself and that you don't need to rely on him as you can pay your own way Good luck! x