I took a deep breath and tried to explain. "Mom, I appreciate it. But sometimes I feel like you're treating me like a kid. I'm 25 years old. I can make my own decisions about my health and wellness. Can we find a balance here?"
Her name is Cheryl. To the rest of the gym, she’s just another early-morning regular. To me, she’s "Gym Mommy." And yes—she treats me like a kid. She corrects my posture like she’s fixing my collar before a school picture. She asks if I ate my vegetables. She once made me sit in time-out (a plyo box in the corner) for ego-lifting. My Gym Mommy Treats Me Like A Kid-
Furthermore, over-protective parenting can create a sense of entitlement and dependency in children. When they're not allowed to make mistakes or take risks, they may become overly reliant on their mothers to solve problems and make decisions for them. This can lead to a lack of self-reliance and a diminished capacity for critical thinking. I took a deep breath and tried to explain
Is it embarrassing? Occasionally. Does it make me feel like I’m back in kindergarten? Absolutely. But honestly? Having someone who cares enough to bully me into drinking water and fixing my posture is the only reason I haven’t snapped an ACL yet. I'm 25 years old
How do you know if the dynamic has shifted from athlete-and-coach to mother-and-child? Look for these tell-tale signs: