Strict Parents: The Most Annoying Thing For Teenage Entrepreneurship

[Owen]

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING POST CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE NOT SUITABLE FOR THE WEAK HEARTED. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Probably one of most annoying things a teenager who's trying to start a company is their parents. No, I'm not saying all parents are bad. I'm talking about if you have parents like mine. For me, I'm fifteen years old. A sophomore in high school, and skilled baseball player. For about five years I have been studying and learning about business obsessively. However, my parents don't agree.

To start off, don't get me wrong about my parents. They care about me, and get me almost everything I could ask for. I recently got a Macbook Air for my birthday, I've always had food in my stomach, a roof over my head, so I'd say I have a good life. My parents, however, are very strict. They're very random about their rule making. They let me do one thing but don't let me do another. Some of it is very innocent too. I blame this because I feel they're incredibly egotistical.

My parents like to act like we, the children, know nothing about the real world. They like to act like we don't know anything about things they don't understand. My dad is a computer technician. He is a supervisor for Comcast, and makes a decent living. He's great with computer hardware, but horrible with money. My mom is an AID at a hospital and has no computer skills.

Most of the day I don't interact with my parents. My mom likes to yell about just about everything, and my dad, again, has the ego of Kanye West. They both have the hardest time coping with us growing up. They still like to treat my brother and I like we're in preschool. My brother, being as sheltered as he is, allows it to happen because he doesn't see a way out of it. Everything my parents say is correct in his world. The kid is 13, still believes in every mythical creature including the tooth fairy, and still watches Disney Channel on a day-to-day basis. Myself, however, knows this isn't normal, and knows to rebel against such sheltering techniques. They don't like that at all. Since I was 13, my parents and I have been in countless fights because of how I act. They like to tell me I'm stupid, I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm annoying, etc. but the second I comment on their intelligence about a certain subject, I'm the bad guy. After about two years of convincing, they finally did let me get a PayPal account so I can make money online. I have made a reasonable amount of money freelancing, but you don't understand how many fights I've gotten in about this website. We've fought so much because they don't comprehend how advanced I am in this subject.

They claim their so supportive, they bought a new computer (which by the way has nothing to do with my company, it was a birthday gift), how they give me everything and there's no reason I should want to make my own money, etc. Every other parent I talk to says they're probably mentally incapable of raising a teenager, but I guess that's just them. My parents DO NOT trust me with my own money. I have tried convincing them to let me purchase stock, but my dad doesn't trust me and his information on eTrade or ScottTrade. I've even tried convincing them to invest in the stock market, but nope. It's always "You're fucking annoying" or "you're fucking stupid". They don't think I know anything about business. I can't explain ANYTHING to them. They're the most stubborn people I know. Why are they like this? THE EGO.

They don't like the idea of me not being a kid. They have no problem insulting my intelligence about something I clearly know more about, but, again, the second I comment on their intelligence of a subject, I'm the bad guy. Their top most used comment about me is "Just because I read it on the internet doesn't mean it's correct" as if because I Google things means it's automatically false information. They act like I am just flat out stupid. There was one time where we fought, my dad called me a "fucking idiot. You act like you fucking know everything". So what did I do? I told him he's a "stubborn asshole who needs to stop acting like an ass." What did he do? Nothing. He apologized later. But what did that solve? Nothing. The next day he was still making the same naive comments as before. They don't like the sound of me being more successful than them. I know it drives them crazy. He acts like I have no brain thought when it comes to finance, and I'm sick of it.

They are also the most unbelievably controlling people in the entire Earth. They want more control over my life than any parent. What's their excuse? "We're just being parents." No you sure as hell aren't. What you're doing is putting limits all over something I love so you can sleep better at night. They act like they have it so rough too. They tell me I'm such a bad kid. Oh no, I want control over my money and want you to leave me alone and let me do my own thing with my company. I could be, oh I don't know, could be acting like every other teenager. Want me to smoke some pot, drink some alcohol, have some sex? Would that make you feel better? No it sure as hell wouldn't would it?

So in conclusion, they're egotistic and annoying about everything I do in business. They, again, act like I don't know anything, and all my knowledge is fall because I just "Google things". I'm so sick and tired of this. At this point, I'm strongly considering emancipation because I cannot start a company with this type of weight on my back constantly. What do I do? I can't reason with them. They're stubborn. Everything I say is wrong. My brother is the perfect kid to them because he doesn't rebel to their horrid parenting skills. I've made a post like this on Yahoo! Answers, and just about 9/10 answers told me I'm "misguided". I don't know if I even want to talk to them anymore, really. It's too out of hand. Any thoughts?


Sorry about the language. It's just how it is, though. :/

[KristineS]

I think parenting a kid who isn't a "normal" or typical kid can be tough sometimes, especially if the parents are insecure, or see the kid surpassing what they can do or having drive and goals that they don't. My parents were like this, they kept wanting me to be a "normal" girl who liked cheerleading and clothes and I wasn't. They stood in my way when I wanted to do things they didn't understand, and kept pushing me in directions I didn't want to go. I think they did the best they could given where they were at the time, and given what they knew, and I have to admit I probably wasn't the easiest kid to parent. I didn't fit in, I didn't want to fit in, and I probably presented challenges other kids didn't.

It would be lovely if our parents were all accepting and nurturing, but that doesn't always happen. All you can do, right now, anyway, is pursue your goals as best you can within the framework of your family. Realize that your parents have their own insecurities and issues and that some of that is playing out in how they interact with you. You may have to be the more mature party, and that's hard, I know. On the bright side, in three years you're legally an adult and can proceed how you wish. So remember this is not forever.

Another thing you might do is look for other adults who are supportive of your efforts. Maybe it's a teacher, a local business executive, someone like that.

[Freelancier]

You really won't grasp their perspective until you have your own child. I really didn't get how much of a pain I was to my Dad until I had a child who is JUST LIKE the way I was as a kid. It's painfully funny. And now it's too late to apologize to my Dad for being a pain.

One of the things I realized years ago is that my parents did the best they could with the tools they had and that I was more like them than not. Not everyone is equipped to handle every situation. Your parents obviously aren't handling everything the way you like. Such is the nature of being a teenager and being positive you know better. Maybe you do, but the ego thing you refer to cuts both ways.

[Owen]

You really won't grasp their perspective until you have your own child. I really didn't get how much of a pain I was to my Dad until I had a child who is JUST LIKE the way I was as a kid. It's painfully funny. And now it's too late to apologize to my Dad for being a pain.

One of the things I realized years ago is that my parents did the best they could with the tools they had and that I was more like them than not. Not everyone is equipped to handle every situation. Your parents obviously aren't handling everything the way you like. Such is the nature of being a teenager and being positive you know better. Maybe you do, but the ego thing you refer to cuts both ways.

I'm sick of their behavior towards it. They act like if they, or myself, invests in the stock market all I'm going to do is loose money. They have 401k so they think that's exactly how it works because my dad looses a little bit of money here and there. I know who to invest in to make money but they act like, again, I know nothing. It's frustrating.

[David Hunter]

My mom thought everything I would get into as a kid would turn out to be a scam and I'd lose my money. She never stopped me from doing it, but would voice her opinion. She was wrong... most of the time. But, I didn't take it personally because she was never a big risk taker. She owned her own business since she was in her early twenties, and that's all she ever did. Never took the risks to make it a huge success.

Keep learning until you're 18 and then you can do whatever you want (I'm guessing as long as you're not under their roof). Just my two cents.

[Davidl]

Its odd how life is sometimes.. its like everything recently I'm my life has been so coincidental. I was talking to my moms friend (I'm a teenager too) about this today and it was ridiculous how older people will try to spin things to get their way. I know its nonsense but its very good nonsense. It does give me another alternate view of what not to do. If you want lead a standard life desk job then what they are saying is true. If you can prove with real income or opening a small business then they will start to understand. There are risks to starting a business and a lot of work w/ no guarantees.

The way I look at it is that there are hidden agendas that they have. Know what your capable of, how you learn best, plan for your future in the way you want it to be and stick to the script (if it doesnt pan in that time frame decide from there to quit or keep pushing for another year). It will be difficult, stressful and at times you will second guess yourself. The only thing I'm cautious of is of those people you see in dragons den and shark tank (if you haven't seen it there are regular entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs who come in with ridiculous ideas thought out by a 6 year old). That is how your parents think your acting (their instincts are for you to not become that way), but in reality thats not true. It is a possibility that you could go down the wrong path so thats the concern. I never fully 100 percent take someones advice. I accept the good parts, disregard the bad and put it through my own viewpoint.

Im looking to go into a trade school but am constantly being pushed to do certain things just to feed my parents ego just like your situation. I think they just want me to go into University, get a degree, get a job I hate at a desk and get in debt so they can feel better about themselves. Just to please them, like I'm a doll that they can force to do things without any regard. I can understand that they want this from me and if I was a parent I would want something similar. If I keep following along eventually it may suck me in to their nonsense and then I would be tell my kids "no thats ridiculous don't start a small business".

The worst thing about this is that they can use the fact that your too young to know what your talking about and can manipulate you. If you are manipulated then you aren't mentally strong enough to start a business seeing as you would quit just when someone says its a bad idea. On the other hand if they encouraged you to do it without regard then thats no good either. Its almost like a test to see if your for real or not.

My advice that I follow is to disregard what they say, pretend to listen along and say "okay il think about it, yeah that might be a good idea" just so that it wont take so much of a toll on you mentally. Out of everything they say listen to it and if its not something you agree with then don't argue they will never understand and if its actual good advice in the lecture they give you then take it and add to your plan.

Write a plan and propose it to your parents and where they can help you financially or otherwise. They still disagree? your going to have to do it by yourself. Anyone can have grand ideas, so putting it into a plan will give you more assurance. I guess just like a business needs a business plan you need a plan to get the point where you can entertain the idea of sustaining your living expenses, the business, and to get the skills necessary to succeed.

[Fulcrum]

Owen, you strike me as a well grounded kid. Believe it or not, but your parents have had a hand in molding you into what you are today and what you will be in the future. I'm not saying this to get you riled up or to add to your stress. Be thankful for this and try to never let the sun go down on an argument.

Have you tried asking them what they would like to see that can show them that you know what you're talking about? Maybe a paper portfolio on ScottTrade showing your picks and trades as well as your potential profit/loss over the course of 6 months?

@Davidl, most people can't see beyond what they know. I don't know if this is due to how they are taught or if that is just how they are. I went to college because my parents wanted me to (I was looking at construction straight out of high school). Trade schools are good since not everyone can be the white collar type - someone still needs to build and fix the items we use everyday. Its dirty work and rarely glamorous, but can pay well and provide that deep sense of satisfaction of a job well done.