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Breaking Up With Your Parents

A 'how to' guide on leaving the nest.

Taylor Enderle

Jun 27, 2016

Creighton University

143

relatably.com

In every relationship, you ask yourself questions like, "do I see things going long term?", "does long distance actually work?", and "are they the one?"

It’s no different when it comes to your parents.

At some point in every child’s life they must experience “The Talk” with their parents. (No, not that talk…) The break up talk. The ‘I think we should see other people’ but ‘let’s be friends’, ‘it’s for the best’ talk.

The breakup usually occurs around when you first leave for college, move out after graduation, or set out to build a family of your own. As I’m sure you’ve found, breakups are a highly emotional time and must be dealt with delicately, so give your parents the same courtesy you’d want when delivering the news.

A breakup doesn’t have to mean a clean break. You can ask for space, stay friends, or try long distance. Whatever form of “breaking up” meets the needs of your current parental relationship, these steps can help.

Step 1: I just need some space.

We’ve all needed space at some point. After a while the constant questions about grades, weekend plans, and the complaints about the cleanliness of your room, get to feel a little suffocating. It’s easy to look at leaving for college or moving out as an escape but what it really is, is an excuse to get that much needed space. Let them know this isn’t goodbye its ‘see ya later’.

Step 2: It’s not you, it’s me.

Now is not the time to play the blame game. You aren’t breaking up BECAUSE of your parents; you’re breaking up FOR your parents. Leaving the nest is all about proving to the people that raised you that you can indeed fly. So yes, you’re leaving to start this next chapter of singledom and independence for yourself, but you wouldn’t be able to take that leap if it weren’t for your support system.

Step 3: It’s for the best.

Who are you trying to convince? Whether you’re the one reassuring your parents that it’s the right thing, or they’re the ones giving you the extra push you need, it really is for the best. You’ll never know what you can do unless you try and even if your parents seem hesitant to let you go, they truly do want to see you succeed on your own.

Step 4: Let’s be friends

This is arguably the most difficult part of breaking up. Once it’s all said and done and your miles away, finally on your own, remember who it was who helped get you there. We learn a lot from our past relationships and the relationship you have with your parents definitely teaches you the most. So let them be friends with you on Facebook and visit for parents weekend. Invite them into your life, but don’t forget that now you’re officially ‘single’.

Breaking up with your parents can be hard but it’s for the best. Moving on may take some time but new opportunities will help you along. Being on your own will allow you to make mistakes and learn from them.

No matter how difficult your parental break up may be (either on your end or their's) they will always be your biggest fans. The relationship you have with your parents will go through it's share of break ups and make ups as you both grow and learn, but you will gladly go along for the ride.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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Breaking Up With Your Parents

A 'how to' guide on leaving the nest.

Step 1: I just need some space.

Step 2: It’s not you, it’s me.

Step 3: It’s for the best.

Step 4: Let’s be friends

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It's so rude that we have finals.

1. When you look at your finals schedule and become immediately overwhelmed:

2. When your professor says that the final is only going to be short answer questions:

3. When you text your parents to tell them that you're going to have a mental breakdown and drop out of college and they're just like:

4. When you're trying to study with friends, but then you realize that you haven't gotten anything done:

5. Then you just end up going on your phone.

6. When you're two weeks away from finals and your professor tells you that you should probably start studying now:

7. When you sit down to take your final and the first question hits you like:

8. When you start the practice problems and you're just like:

9. When you're in your final and find a question that you actually know the answer to:

10. When that one annoying kid in your class says that the final was super easy and they aced it:

11. When you come back from your 7:30 a.m. final and crash:

12. When your professor tries to teach you new material a week before the final:

13. When you decide to eat away the pain that is finals week by ordering massive amounts of food:

14. Filling out course evaluations for that one difficult professor like:

15. When it's right before your first final and you're just like:

16. When your professor tells that you the final is cumulative:

17. When the kid next to you keeps looking over at your test:

18. Looking back on the outfits that you wore during finals week like:

19. When it's been two hours and you've only gotten through five notecards:

20. When you finally make it to the end of the week:

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