Topic: Mom Or Dad

[nickclone]

Which one are you closer to? My dad used to work for IBM back in their heyday and had to work long hours. I have an older brother and sister, my sister moved back in when I was about five when her husband was abusive towards her and she moved back home for safety reasons. My brother moved back home when I was about 12, but for most of my life it was me and mom. Even still, my mom is bugs me to all hell and my does does as well. However, my dad and I just don't get along. The only thing the two of us can do together is go see a movie and even then we don't talk (who the hell talks during a movie anyways?).

When my mom comes home I'll talk to her for about 10 minutes before I lock myself up in my room. When I got rejected by the only girl I ever loved I went home, literally, crying and drunk to mommy to make it beeter.

[Pugnate]

I am closer to my mother probably though love them both. I've had heated arguments with both of them, though still love them.

[nickclone]

So is your dad like mine? He's the uptight, extremely religous and it's either his way or no way. I saw pictures of my mom ( and without trying to sound weird) she was pretty hot, my dad was a complete nerd and I seriously have no idea what she ever saw in him other than his cushy job and the fact that he took care care of her previous child.

Anyways, he's emotionally closed off and my brother (who is a lot more emotionally open than I am) can't even connect with the man.

[scottws]

I'm not really close to either one of them.  Other than my mom being a stay-at-home mom when I was a young kid, they didn't really show much interest in my life.  They'd just drop me off to every other soccer game or swim meet, and never got involved in any of my school's activities.

My dad is a stubborn jerk.  I mean seriously if you are driving and he's in the car, if you don't go the way he likes to some destination, there will be an argument.  And I'll come home from work to find something like a sink on the table and he's like "Help me install this now."  I don't mind helping, but at least call me at work to ask whether nor not I even have plans or homework.  I mean it's not like he didn't know before that very moment that he wanted to install the appliance.

My mom is just crazy.  She treats my dad like garbage and kind of takes a hands-off approach to everything.  And as far as planning or at least informing of plans, she's just as bad as my dad.  "We are going out of town this week.  Are you coming?"  And that will be the first I've heard of it.

[Quemaqua]

I've always been technically closer to my mom, but my dad and I got along well.  He and I shared a lot of interests in terms of music and literature (he was my mentor when it came to the appreciation of jazz, and we shared much love for classic English lit and poetry).  The hardest thing I've ever had to do was watch him die.  There was no person on the face of planet earth that I had more respect and admiration for.  Every day since he's been gone there's been a hole in my heart that feels sincerely depleted because I no longer have his gruff reassurance, his Irish temper to kick me in the ass when I needed it, or his always wise advice.

My mom and I have always been closer on a more personal level, though.  She listens to me whenever I have anything to say, and though she really hates some of my hobbies and interests because she's a very hardcore Christian woman, that's also one of the things I admire most about her.  We talk endlessly about politics and society and what is or isn't morally acceptable or enriching.  We talk about why I do some of the crazy things I do, and I try to help her understand my music and writing when it's plainly obvious that it goes against the grain for her.  And while she'll never agree with me on everything or love everything I do, she's remarkable in her willingness to try and understand.

I couldn't have ever asked for better parents, or hell, for a better family.  My sister is amazing too, and even though we're 10 years apart, we've always been really close.  She's one of my best friends, and my only regret is that we're both so busy we don't get to see each other or spend quality time together much anymore.  I thank God every day for my family.  I'm more than lucky to have them, and I'd be a pretty shitty person without their love and influence.

[Cobra951]

I was never close to my father, although I looked up to him.  He's gone now, since '89.  That leaves my mom by default.  We knock heads occasionally, but we are definitely close.

[Raisa]

It's different.  I'm close to my mom a certain way and close to my dad a certain way.  So, technically, I'm close to both of them.

I'm not a very open person though, and it's really rare when I finally open up and say something about what I'm currently going through, but when I do, they're both always there to support and guide.

Both were very hands on when I was growing up.  My mom stayed home to look after us.  My dad would go to work every day but would sometimes bring us if we weren't at school.  They always planned weekends for us to go out of town to the beach or something.  It was great fun and I figure that all kids should have a childhood like mine!!!

I have had run-ins with them because I'm quite headstrong and strongwilled.

[shock]

My mom.  100%. 

My mom is an incredible woman.  She was a stay at home mom for a while, taking care of my brother and my sister and I.  She would do just about anything for us without complaining (with an attitude of service, not like she got walked all over by us).  I love talking to my mom about anything and everything.  I love having her talk to me.  She is easily the best person that I have in my life right now.

My dad is meh, at best.  He's very immature about a lot of things and doesn't listen to people when they talk to him.  He was largely not in my life for the majority of it (traveled 5 days a week for his job).  He definitely chose work over his family.  However, he did have a realization my senior year in high school: he couldn't actually have a conversation with his sons.  It made him want to change things, but it was always a little too late.  My brother wouldn't do anything with him(still won't talk to him) because he is still genuinely upset with him for not caring for so many years.  I've looked past that and have tried to get to know him, but meh.  It's not like you can do that in a day.

Now that I am away at college, things are obviously even harder.  I'm only home for a few months here and there.  Etc.

[Jedi]

Mum and my two older brothers all the way.
Dad was a dick and left when I was 8 and was pretty nasty about it too, I always hated him for it. I'm more over now than I ever have been before, while I don't really hate him now I haven't forgiven him either. I attribute my new mind set to that fact that he died over a year ago. That fact that I’m even saying this is testament to my new attitude towards it all.