Obsessive Parents

[Aximlli]

Ok, I don't know if it's the same with you guys or not, but are any of your parents obsessed with cleaning?

Don't get me wrong here people, I'm generally a very clean person. I tend to stay away from getting my room completely messed up, but my mom is totally insane! She is totally obsessed with cleaning.

I swear, everything is completely dirty and stressful to her unless it's cleaned. Now I'm not talking about dusting and vaccuming and such;I do all of that. I help out around the house alot. I dust, vacuum, clean the dishes, clean the garage, clean the car, clean the kitchen, clean the basement, help out in the garden, and baby sit my little sister. But nooooo, nothing is "Clean" for my mom. Is there something wrong with her?

Nothing tends to be clean for her unless she actually does it herself, and here's the great part: when she's done (after I'm done), she complains about how much stressed she is and that how much she's on her own and that no one helps her. Not only that, but if I go on the online, and start surfing the net she starts getting fussy, gives me angry look and somehow (lord knows how) finds some other work for me to do around the house.

I mean, I'm already doing everything I can. But what else can I do? I help her out everyday, but still it's not enough. The worst part is that if I choose to go out or something she asks me like a million questions. I get the feeling she doesn't trust me to go anywhere, unless she actually goes with me.

Yesterday, I finally cracked and said "Fine!" (with a few more argumentive words) and left. When I came back home, my dad gave me grief for not being nice and being rude. I'm in a bit of a pickle here. Don't get me wrong through all of this: my parents are nice and caring. I try to be respectful aswell. But really, I think this has gone far enough. I think I'm gonna go crazy if I keep doing this over and over everyday.

Any Suggestions?

I know parents can be obsessed with cleaning, and can be a bit overprotective, but this is a little insane don't you think? I'm 18. I have friends I wanna hang out with. You'd think they'd give me a break :rolleyes: .


-Aximlli-

P.S. Sorry about this; just needed to vent.

[Barb Gordon]

*looks at Ax with a very wary eye* Do you have any idea how incredibly freaky it is for someone to hear someone describe MY mom?! Seriously, my mom is obsessive compulsive when it comes to cleaning, my sis and I tease her about it all the time. I mean, I'm a neat person to. I like to have things in their place, nice and orderly, bed made, all that. But I can deal with living clothes on the floor for a day. My mom cleans the ENTIRE house, vacuuming, dusting, polishing, once a week....and throughout the week she's dusting...It's so freaking insane. I mean, she can't possibly go one week without cleaning the entire house, and she freaks out when I say I haven't dusted/polished my room in two weeks...*gasp* once I said I hadn't done anything in a month! She had me cleaning my room right then and there. But your mom sounds like she's a little beyond obsessive cleaning to something deeper, since you describe her as agitated as well...? Does she have a job? Perhaps she's having stress at work....and how old is she? She could very well be starting her menstral cycle. As women approach their 50's or so, their bodies really start to go wack, and they go through a lot of mood swings in the process. That could be the most likely culprit, and your mom just didn't give you a heads up about it. Also, this can go on for many months....

~Barb

[Aximlli]

Originally posted by Barb Gordon
Also, this can go on for many months....

~is shocked~ Months?! :eek: OMG, I am going to go INSANE! Lock me up people, I might aswell get used to that straight jack!

*sigh* Well, atleast we can relate. Yeah, my mom is to about 50. I think she's either 46 or 47 (She's very sensitive about her age...). I don't think she needs to be 50 to be in her menstral cycle. From the looks of things, she's likely to have already started. *gulp* :(

But months? Are you serious? :(


-Aximlli-

[Barb Gordon]

Well has she always been like this to you? Or has it seemed to come on recently within the latest months? My mom was nice and warned the whole family,lol. That way if she starts getting weird on me or something I can realize that it may not have been me getting her pissed, just her emotions going off. My mom is around the same age as yours, and yes this can last months, come and go, etc. You'll just have to bear with your mom if this is the reason for her actions of late. Seriously, this is a really difficult time for women, dealing with changes in their bodies, and your mom will need you to be there for her.

~Barb

[Aximlli]

Yeah, I know. She's probably really frusterated right now, and it's probably not even her fault. No, she hasn't really been like this all the time; Just started a few months ago. She's seriously stressed. I can tell the way she acts. You're right; The best I can do right now is stick by her.

Thanks for the help Barb ;)


-Aximlli-

[Weatherman]

*dime store psychology moment*



Sounds like your mom MIGHT have an obbsesive-compulsive disorder that's manifested itself in cleaning the house. Start by talking to your dad about it, and hopefuly you two can reach some kind of concensus about it. Also, seeing her doctor would probably be a really good idea for your mom if she keeps this up. Best of luck.

[gtracer72]

My mom is a cleaning freak. She cleans like all the time.

[Calhoun07]

I did not have a mom who was a clean freak. In fact, I think she was the total polar opposite of a clean freak. And I have grown up just like dear ol mom! Oh, I can clean up the storm when I have to, but working two jobs, most of the time I just want to come home and veg.

[JustJack]

I'd like to concider my family clean. I may not vaccume my room every week or anything of the like..but I always put ym cloths in the hamper, and my toys on the shelves. :D Same with my siblings and parents. We don't just leave things sitting around on the floor, or papers covering tables. We're generally clean. But despite that fact, my Mom still goes on a cleaning frenzy every few days. :rolleyes: "Oh my God! There is a cup sitting on the table! Oh no! There's a magazine sitting out! AH!!" *sigh*...I guess you can't win them all. :cool:

[Calhoun07]

I had a friend once who's wife was a clean freak, and would totally do the cup on the table thing, or the magazine thing. Every little thing has to be taken care of immediately with her. The woman would drive me insane. He once got a cataloge in the mail he told me about with some books and CDs he thought I'd want to order, so I went over to his house and he apologized, he left it on the table and she had already thrown it away. Ok, if I leave something on the table, or on the counter in the bathroom, or where ever, it's for easy access to find again! I don't think a magazine by the toilet or a catalogue on the table is dirty, it's lived in, something compltely different. Like I said, if that was my wife, the woman would drive me nuts.

[JustJack]

Originally posted by Calhoun07
I had a friend once who's wife was a clean freak, and would totally do the cup on the table thing, or the magazine thing. Every little thing has to be taken care of immediately with her. The woman would drive me insane. He once got a cataloge in the mail he told me about with some books and CDs he thought I'd want to order, so I went over to his house and he apologized, he left it on the table and she had already thrown it away. Ok, if I leave something on the table, or on the counter in the bathroom, or where ever, it's for easy access to find again! I don't think a magazine by the toilet or a catalogue on the table is dirty, it's lived in, something compltely different. Like I said, if that was my wife, the woman would drive me nuts.

Sweet Jeebuz! That's not right. I think I'd take up the occupation of axe-murderer if my wife is ever like that. Sheesh. I'm making it a rule right now, I will not date any neat-freaks.. :rolleyes:

[sharpei_nat]

GOOD LORD!!!! I would have gone nuts earlier if I was you! I would never be able to handle that, that long!

[Captain Yurika]

:p Sounds like MY mom used to be. She totally obsessed with cleaning and no stains and dusting and all that.

I did what I could like the obedient daughter I am ;) and that was that. I can think of no advice for you except to do as she wishes since you are still under their roof. But maybe ask them to back off a bit so you can compromise on cleaning time and friend time. Like having a cleaning day or something.

We clean out apt. on the weekends and I've inherited the 'cleaning' gene from her. Our place can only be spotless. Fortunately I have a roommate who shares my struggle for a dirtfree household. Now we have only to convert the new girl. *devilish grin*

[Calhoun07]

Oh, I have one more story for you about a clean freak. It was this girl I worked with at the bank, and if she brought a sweater or a jacket to work and at some point the sweater fell off the back of her chair of the jacket fell on the floor, she could not...and I do mean COULD NOT...wear that garment for the rest of the day until she took it home and washed it. And I witnessed this myself several times. Such as one time the coat rack in the back fell over and her coat fell on the floor, and it was the middle of winter. She did not wear that coat, not even outside going to her car. She chose being cold over wearing something that had fallen on the floor for a few seconds. And I thought that my friend's wife was insane with cleaning when it came to catalogues on the table??

To top it off, she had like three or four kids, you'd think she'd be used to this kind of stuff. I'd hate to be raised by her. I have no idea how demanding she is with them at home, but she did tell me once that if her kids got on her bed with their shoes on, she would have to wash the linens before she could sleep in the bed again. Now, that's just unhealthy obsessions.

[TimTwoFace]

Though we do like to keep a clean house, I think that, since we run a daycare here, my mom has given up trying to keep everything clean. Besides, with four kids of her own, we end up having to do most of everything. :p

-Tim
(with a thing for Pine Sol)