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Imadethisupwithnoforethought's avatar

Do you find yourself turning into your mother/father?

Asked by Imadethisupwithnoforethought (14682points) May 14th, 2012

As you get older do you find yourself mimicking their behavior?

Do you struggle to avoid it or do act out trying to correct your behavior?

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25 Answers

lillycoyote's avatar

Actually, as I’ve gotten older I’ve often wished that I was more like my parents in many, but certainly not all, ways. It turns out, it seems, that they were pretty good, wise, sensible people after all.

Bellatrix's avatar

I would be happy to be more like my dad. If I ever start resembling my step-mother in any way, I want to be put down.

downtide's avatar

Good heavens no (thank goodness). I still act like I did when I was 25.

augustlan's avatar

God, I hope not. My step-dad is cool, but I would never want to be like my mom.

rooeytoo's avatar

I’m with @lillycoyote, no one is ever perfect but my parents did their best and instilled in me, I think anyhow, many good qualities. And I often hear myself saying something and I think I remember my mom/dad saying that.

zensky's avatar

Yes, and * sigh * yes.

JLeslie's avatar

My whole life it has been a weird mix of being very much like them, and in other ways not at all. This has changed over my lifetime, some behaviors, gestures, actions, reactions I am less and less like them as I age, and some more and more.

jrpowell's avatar

I have been through a lot of shit in my life and the worse thing I heard was my first girlfriend saying, “You are just like your father.”

I simply walked away and didn’t talk to her for months. I actually dropped out of high school so I wouldn’t have to see her.

cookieman's avatar

I catch myself repeating things my father always said- in a similar delivery too. And, unfortunately, my temper (when it makes an appearance), resembles my mother far more than I care to admit.

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

No. My mom, although I love her, is a loon. My dad’s been gone a long time.

Argonon's avatar

Yes, my mother. I don’t try to avoid it either, I think it’s a good thing.
She very intelligent and funny, I’ve always been like her with my personality and interests.
Only I’m not quite the computer geek she is.

captainsmooth's avatar

I find myself placing importance on similar things but do them in a different way. My parents raised me well though, and the proof is how my kids respect and communicate with me.

beachbum76's avatar

Yes, I find myself saying things my mom used to say. Sometimes I realize it and laugh at myself and sometimes a friend or relative will point it out to me.

SpatzieLover's avatar

Thank goodness, no.

Facade's avatar

I’m a lot like both my parents, but I’d prefer to only have their good qualities.

ratboy's avatar

A couple nights ago, I was licking jelly off my boyfriend’s penis. And I thought, “Oh my God — I’m turning into my mother!”

—Sarah Silverman

Paradox25's avatar

I’ve heard many people claim this, especially women when it comes to copying their mother’s behavior patterns. I’m nothing like my dad, in fact we are about as polar opposite from each other as you can get. I’ve noticed that I’ve started to copy some of my mom’s habits as I get older though.

JLeslie's avatar

One strange thing to add, my husband is a lot like my mom. I always say I married my mom. And, oddly enough I tend to be like my dad, especially the things I dislike most about myself are like my dad. Oy.

wundayatta's avatar

@JLeslie Actually, that is very common. It’s a common thought in psychological circles that we marry a person who is a combination of our parents. We use them to work through our issues with our parents. Sometimes we can do that successfully and we and our spouses mature and change together. Other times we can’t work it out, and the marriage fails.

JLeslie's avatar

@wundayatta Yeah, I actually know that, but I in general am just fine with my mom, in fact I have always said I didn’t feel strongly I would parent very differently when I would hear peers say, “I will never do what my mother did.” I think I married my mom, because generally I like her. I also think, if I really psychonalyze it, that I have more traits like my father, but still I am a big messy combination of them. I was kind of my fathers child, and my sister was my moms, but I never felt like my mom favored her to any extreme.

woodcutter's avatar

My upbringing was weird probably and they didn’t influence me to the point of using their mannerisms, etc. I do believe I inherited their creative traits though.

fluthernutter's avatar

I’m cold. Go get your jacket.
I’m hungry. Let’s make you a snack to eat.

I didn’t really get that when I was little. Now I do it all the time.

@wundayatta My husband and my in-laws are the antithesis of my family. I’m not hoping to work out issues about my parents. I’m hoping to fall closer to normal by law of averages. :P

fluthernutter's avatar

@wundayatta Don’t get me wrong. My family is nuts and there are plenty of issues to work through. I just don’t do it through my husband. In that regard, yes, I’m very lucky!

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