Okay now I'm REALLY pissed off.

Okay before you read this, read this Unsupportive Parenting.

I wrote that post roughly 20 minutes ago and in that time I received some emails and texts from some of the most amazing and talented people I know thanking me for writing about unsupportive parents. Then proceed to tell me what their parents have said to them.

After getting straight A's at Northwestern University: "What took you so long?"
Asking how do I look?: "Beauty is a curse"
Talking potential baby names: "What makes you think you will have kids?"
Starting in theater: "We'd support you if you were talented like Ann Margaret"
Discussing having children: "Why would want to have kids and ruin your life the way they ruined mine?"
Discussing an upcoming audition: "Oh, you're still doing that?"

Angry yet? No? How about this:

An insanely talented writer/actor/director/producer friend of mine started an online television show including a character that he created (which is now insanely popular). At the premier, he looked around at the people in the audience who had made time to come see his premier and NOT A SINGLE FAMILY MEMBER was in the audience. NOT ONE. And they all live less than 15 minutes away.

I am going to be brutally honest. The first thing I did was call my mom and say thanks. Because of her I knew I could always be whatever and whoever I wanted to be.

Then, I cried...a LOT. I honestly didn't know that there were this many people like this out there. So please, please, PLEASE, be supportive to everyone you know. It may not be your dream, but it is someone's.

Unsupportive parenting

I'm a mom. I have a mom. I have 2 mother-in-laws (that's a whole different story), I'm friends with other moms, I had two grandmothers...you're seeing the pattern right? Well, never in my life have any of these women made me feel less than 110% supported at any given moment. Whether it is about my health, my life, my finances, my marriage(s), my daughter...WHATEVER, I have always felt lifted up, not torn down.

Someone just told me a story about a mother, who after seeing her grown son participate in something that he loves, turn to him and say..."Don't you think it's time to try something else?"

Who DOES that?!?!?!?!

Another example, same mother. Her son wants to try to manufacture and sell something that he is really good at making. (I'm not saying what as it would give this person away and I'm not trying to put someone's shit out on Front Street). After talking to her about it, she proceeds to email her son with links of all kinds of people that have already done it and say "Ooops, sorry, you're too late"!

As a mother, and frankly a person, I cannot fathom ever doing this to my kid. When Adria came to me with a Barbie zip line idea...I said awesome, do it!

At what point do we stop tearing people down because of our own damn insecurities. What's the matter mommy, are you scared your son will be more successful than you are? Isn't that kind of the point of parenting...hope that they grow up to accomplish great things?

If you don't think that this is even a little part of parenting, then maybe you should trade your kid in for a plant or something. Definitely not a pet, you don't deserve a pet.