Physically abusive parents

spideygirl
Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:36:21 +0000

I would go out to a restaurant with your parents when they are in a decent mood. With all the courage and forced respect you can muster (in the interests of keeping a roof over your head, and funding for your education) I would try to talk to them. Perhaps explaining how the abuse effects you, in a neutral setting, will help.

I would explain your desire to have a healthy relationship with your parents in the future, when you have a spouse and children. Show them, in a cautious and clever way, the window to the future. I wonder if they could gently be forced to imagine how the future could look when you try to include them in your life, trust them with your children, and take care of them when they are old and frail. If they feel that your goal is to make things better, rather than to threaten them, maybe there is a chance that this type of communication could be helpful.