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[quote=Anonymous]For as long as I can remember, my parents have always been very difficult, know-it-all types. If any of their children disagree with them or decide to take a route they do not favor, they will pretty much browbeat their kids until their kids see things their way. A typical conversation goes like this:

Me: I’m buying a new computer.
Parents: What’s wrong with the one you have?
Me: It’s slow and outdated. 
Parents: XXX’s son works for Best Buy. He can get you a good deal on a PC. 
Me: I’m looking to get a Mac.
Parents: We’d never buy one of those. Too expensive. Get a PC. They’re good machines. I’ll talk to XXX tomorrow. 
Me: I don’t want a PC. It doesn’t meet my needs. 
Parents (faces scrunched up in disgust): You’re gonna throw money out the window. You know nothing about buying computers. Don’t waste your money. Don’t be stupid. We can help you on this if you need. We’ll pay half… 
Me: I don’t need your money. 
Parents: It’s a gift…

This weekend, they’re coming to visit us.  They’ve been visiting more since we had our baby and usually every visit culminates in some kind of intrusion and criticism. There was the accusation that our infant car seat in my father’s words is a piece of crap and we should have asked him for advice. There was a whole to-do over the car we chose to buy (why oh why did you buy something used!? We would have helped you buy a brand NEW car for the baby!!) And now, our decision to buy a house is forefront in their minds. No matter what we say, it’s wrong. We want a condo, they think that’s not good enough and that we should invest in a “real” stand-alone home like they have and like what I grew up in.

Honestly, I don’t think DH likes these people. He’s never said so, and he’s tolerated them with as much politeness and graciousness.  We have a policy of basically he handles his parents and I handle mine. I’ve told them time and time again that we will make whatever decisions we need to make as a couple and will seek out their thoughts if we feel we need to, but please stop offering unsolicited advice. At this point, I want to reduce contact but I know they love the baby. I just wish they’d leave us alone to make our own choices and shut the hell up already. 
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