I've noticed over the past year that my parents, both in their early 70s, have settled into this dynamic where my mother pretty much dominates everything to the point where it's starting to seem like my father is being emotionally abused. My mother pretty much decides everything for him, and whenever I try to gently call them out on it, he just says, "what's good enough for mom is good enough for me," or "she's the boss."
For example, when they were visiting this past weekend, my father started to talk about how he was shopping for a better gardening tool at Home Depot. Now, the man hardly talks at length much anymore, so whenever he does, I let him go on. It's good to see him interested in something. My mother suddenly butts in and tells him not to bore me about such a thing and proceeds to ask the same questions she always asks about my kids and then, moves the subject over to religion, a subject she can never get enough of and which, for me, has become unbelievably dull. When I interjected and told her to let my father finish, he just agreed and said that my mother was right.
I don't know if I should just accept this as it is, that maybe he is strangely happy being lorded over by her at this point in his life. I just know that I was raised to never tolerate anyone treating me that way. I can't believe this is how my mother, who would NEVER accept being bossed around or interrupted, is now doing this to my father. It's even extended to things like family events on his side. I got the sense that he wanted to attend the funeral of a cousin who passed away. Granted he hadn't seen that cousin in ages, but still, he wanted to go. My mother always hated my father's side of the family and based on the conversation, I get the sense she talked him out of it, saying it was too far away. He just let it go from there, saying it's too far. He could've just said he'd go himself but I don't think he'd do anything without her at this point.
Again, I don't know. Maybe this is just what makes him comfortable now? It's just so sad.