Why are my parents so dumb?
You probably read that and said, “that’s no way to talk about your parents!” Well, once you read this, you’ll be asking the question too.
I grew up with ridicule, abuse, both physically and mentally, and neglect. They literally did not care about our health or well being, but only about our grades (which still turned out poorly due to all of this harsh abuse).
My mother smokes and gambles behind our backs. We tell her to stop, but she has a real gambling problem now. Constantly sneaking out, pouring thousands of dollars into slot machines. Leaving at 10:30pm and returning at 8am. She once withdrew so much money from my account, the bank had sent me emails about suspicious activity, soon finding out that it was my mom.
Now, my dad on the other hand, is another story. He’s selfish. He doesn’t care about anybody else at all. When my brother and I were younger, he would always give us money and take us out, so we thought nothing of it. Now that I’m older, I realized he only did this so we can side with him against my mom.
My mom is so lonely, she considers suicide. I feel terrible, but then I remember all of the money she’s spent. My dad goes out and exercises every day around dinner time, showers, then goes to sleep, which means my brother and I are left with cooking dinner for ourselves since my mom leaves for work at 4pm, and my dad eats out by himself.
A few years ago, my parents opened a restaurant as joint owners with their friends and stayed with it for a few months, then decided to split away. They got all of their money back, but they wanted to try again. So, they bought another restaurant in a crappy part of California full of hicks and poor people, not ever getting a single tip from any of them. The restaurant stayed open for a total of five months, but we’ve spent pretty much every penny we had. We were so poor. My parents selfishly spent ALL of my college money as well as my brother’s plus our entire life savings. Everything was gone except for what we already had on our debit cards.
Now, not only am I forced to go to community college (mind you, I am 17 with a 4.88GPA wanting to get out of Reno), but I have to stay in this crappy city with crappy parents. I have no where to turn. I have a job, and I’m trying to save up as best as I can, but time is running out. I need advice. Why are my parents so terrible????
LemonVibe 
First of all you need to fill out a FAFSA form and find out what you can do for school loans. It’s time for you to make a break from your family as soon as you graduate. You can make it on your own. Since you have a high grade point average and a job you can get scholarships. Go to your school’s guidance councilor and fill out everything they give you. Go every week, because new ones pop up fast and sometimes only give kids a deadline of a couple weeks.
You can do it on your own. I did. My parents cared, but I did all the loans and financial stuff on my own. I was one of seven kids, step, half and blood siblings, so there was no college money. I would also sign up for a bank account without your parents names on it as soon as possible. I don’t know your bank’s regulations, so call the bank and ask.
You are not responsible for your parent’s mental health, however you are and should be making your own dinner at your age. It was one of my chores to make dinner at age 12 until I graduated for 4-9 people depending on everyone’s schedules and which parents house I was at. Chores are there to teach you to be a viable adult.
I’m sorry your father doesn’t eat with you, but consider this something you can promise to do with your kids when you are a parent.
If you are being physically abused you can tell your guidance councilor and child services protection. If it happens again call the police.