It happens to almost every parent...they start off fine, communicating well with you, listening to your ideas, staying within the boundaries of what they're planning and helping with -- and then they start to slide, Little by little, they get more demanding, a little more entitled to their ideas, a little more difficult. So stop that downward spiral with a gentle reminder of 'I'm really enjoying sharing the planning with you, Mom. I was just looking back through my notes from when we discussed what you'd be working on, and I remembered that the favors are actually his mother's job. I just didn't want you to do any extra work or waste your time researching those." That's all it takes to correct their course. Start off with praise, and then move into that gentle correction where you express that you're just looking out for them.

Remember, parents aren't trying to wreck your day. They just get a little over-excited and go a little too far. When you take a second to rein them in now, you prevent bigtime stress from getting mad at them for over-reaching their boundaries AND mad at yourself for being a doormat and not saying anything.

Are you having trouble returning your parents to normal? Share your stories in the Comments, and I can help!