Dear Queenie,
My mother always sees the worst die of everything and criticises everything I do and every decision I make. She even changes my order at a restaurant.
I tried to talk to her about this, but she said I was imagining things and got mad and refused to discuss it with me.
I love my mother, but I can’t stand to be with her.
Queenie, what to do?—Frustrated daughter
Dear Daughter,
Your mother is accustomed to dealing with you as a child and has difficulty seeing you as an adult. Try to be patient with her.
Ignore her criticism without getting angry. If she changes a restaurant order, just say – pleasantly! – “Sorry, I prefer (whatever you originally ordered),” and be sure to give your order directly to the server.
