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Why do my parents expect so much from me?

26 Answers
Last Updated: 06/10/2019 at 6:47am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
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Clinical Social Work/Therapist

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. Life poses many challenges. Learning to face, cope with, and resolve these challenges can increase our resilience.

Top Rated Answers
Ali
November 9th, 2015 3:13am
A lot of the time it can feel like parents are expecting too much just to get disappointed, or make us feel like we aren't enough, but it's not true. Many times parents expect more because they believe in you, and know that you can achieve that goal if you tried. It helps if you start to expect more out of yourself, too!
Dovah
May 27th, 2015 6:20pm
Sometimes parents expectations are high for different reasons. Sometimes it can be protection, they don't want you to fail later in life. Sometimes it's because they love you and believe you can accomplish great things and push a little too hard. It's normal to feel overwhelmed by that, anyone would!
Anonymous
March 31st, 2015 4:17pm
May be they wants you to see in a Best position in near future ... They know the capabilities of you and thus expect a lot from you !
worthit97
July 3rd, 2015 6:56pm
Our parents were the one who gave us a chance at life. Our mothers were the one who went through 9 months of carrying us and then going through that pain of delivering us for us to have a shot at experiencing the world. They've seen us grow and from Day 1 and to a certain extent know us better than ourselves, hence, setting certain expectations for us. It is because they know and BELIEVE we can do it, hence they have expectations. Every parent out there would want to be proud of their child too. Just like when you win a competition or achieve something, you would want to be proud of it and flaunt it. To your parents, you are their achievement, their gold medal. Apart from that, there will be a day your parents might not be able to catch you when you fall, or lend you their shoulder to cry on when you need one. So they have certain expectations from you so that when they are no longer there, they know that you will take care of yourself. Always love your parents because they gave you the greatest gift you could ever have, and that is life. So treasure it because we only get one chance at life. Unlike games, we cannot respawn. Always remember that regardless, your parents love you.
Chinmay96
September 19th, 2016 9:23am
Most of our life is passed in making expectations and hope. We make millions of hopes without even thinking if we really can fulfill them. And when we get older those dreams remains dreams, later when we have kids, we see them as a way to fulfill our dreams through them, also which parents won't feel proud seeing their child succeed?! And with such high hopes, our every achievement seems small and they expect we can be even more better, and this passes on from ages to ages!
Rhyly
March 13th, 2018 8:00am
It depends on the situation, but a lot of the time, parents expect a lot from their children because they love them and want them to be the best version of themselves at all times. It could also be because they want you to do things that they couldn’t. You’re their second chance, per say.
hungariangirl
June 29th, 2015 5:22pm
Maybe they couldn't be the people they wanted to be and now, they want you to do everything you can. It must be hard, trying to keep up, but you only need to do what you feel like doing. Try to talk to them about this.
Pailein
May 27th, 2015 8:43pm
They expect so much, because they want you to have a great future. For example they want you to have good grades, because your chance to get a good job will be bigger.
dearestgrace07
February 23rd, 2015 11:28am
It is because they trust me so much and they believe I am capable of making right decisions in life.
barbara199724
May 26th, 2015 10:41pm
They love you in a way that you will never understand until you have a child. They want your sucess so you wont have to handle things they had. Sometimes even if is not the intention it looks like they hate you, but they just want you to succeed
Candid0211
July 24th, 2017 5:51am
Two reasons that I can think of. One that your parents see your potential better than you do so they try and push you towards stretching your limits. Second which is more of and than an or is that your parents want you to be more than what they were so they push you to. Become what they could not. Either ways they have your best interest at heart. However if you are feeling overwhelmed by the pressure then you need to communicate this to your parents
Anonymous
April 26th, 2015 7:03pm
They expect so much from you because they want you to have the best in life. Everyone wants there own child to do well and darlin they only want you to do good.
originalLion57
June 4th, 2015 8:53pm
They most likely want what's best for you and aren't aware they're pressuring you too hard, but it might be helpful if you tried to tell them how you feel. Either way, sometimes parents can be quite ignorant and they don't realize how much it's hurting you.
Anonymous
December 15th, 2015 9:10pm
Because, they´ve done so much for you, and, they expect you to be better than them, for a father, it´s amazing to know that the son you raised, will have a better life than you, i don´t have any children, i´m a virgin xD, but, it´s the way i look at it
lovebestrong
March 13th, 2017 6:23am
They want to see you succeed in life. They don't want their child to become sad, ill, or anything negative. They want you to thrive and have the best life possible. You only live once.
MessengerOfPeace01
January 30th, 2017 12:16pm
Your parents can expect a lot from you for two reasons. They believe in you. They want their child to be the best and be proud of him/her. Both reasons are normal and it is a very common thing which should only push you forward.
Anonymous
June 5th, 2015 5:34am
because they want you to suceed more than they did and have a happy life. so they try to push you to get the best things for you.
Anonymous
December 26th, 2015 11:53am
Because they want you to be a successful person in the future and follow your dreams, all parents do that because they are in this world to protect us and help us whenever we need them, they want you to have a bright future!
SpaceAngel
September 20th, 2016 5:25pm
they probably want you to have the life they never had..and want you to work harder to achieve your dreams and be a successful person oneday...and why they expect so much, uhm maybe because they want you to be the best out of everyone else? :)
Anonymous
January 16th, 2017 3:52pm
Because they know you have the potential to do just about anything if you set your mind and body to it. They overall just want what's best for you. They want you to be happy and succeed in life and have a good future ahead of yourself.
FruityWatermelon
September 1st, 2015 4:54am
Parents may have had a difficult time getting by; they expect more from you to avoid that situation.
MandaP
July 6th, 2015 6:58am
Perhaps they see the advantages in the future of what doing well could mean for you rather than the difficulty of achieving so much for you now.
Anonymous
January 1st, 2018 5:14pm
Likely it is because they want to see you succeed and to develop s work ethic. It can seem overly demanding at times — and perhaps it is, as parents are imperfect human beings — but likely they do not want to see you make the same mistakes they may have in their youth or even in recent years. It can be frustrating if you feel they are overly nosy or controlling, but I promise it is because they care and ultimately they wish you to be happy.
Miranda1999
December 24th, 2015 2:17pm
your parents expect so much from you because they want you to do well in life, and have as many opportunities you can! Maybe talk to your parents about it?
Anonymous
April 18th, 2017 2:00pm
It's because they love you and want what's best for you. They want you to follow your dreams and see you happy. They expect so much from you because they also expect that their efforts to help you are effective.
bubblingMoon46
June 10th, 2019 6:47am
Your parents love you and they want you to be successful, sometimes they make it hard but they are doing this for you and the harder they push you the more hope they have that you can accomplish greatness. If you think they are pressuring you too much you can always talk to them about it but mainly it's the fact they want to see great things from you. Plus, if you continue to work really hard they will see what great progress you are making and then might lighten up. You just have to keep a positive open mind.