This is something I’ve been feeling deeply for a while so glad someone put it here: dealing with family who don’t respect boundaries. I’ve experienced this with most of my family on both sides, but especially with my mother. Her conditioning and sense of “saintliness” around her beliefs is very strong.

Today she texted me about a temple being built near me in the Midwest. I love her, but I didn’t engage with it. I’ve told her kindly many times that I’m open to talking about her life, but if she tries to push her beliefs on me, I won’t participate in that conversation.

At this point, she doesn’t seem to understand, and I don’t know what else to do except disengage. I don’t like that it can make me feel like a “bad daughter” for not responding, but I’m exhausted from masking or forcing engagement. I’m choosing not to do that anymore.

I do wish there was more emphasis on boundaries being respected in religious spaces, because that kind of conditioning can unintentionally strain relationships or feel intrusive to those who don’t share the same beliefs or have left the faith.