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Overprotective parents in Bombay: How can a 28-year-old woman break free without severing ties?

Kanchan

Kanchan Rai  |566 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Feb 21, 2025

Kanchan Rai has 10 years of experience in therapy, nurturing soft skills and leadership coaching. She is the founder of the Let Us Talk Foundation, which offers mindfulness workshops to help people stay emotionally and mentally healthy.
Rai has a degree in leadership development and customer centricity from Harvard Business School, Boston. She is an internationally certified coach from the International Coaching Federation, a global organisation in professional coaching.... more
Asked by Anonymous - Sep 01, 2024Hindi
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Relationship

I am a 28 year old female, my parents are very over protective. In a city like Bombay my timings of going and coming from my job are monitored I have been asked to keep my WhatsApp location on. They always want to monitor my life and keep a check on my mobile phone and other movements. Their behaviour has affected me mentally and I want to break free from their clutches. I have tried all conversations to build their trust but its all in vain. Please suggest how to get away from this situation by not breaking the ties and still get to enjoy my adulthood days

Ans: Overprotective parenting often comes from a place of fear, but when it crosses into controlling behavior, it can suffocate you emotionally. Since conversations haven’t helped build their trust, you may need to take a more gradual and strategic approach to gain your freedom.

One way is to slowly create boundaries without triggering their anxiety too much. If they demand to track your location, maybe start by saying your phone battery drains quickly, so you’ll only update them at certain times. If they check your phone, you can put a password and say it’s for security reasons, as you have work-related or personal data you need to protect. Make them feel that you are still being responsible, but at the same time, reclaim your space.

A long-term solution would be to work towards financial and residential independence. If moving out isn’t an option right away, consider staying out more often with friends or taking trips that require you to be away for a few days. Show them that you can take care of yourself without anything going wrong. If they see that nothing bad happens when you have more freedom, their grip may loosen over time.

It’s also important to emotionally detach from their control. They may always try to guilt-trip or pressure you, but if you stop reacting strongly to their monitoring, they will eventually lose interest in controlling every aspect of your life. Stay firm yet respectful, and over time, they will have to adjust.

What’s the biggest fear they have about letting you be independent? If you can understand that, you might be able to address their concerns in a way that helps them ease up.

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Anu

Anu Krishna  |1571 Answers  |Ask -

Relationships Expert, Mind Coach - Answered on Mar 20, 2024

Asked by Anonymous - Mar 17, 2024Hindi
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Hi ma'am I have suffered a lot with my parents since childhood they never allowed me to go outside with friends. I have never even attended a birthday party of my friends. They never want me to be independent and do something which I like to. Even on lockdown time they don't allow me to go to the terrace of my own house because they think I will talk with someone. Now I am doing a job in my city only but they also force me every day to leave that job because the are super unhappy that I am not dependent on them financially. I have a boyfriend and want to marry him but they will not agree to that also as it will be a intercaste marriage. And I will let them know about this they will house arrest me. My father also told me that even if I got a job of 1000k per month he is not going to allow me to do that. He just want me to stay in home do help my mother on house hold work and get married to his choice boy. I really love my boyfriend he is the one who supported me till now please help me that how can I get out of my house and get married to him. Also his parents are very supportive for me.
Ans: Dear Anonymous,
You are a grown-up...what makes you want to heed to your family's drama? Are you unsure of whether you will be able to make it without your family's support?
It's your life and if you know what you want of it and out of it, then do the things that make it happen. Take decisions and stick by them...
You clearly know what the issue is from your parents (from what you have shared here). When you are able to express it here to me, what stops you from actually telling your parents how you feel about the way they treat you? What will happen if you tell them that they are being obstacles in your happiness path?
Sometimes people; even if they are your parents must be told not to cross the line especially if it has begun to hamper your life's growth path. Be bold and firm...The biggest thing on your side is that your boyfriend and his family are in support of you. What more do you want?
Never heed to emotional blackmail from anyone even your own family. Your parents hold a great level of control over you and you have given them that power to do so...how much longer? Now when its' time for you to create your life, make sure what and how you include people in them.
Don't confront your parents, simply tell them that you are old enough to take decisions for yourself and that you would love if they supported you. If they don't and start their drama, you know what you must do...Build your life...

All the best!

..Read more

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Milind

Milind Vadjikar  |1136 Answers  |Ask -

Insurance, Stocks, MF, PF Expert - Answered on Mar 25, 2025

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Hello! Advait ji, My Mom is 82 and gets family pension. She has 70 lakhs FD maturing in March 25. I would like to invest 10 lakhs in FD as emergency fund. Kindly advice how to invest the remaining 60 lakhs, which is risk free and gives good returns (better than FD) She has the following investment - 1. 10 lakhs in Edelweiss Multicap Fund - Gr 2. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Flexicap Fund -Gr 3. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in HDFC Midcap Opportunities Fund 4. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Invesco India Focused Fund 5. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in LIC MF Infrastructure Fund 6. 2 lakhs 50 thousand in Motilal Oswal Large and Mid-Cap 7. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Large Cap Fund 8. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Multicap Fund 9. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Nippon India Small Cap Fund 10. 2 lakhs 40 thousand in Quant Small Cap Fund. Total Mutual fund investment of 32 lakhs. Apart from MF she has invested in Bajaj Allianz Life insurance plan, where she will investRs 2 Lakhs per year for 10 years. This is a guaranteed plan. She is comfortable running the house with her pension. However, please suggest shorter duration investments (5 yrs) Regards Namrata
Ans: Hello;

She may opt for any of these investment avenues:

1. Post office time deposit scheme(FDs offered by post office for 1,2,3 & 5 year tenure); Joint holding allowed; Premature withdrawal allowed after 6M. (Current ROI 6.9-7.5%)

2. NSC with a fixed tenure of 5 years; No premature withdrawal allowed. Can be held jointly(Current ROI 7.7%)

3. KVP: Although tenure is 9 yrs and 5 months, you may do premature encashment after 2.5 years; joint holding allowed;(Current ROI 7.5%)

You may approach a reliable postal agent to process these investments to avoid hassle of frequent post visits and associated hardships.

These are backed by GOI so no risk of default.

Hope this meets your requirements.

Best wishes;

...Read more

Dr Dipankar

Dr Dipankar Dutta  |1061 Answers  |Ask -

Tech Careers and Skill Development Expert - Answered on Mar 25, 2025

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I am a first year student at MIT Manipal,currently pursuing Electrical and Electronics engineering(EEE),and I am have been given a choice to apply for branch change in my institute either to CSE,Mathematics and Computing(MnC) or ECE in my second year. I did not study Computer Science in 11th and 12th, and I coding in C for the first time as part of my 1st year syllabus.I am not very much interested to coding,but I am learning it since it is there in the course syllabus. My parents suggest switching to CSE, but they are not engineers and do not have insights into the current job market. Since my batch will be passing out in 2028, I want to understand the job scenario for CSE, MnC, ECE, and EEE graduates by then. Among these,which branch provides better opportunities for core engineering jobs with good or decent salary and stability? I have heard that many ECE graduates end up in IT jobs due to lack of core industries-is that true?Would ECE be a better alternative to CSE for core jobs or is it better to stay in EEE? Also between CSE, ECE, and EEE, which has less competition in the job market while still offering good career prospects? Additionally, I want to know which branch is broader, with ample opportunities in both the government and private sectors, especially for core jobs with good pay and stability. base on futuret rends, would it be a wise decision to change my branch, or should I continue with EEE?
Ans: Happy to see that you have asked very logical questions. I can say that, since you are already in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) at MIT Manipal and have the opportunity to change to CSE, Mathematics and Computing (MnC), or ECE, your decision should be based on:


Your Interests (Core Engineering vs Coding)
Job Market Trends for 2028 and Beyond
Competition & Industry Demand

Future Job Market (2028 & Beyond) for Each Branch
Branch Core Job Scope IT/Software Jobs Govt Jobs Competition Salary Stability
CSE Low (Software Focused) High Limited Very High High but Unstable
MnC Medium (AI/ML, Finance) High Limited High High but Research-Oriented
ECE Medium (VLSI, Chip Design, Telecom, IoT) High Moderate (ISRO, DRDO, PSU) High Medium-High
EEE High (Power, EVs, Automation, Energy, PSU) Moderate High (Railways, NTPC, BHEL, Govt) Low-Medium High & Stable

Should You Switch to CSE, MnC, or ECE?
If You Want Core Engineering Jobs with Stability
Best Option: Stay in EEE

If You Want a Balance Between Core & Software Jobs
Best Option: ECE

If You Want a High-Paying Private Sector Career (But Not Core Engineering)
Best Option: MnC or CSE

Hope this will help you in decision making.

...Read more

Milind

Milind Vadjikar  |1136 Answers  |Ask -

Insurance, Stocks, MF, PF Expert - Answered on Mar 25, 2025

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Hi sir I am investing when ever i have money not like in SIP. my most of investments are around 6 L invested in Quant different mutual funds. No a days i can see my all the Quant funds are going down. Im 34 years old female. My plan is 10 years. Can i exit from quant and invest in any some MF rather than getting more loss? Can you please review my portfolian. Do i need to exit from any MF. Since i'm maintaining too many MF. Thanks in advance. Mutual Funds List No' Scheme Name AMC Category Sub-category ISIN 1 DSP Small Cap Direct Plan Growth DSP Mutual Fund Equity Small Cap INF740K01QD1 2 Quant Focused Fund Direct Growth Quant Mutual Fund Equity Focused INF966L01853 3 Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund Direct Growth PPFAS Mutual Fund Equity Flexi Cap INF879O01027 4 Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Mirae Asset Mutual Fund Equity ELSS INF769K01DM9 5 JM Flexicap Fund Direct Plan Growth JM Financial Mutual Fund Equity Flexi Cap INF192K01CC7 6 Axis Growth Opportunities Fund Direct Growth Axis Mutual Fund Equity Large & MidCap INF846K01J46 7 Parag Parikh ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth PPFAS Mutual Fund Equity ELSS INF879O01100 8 Quant Small Cap Fund Direct Plan Growth Quant Mutual Fund Equity Small Cap INF966L01689 9 Canara Robeco Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Canara Robeco Mutual Fund Equity Small Cap INF760K01JC6 10 Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund Direct Growth Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund Equity Mid Cap INF247L01445 11 Nippon India Multi Cap Fund Direct Growth Nippon India Mutual Fund Equity Multi Cap INF204K01XF9 12 Nippon India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Nippon India Mutual Fund Equity Small Cap INF204K01K15 13 ICICI Prudential Value Discovery Direct Growth ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund Equity Value INF109K012K1 14 Quant Flexi Cap Fund Direct Growth Quant Mutual Fund Equity Flexi Cap INF966L01911 15 Nippon India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Nippon India Mutual Fund Equity Small Cap INF204K01K15 16 Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund Direct Growth Quant Mutual Fund Equity ELSS INF966L01986 17 Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund Direct Growth Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund Equity Sectoral / Thematic INF209KB1O82 18 Quant Mid Cap Fund Direct Growth Quant Mutual Fund Equity Mid Cap INF966L01887 STOCKS LIST 1 APOLLO TYRES-EQ RE 1 2 ASIAN PAINTS EQ 1/ 3 BRITANNIA IND-EQ1/- 4 CG POWER-EQ2/ 5 IRCTCL-EQ2 6 NHPC LIMITED - EQ 7 TATA STEEL-EQ1/ 8 Deepak nitrate 9 LT 10 Narayana Hrudayalaya
Ans: Hello;

6 L worth investment in 18 different funds is spreading it too thin.

You have a time horizon of 10 years but how much corpus you want to accumulate after 10 years kindly clarify?

Also if you can specify the goal for which this investment is aimed at then it will help us to suggest suitably.

I will recommend you strategy to rationalize you MF holdings once you revert on the above points.

Thanks;

...Read more

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