# What does your mum/dad think is your main shortfall?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [March 20, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654 "2007-03-20T01:08:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/1 "2007-03-20T01:08:32Z")
Like my recent “What is your wish” thread Try not to over think this.
My dad thinks I worry too much.
What does your mum/dad think is your shortfall?
(if troubled by deciding which parent… use the one you most look up to… probably the same gender as you)
---
### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/2 "2007-03-20T01:14:44Z")
Both think I drink too much, although both are probably right.
---
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/3 "2007-03-20T01:18:05Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
Both think I drink too much, although both are probably right.
[/QUOTE]
Do _you_ think you drink too much? Or do you think you drink an acceptable amount and for acceptable reasons for an adult of your age in your culture?
---
### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/4 "2007-03-20T01:19:44Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang]
Do _you_ think you drink too much? Or do you think you drink an acceptable amount and for acceptable reasons for an adult of your age in your culture?
[/QUOTE]
Been through this before on the Dope, and not really in the mood to make this thread another “The Auto Show,” but the quick answer is yes to both. Depends on the day and how my life is going.
---
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/5 "2007-03-20T01:21:07Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus]
Been through this before on the Dope, and not really in the mood to make this thread another “The Auto Show,” [snip]
[/QUOTE]
Understood.
---
### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/6 "2007-03-20T01:27:29Z")
Well, to keep things rolling, I’ll do another:
Both think I’m often unsafe. Probably also true :smack: All in all though, my parents think I’m a great kiddo.
---
### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/7 "2007-03-20T01:28:31Z")
My mother thinks I have “such strong opinions” (meaning that they are different from HER strong opinions, and I voice them instead of repressing them or playing passive-aggressive games to express myself).
My male DNA donor (whose opinion I value not a whit) thinks I’m a tree-hugging pinko because I eat organic/veggie foods and am not a raging bigot like him.
---
### Author:  [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/8 "2007-03-20T01:29:57Z")
My dad thinks everybody is jealous of me.
My mom thinks nothing is really my fault.
---
### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/9 "2007-03-20T01:30:14Z")
My dad crossed the bar in 1990, rest his soul, but I think he thought my biggest shortfall was that I was a girl. HE didn’t think being a girl was a liability, but he knew there were many others who did not share his view. He made sure I knew how to change a tire, change a fuse, balance my checkbook, etc.
For that matter, I guess Mom, rest her soul, thought that, too. She had every expectation that I would behave like a complete slut during my teenage years.
---
### Author:  [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/10 "2007-03-20T01:39:06Z")
My dad thought my biggest flaw was that I was messy although now I’m neat. I was messy when I was a teenager though.
It’s a cliche but my mom probably thinks my biggest flaw is that I don’t call her enough.
---
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/11 "2007-03-20T01:43:01Z")
[QUOTE=pokey]
probably thinks my biggest flaw is that I don’t call her enough.
[/QUOTE]
Actually my dad thinks this too. But then He calls me less often than I call him so I feel justified in not calling him often.
“Why should I call you [for no apparent reason. I’m not one to gossip about nothing] if you don’t call me?”
---
### Author:  [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/12 "2007-03-20T01:44:20Z")
My mother thinks I’m a bit on the selfish side.
My dad wishes I would call him more.
---
### Author:  [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/13 "2007-03-20T01:47:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rhiannon8404]
My mother thinks I’m a bit on the selfish side.
My dad wishes I would call him more.
[/QUOTE]
See my previous post.
Does he call you?
---
### Author:  [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/14 "2007-03-20T01:50:45Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang]
See my previous post.
Does he call you?
[/QUOTE]
No, he doesn’t. It is weird. Actually, now that I think about it, my dad doesn’t complain to me about the not calling. My mom complains to me about me not calling my dad.
So really, I guess it’s two faults from mom and none from dad.
---
### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/15 "2007-03-20T02:02:14Z")
I think both my parents are disappointed that I didn’t become a journalist after graduating from journalism school.
Otherwise, they think I’m practically perfect in every way 😉
---
### Author:  [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/16 "2007-03-20T02:14:44Z")
That I’m not living up to my intellectual abilities.
---
### Author:  [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/17 "2007-03-20T02:28:49Z")
I think my father’s problem with me was that I started to wear glasses at age 6, and was musically inclined and not interested in boy stuff like fighting and sports and shooting defenseless animals. That’s when it went downhill.
I’m still trying to unravel what my mother thought was wrong with me.
Neither of them are here anymore. They didn’t live to see me excel at life despite their best efforts to prevent it from happening.
---
### Author:  [@Grey\_area](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey_area)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/18 "2007-03-20T02:31:54Z")
They both think I’m lazy and don’t apply myself.
I somewhat agree but am working on it.
---
### Author:  [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/19 "2007-03-20T02:35:03Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang]
…My dad thinks I worry too much.
[/QUOTE]
Same here.
I admit that I worry a lot, to a degree. But I think most of my worrying is valid (surviving my last year in college, having money, getting a job, etc).
So now I worry about worrying too much. 😛
---
### Author:  [@Mrs.Millamant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Millamant)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654/20 "2007-03-20T02:50:42Z")
Neither of them has said anything explicitly, but I suspect that they would both rather I had a bit more self-confidence and a bit less of the anxiety.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-your-mum-dad-think-is-your-main-shortfall/396654.md?page=2)