Great (implicit) Expectations.

Why do you do this?

Tell me to just try my best, that grades are not everything, that I should not stress over my studies, that you're perfectly fine with paying my exorbitant school fees, that I don't have to be at the top for you to be proud of me.

Then you go on to talk about them. Say that it's a shame she's only number 7 and not number 1 and therefore has no chance of getting a scholarship, say that he's not studying hard enough because he's not in the honour's/dean's list, say that because you're paying for his school fees you expect him to excel, say with subtle scoff and disappointment that he only managed to get a second class lower.

Then you go on to tell your story.

And I'll feel so inadequate. Oh so inadequate. Simply because deep down I believe that as a person, I'm not good enough for you. That the only reason you say I'm good enough for you is because I'm your daughter. Maybe that's why I doubt compliments about me - it's not false modesty. I can't help thinking that it's simply because he/she is a relative, a friend, or just generally a nice person who does not want to hurt my feelings (because I do that too).


Subtle indirect expectations. Sometimes I wish you'll just say it all out loud so that my insecurities don't cloud my judgment and make me overanalyse everything.