My great-grandma recently moved and asked me to go with her. I thought it would fun, so I agreed. Now that I am here, I am almost positive that she has dementia. It's like living with someone that is drunk 24/7. She forgets everything, so she constantly repeats herself and makes me repeat myself. She really does not know how to do the simplest things. I have showed her 8 times how to use the microwave and it's the kind that you just have to push one button, not the kind that you have to type in the time. Okay so it's hard, but if I really had to, I could put up with that stuff. But here's where it gets tough. She is extremely mean to me. The first incident was when I was watching TV in the living room. She came up to me, took the remote, turned the TV off, and told me to go to my room. Several other things has happened. I've only been here 1 week, but yesterday, she really hurt me. The dog was sitting in my lap and she told the dog "Get down, she doesn't love you." And then a few minutes later when they were sitting outside, the dog wanted to come inside, where I was, and she told the dog "Don't go in there with her. She doesn't love us." I told my meme (her daughter which lives right down the street) and my mom and at first, they were nice and trying to help me and told my grandma to stop being a jerk. But now, they said I am not allowed to leave. I'm 17, that makes me want to leave even more! They are forcing me to stay here and be miserable just because no one else wants to take care of her. She has money. Why can't they hire a professional? I cry myself to sleep and no one seems to care.
You can call adult protective services and ask what to do with her so that you can get a break. Be sure to tell them that you are 17 and that your mom is forcing you to stay there so she does not have to pay anyone. Feel free to tell them how you feel unsafe when grandma does her weirdness. They are the key to the door.
A little more detail will help to give you more specific advice. But again - this isn't your responsibility- especially at your age.
I agree that you do not need a degree to take photos - it's art, an expression. Fine. But you need an Associate's at least to get a decent job to support your art. Very few photographers make it big, and fewer make it big who have not taken classes on marketing themselves. Your mother is taking advantage of you not "being in school" and her having to pay something - she's using you to not have to pay something for grandma. Taking in person classes is expensive, but it is a way to set firm boundaries with your mom.
See All Answers