Healing My Relationship with My Parents After Dropping Out of College.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 พ.ค. 2024
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Last year I created a video about dropping out of art school to pursue tattooing but for this chit chat, I wanted to share something a bit more personal and it’s how i’m healing my relationship with my parents after I made the decision to drop out of school. For those that are facing similar struggles, I hope that this can offer some insights and some comfort to know that you aren't alone. I share the challenges I faced under strict asian parenting, the disappointments I experienced, and how I learned to navigate the complex emotions that came with it all. Now that I'm older, I understand that my parents really only wanted (and still do) the best for me, and I've come to appreciate just how much they sacrificed for me.
Thank you for watching this video, it means a lot to me! Sending you love xoxo. Hope you have a wonderful day~
#college #healing #relationship
☁️CONNECT WITH ME☁️
Personal ig: / jaschann
Tattoo/Art Ig: / novchild.jpg
Art ig: / moli__studio
Subscribe: / cupofjasmien
BUSINESS INQUIRIES: cupofjasmiencontact@gmail.com
☁️FAQ☁️
what's your name? jasmine chan
filming equipment? sony a7c + iphone 13
editing? fcpx
digital? procreate
☁️MUSIC☁️
Music by Epidemic Sound.
☁️TIMESTAMP☁️
0:00 Intro
0:54 Lingoda
2:10 chit chat
🧚🏻 if you read this, comment: mochi!!!
ty for watching how was your week? 🤗
ig: @jaschann
tattoos: @novchild.jpg
~hope you enjoyed
You @jaschann will always survive. Thank you for producing and publishing so many real videos. You will live until you die.
who remembers mochi🥹
awww I remember him from your sophomore year vlogs
meeee
we do 🥹
of course we remember mochi
If I’m honest I was kind of expecting some tricks from Mochi on this video 😅❤
As I’ve gotten older (mid 20’s) I’ve realized a lot of our parents not wanting us to be “weird” or taking different paths comes from fear. I grew up as a “weird” kid and sometimes my mom would get so frustrated with me because of how I wanted to dress or my interest, or even my sexuality, and I realized the reason she was so upset was because she was afraid my life was going to be harder because of those things. Thank you for sharing to story Jasmien ❤
yes our parents want the best for us❤but sometimes their best is not our best😅thank you for watching!
Ik you just uploaded this… so I hope you read this. I’ve been watching you for 4-5 years now? I’ve looked forward to all your videos. And you were a huge inspiration to the 18 year old me, who now is graduating fashion college. Thank you for everything jasmine :)
so into this
Funny enough I also watched her back when I just started college, now I graduated as a Design Engineer, and in all honesty, it always makes me so nostalgic when i think of all the times I would watch her and work on big projects, she always inspired me and still does till this day
🥹🥹thank you for being here
I think parents need to understand we are independent people who can do whatever we want. They don’t get to control us. But it can be hard to set a boundary and having parents not cross it.
agree😢❤
Coming from a woman in her thirties, I have done the school route chose a degree my family found acceptable and worked a corporate office job. Worst feeling ever. I quit my job, dropped out of law school and do a lot of art related jobs. I’m so much happier and made equal amount of money in the long run. Remember you know what’s best for you, but don’t forget your parents just want to see you succeed. ❤
What a beautiful and challenging journey! As a daughter who has disappointed her parents and whose parents don't always approve of me, I can relate to your story. I am so happy you are finding peace with yourself, and even doing the difficult but worthwhile work of trying to understand and forgive your parents. And you are a beautiful artist!
❤❤❤thank you for being here
This was so healthy and refreshing. Takes a lot of maturity and understanding to realize our parents have their own stuff that they are not healed from and that we are never going to 100% understand them but we can have a relationship even with differences. Love this. Good for you.
❤thank u for being here
the way that you’ve taken the time to heal those traumas, put words to your feelings, and work past them is really inspiring. incredibly proud of you for taking accountability and also standing up for yourself when it was due ❤ go you!!
❤❤thank u for being here
this was such a helpful video, my parents are the same and I graduated as a law professional... now I'm a tattoo apprentice! my family isn't supportive of tattoos and I'm really scared to tell them . growing up as the golden child I'm terrified how much drama and judgement the extended family will cause to my parents
this is so beautiful. i dropped out of harvard 2x and my relationship with my parents was incredibly strained. we're alright now, but so many of the same things you felt/discussed...brought back so many memories. cheering for you!
You are growing so wise, that only could make a parent proud of their child. You're not hurting yourself, you are happy with what you do, and making a living. Isn't that what we parents want for our kids?
Jasmine! I’ve been a longtime silent watcher of yours but felt compelled to comment on this one. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your parents. As a fellow only child of Asian parents I can relate very well. I’m proud of you for inherently knowing and sticking to your path because some of us (me) don’t realize in time or don’t have the guts to follow our true passions. I ended up even doing a Master’s in a health field in which I have no passion for - but it’s a role that pays my bills at least and my mom gets her bragging rights. Similar to you, I’m continuously working on forgiving her without needing her apology/understanding so I can heal my traumas and move forward. I’ll always wonder what could’ve been if I had the freedom and support to go after my dreams from day 1 but I find comfort in knowing what’s meant for me will find me. ❤ thank you again for sharing, Jasmine! I’m in LA if you need an extra friend on the west coast!
we can do it!!❤
It's so crazy to me that I randomly discovered your channel during covid when i needed it the most & even tho i was born in a small village in Greece & now live in Athens, we have such parallels in our lives...I have been in the exact same journey with my parents while being so miserable in architecture school (didn't end up dropping out but was super close to it) & then discovering tattooing, finding a studio with my friends etc. It's slowly getting better with us too & my parents realizing & accepting i will not be this successful architect they wanted me to be & it has been a very liberating feeling even though they still don't fully acknowledge tattooing as a career. I got super emotional when you were saying they were asking you why you're trying to be so strange & different from the others, because it's been the same thing for me & the thing is, you just are different & there's so much beauty in that. I hope you find it within you to get rid of that shame, you are a wonderful artist & that's what you were meant to be :)
🥹🥹🥹thank you for this sweet message❤we can do it!
i feel like this video came to me in the perfect time cause i'm getting a new tattoo in a few days and i could't bring myself to tell my parents about it... i feel like everytime i'm getting a new tattoo they are more and more dissapointed in me... maybe i should talk to them about how i feel and listen about their feelings! thx for this video
@7:51 I can totally relate to that. Find your own hero. Idk if you know Jimmy Chin, but he is a great national geographic photographer; an Oscar winning movie maker. But he lived in the back of his car for 7 years climbing around national parks; cause he just love climbing. His sister went to Stanford; I am pretty sure he said in an interview, especially with asian parents, his mother said, oh.... I raised a homeless man. When he published his first photo in the magazine, he invited his mom to the exhibition in D.C. that's when she finally reconciled with him. You are lucky to be born in the US, follow your passion and chase your dream!
I’m so proud of you, been around since 2018, we may be strangers but I’m still proud of you. Love from the UK ❤
You’d be surprised how many people have a strained relationship with their parents but do not voice it due to societal expectations. You are not alone ❤
thank you for being here!
Thank you for being vulnerable and opening up about your journey, im sure so many people have been helped by your openness. Proud of you for how far you’ve come and the fact that you’re even on your healing journey❤
Its funny to think how i learn and practice english with your videos and now you are learning spanish. Suerte 🍀
your emotional intelligence and introspection really shines through in this video. It’s amazing to see how much you’ve grown and how empathetic you are towards your parents’ struggles. I wish you all the best for further restoring your relationship with them. ❤
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You're so brave for choosing yourself
What a brave girl, I admire you for living so clearly at such a young age.
I just saw this video, I'm proud of everything you do! I'm happy to see you and I hope you continue with your journey!
I love your videos jasmine. You give me inspiration
I want to give you a hug. you deserve everything
Amazing. Loved this soo much. Thanks for the chit chat i really needed it!
thank you for posting this, I’m teared up 😢
these tattooing / parent videos are so well timed! going through what you went through right now so it’s so helpful to hear thanks for sharing :’)
Jasmien, I’ve been watching you since your high school days and so glad you’re taking the time to address your trauma. Happy to see where you’re heading and would love to hear more talking videos. 🩷😭🫶🏼
thank u for being here😭🥹
Its honestly so refreshing to hear you talk about this, ive been at a university for 4 years now and i can 100% vouch for your take on mental health decline. Even as someone who has enjoyed school, its really tough to meet your own and your parents' expectations. Im super disappointed in myself for not being able to get my certificate in a program ive been working towards since day 1. But my mental ability has really lagged me behind, im still graduating but i wont be getting my cerificate in the program. It makes me sad, but knowing when to put the towel in and take a step back is always an intuition you should follow. Education is something that can always be picked up again, your mental health takes priority above all else
you got this🥹❤ty for watching!
@@cupofjasmien thank you! And absolutely your work is incredible to watch and look at whenever I'm going about my day :))
I am crying. This felt so raw. I hope you and your parents have a nice time in Panamá. ❤ It's never too late to let people know you love them despite everything.
This is such a beautiful talk. Thank you for opening up and so beautiful to see the acceptance at making the right decision for your own life.
i love you so much for what you've become
I hope you and your family spend a great time in Panama, it’s really nice having a person I look up to as an artist visit my home country. Saludos desde Panamá ❤
we had a beautiful time❤
I came back to my parents’ house two weeks ago too. I felt something in it video. Thank you ✨✨
She always inspires me to create. I love her art style it has evolved my own :) I have been watching for years!!!
Thank you for telling us and opening your heart about what you have been through and are still in the process, Jasmine! It means a lot to watch your videos and know you as a person! Each time I watch your videos I feel like I am spending time with a friend and feel an embrace!
as someone with a strained parental relationship, this is really comforting ❤❤
Omg Jasmine!!!! You are speaking so much truth. Even as someone who hasn’t dropped out of college I totally can relate to this and think anyone can. You gave great advice, more videos like this please! I love how open and honest you are even when it’s not *aesthetic* lol 🥰❤
So proud of you jasmien. I know that must’ve been really hard for you and your parents and I think you made the right choice for yourself and look and look how far you’ve come. ❤ everything in life takes time. Glad to hear you are doing better with your parents❤
Go you for being able to mend things with your parents 🤗
Thank you so much for making this video! I've been struggling with my relationship with my parents ever since deciding not to pursue med school and this video gave me some hope ❤
Thank you for being so honest and transparent with us! Truly everyone is healing from something and going through their own healing journey. I think you made the right decision by forgiving your parents❣️i have many resentments towards my parents myself, but the love I have for them outshines those feelings. And let's not forget that it's their first time experiencing life as well
I needed to hear this. As someone who struggles with constant need for approval I really struggled to respect myself and my boundaries that I often got hurt and also hurt them. Took us a long time to heal, it’s still not the best but we’re getting there
❤️❤️❤️it’ll be okay🥹🫶🏻
it takes so much strength to step out of what parents want from you and you did so great with following your passion ❤️🔥
so mature videooo, rebuilding the relationship u have with your parents is so difficult.
Love this emotionally mature self reflection and story telling of a very real situation that happens with many young adults and their first generation parents. This story is just like my sister’s. I’m happy to see how much you grew from it.
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how do you make the effect you edit your videos? it's so cute and kinda dreamy/blurry soft colors. idk how to explain but your thumbnail and videos look so angelic 🎀💌
I resonate so much with this. I always watched your videos while I was still in college . Back in 2019 I dropped out of art school, worked for a year and started my tattoo apprenticeship in mid 2021. It was hard on my parents and they never understood my love for art and wanting to pursue it as a career. I’ve been in this industry for almost three years now and licensed and I’m glad that I followed my passions. I never comment on videos but I wanted to share. For any one reading this just know at the end of the day you carve your own path in life and you should do what makes YOU happy :)
moving back to cali would be a vibe ❤
Sadly I broke my ankle when I played basketball with my friends yesterday, I was so depressed but it's so joyful to lay on the bed to watch your channel.
I’ve been watching you since I was in high school and trying to go to art school and trying to find my passion in art to prove myself to my parents. However with all things given in my personal life and experiences since then, I’ve been on a similar point in my journey and relationship with my parents in letting go of my guilt and grief of what could have been and who I am now. It’s been such a delight to grow with you even if we don’t know each other personally and live different lives ❤️ thank you for being you
thank you for being here🥹🥹🥹
I saw this in my notifs and page a few days back and I guess not you can say I withdrawn from my masters even though I was expected to finish it. This really helped and i feel so comforted. But I’m also ballin my eyes out. I have immigrant parents too and it’s just really different
I loved this video so much, watching this made my morning. Stricter parents do make kids do secretive things, I'm working on my boundaries as well
I resonated with a lot of what you said in this video and you expressed it so beautifully. I just know how much work it took for this level of reflection, self-awareness, and maturity and I wish you the best !
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Omg I’m from Panamá! Its a very tropical country and the fauna and flora are so pretty…hope you enjoy your stay!💫
This made me teared up 🥺 I'm at that point where my perspective on career with my parents' are not aligned. They want me to have a stable job, good connections and establishment, but I want to explore my passion, which is in art and design. From their pov they see art as a commodity, where it's hard for you to stand out. It is so hard to keep going on my pursued path when on the back of my mind the thought of disappointing my parents always show up. Thanks for sharing your story with us! 😊
Love you jas
girl, you are amazing and i'm so happy that i've found you. i love your art and i love your way! and now as you told this story, i'm proud of you - cause this healing is so important (and we do it not just for ourselves but for the whole family and even society). and you're doing so well (i was so angry for so long..) you are compassionate and forgiving - with them but also with yourself 💚although these wounds are serious. and setting boundaries is so very important in this process.
honestly, i think artists are not supposed to 'function' in the corporate world. maybe you come after your grandfather (i love the little bear he made and exhibited that you showed us once). lot's of love & blessings
p.s. oh my goodness you were such a sweet baby 🥰
🥹🥹thank you for your kind message
I have watched your videos for about 4/5 years now. You have been a major inspiration to me. You worded this all so beautifully, and it's a struggle that I think a lot of people can relate to (myself included). You have grown so much, and inspired me to follow my own personal dreams too. One day I hope to get tattooed by you!! Until then, I can't wait to see what else you do :)
❤❤ty for being here
Oooof, this video really hit home… so many emotions right now… 😓 I’m happy you found your peace though. Thank you for sharing such a personal part of your life. It may seem like such a simple thing to do, but it’s really not. Well I believe it’s not, especially online. Unfortunately, I had such a shitty day & have been in bed in silent tears since I got home from work, but this helped me feel a little better. 💛
you got this🥹i hope you have a beautiful day today
Ever since I watched one of your videos, I loved it. You inspire me a lot and I learn a lot of things from you. You helped me see the things that I can do. I love how you know what you want and go for it and maybe sometimes you don’t and it’s okay as well. I am so proud of you! Of how you are becoming! May you heal well from your traumas, hurts, and pain from parents. I heard that also somewhere, it’s truly our responsibility to heal ourselves. Also, may your parents heal themselves well. Love u Jasmien!
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Kept thinking about this video, and your thoughts about decisions. What about this: right now u are in a place where u have a job u like, a BOYFRIEND u like or love, and friends that, probably you would never meet if it was not for those decisions. You are healthy, productive, and "normal"? LOL You are just yourself right now, how precious is that? I dont know your parents, so I wont judge them,. There is always a 2 side story. That happens in every family. But I can see you in the last 4 years, WOW! You would be crowned in any parent's thoughts. The race is not finished, and you know that, so keep dreaming, working, and pursuing your own happiness. From a subscriber.
I'm so happy you decided to talk about this and upload it to your channel. I think it's something really important to you and I value that you decided to share your experience with us so much!
You don't know me and we'll probably never meet, but I've been following you since you were in high school and I'm so incredibly proud of the person you've become. We're around the same age and you've always been a huge source of inspiration for me. You give a perspective on life that has always felt really honest and reassuring. I really appreciate and respect you as a person and I only hope good things continue to come your way!
thank you🥹🥹🥹
so sweet💞
I just decided to drop out of school and to move back to my parents house. I’m so worried about my relationship with my parents. Honestly, I don’t think I can live with my parents😢 But it feels like this video is telling me everything will be fine. Thank you, Jasmien❤
This chat resonated with me so much! As the eldest child in an asian family i also have many expectations that have been placed on me since i was just a kid. I definitely relate to how you felt, not wanting to disappoint anyone but yearning to stay true to yourself at the same time. I think now, after years of pleasing others, especially my parents, i am slowly trying to learn to love myself first. Hearing your story gives me hope that what I am doing now to prioritize myself isn’t selfish, but necessary to make the healthy relationships i want!! Thank you for the video and for being vulnerable I appreciated it sm :)
we can do it!!❤ thank you for being here❤
i really appreciate you making a video about this and sharing your feelings on the matter and such a personal thing. i have been going through something similar-- there was a point where i felt virtually disowned by my dad. i also became very avoidant and distant and regret it a lot, since my dad wound up passing due to health complications around this time last year. i think his passing put a lot into perspective for me personally, and while i still hold him responsible for a decent amount of hurt and trauma he helped to cause, i have been able to forgive a lot and see his perspective as my parent. thanks for making this video
sending love to you❤❤thank you for being here
I’m sorry, but the fact that your father is still disappointed in the choice that you made because “you can’t experience all the wonderful things that the world has to offer you” despite the fact that you’re clearly successful and HAPPY is truly telling. You’re a better person than I am to be able to forgive him, and try to build your relationship.
I wanted to be a tattoo artist when I was in high school, but (as you know) that profession is highly frowned upon in the Asian community. My mom guilted me into going to college, and getting my bachelors degree. I worked 3 years in that field, and i wasn’t happy. I quit that job, and started my own business refinishing furniture. It’s not tattooing, but it’s another creative field which is something I feel like I was always meant to do. My mom, like your dad, is still disappointed in me and tells me regularly that I need to “get a real job” even though I earn more with my business than I did with my college degree. I don’t know your dad so I can’t speak on his behalf, but I do know image is very important in Asian culture-there’s a huge need to be able to “brag” on your children. Unfortunately our professions don’t meet those needs. We’re not seen as “professional” no matter how successful we are, and I know that’s part of the reason my mom is disappointed. I understand parents being scared of their children not having a good life if they follow their dreams (ie. Not being successful, struggling financially), but to still be disappointed when it actually works out for them is insanely selfish.
As an only child I feel this to another level. Not meeting your parents expectations feels so heartbreaking speacially when you try really hard. I’m glad you talked about your experience I watched you for a long time and I feel like it’s not something that I could fully control thanks love ⭐️
thank you for being here❤
Omgg nunca me imaginé escuchar a jasmine hablando español. Te quiero mucho jasmine eres lo mejor que hay en youtube ❤❤
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It's really a hard and challenging journey. I personally also can not talk with my parents although we're still living together. I do not know what I want to do what is my passion beside the love for travelling and exploring. I don't like to work and live a normal 9-5 life which would drive me crazy. So when I tell them these things, they didn't understand and I think they would never understand. But I believe we'll all be fine in the end.
Thank you for sharing 💌💝
i feel like trying to heal from anything related to our parents are very very difficult, not only bc they are our parents and so we usually try to "understand" bc yk "they are my parents" but also bc it hurt us to recognize they aren't perfect. But there is a time in life where we need to do this, and as much as it hurts, it also helps us towards our own healing journey. Lots of love Jasmine ❤
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first!!! 🫶🏻 ily
you almost make me cry :,
I have been a subscriber since the day you started uploading your art school vlogs and I have always loved your content. Seeing how you have grown not just as an artist but into the person you are today I am sure everyone around you is super proud of you. It takes a lot of courage to own up to all the things and talk about things that were once difficult but I am glad you are on a journey to heal everything :)
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Wow Jasmien you are such a strong person! Parents not accepting their child as they are is very difficult and hurtful!
I think you are so strong because you are going your own way. I am so inspired by all your videos! You bring so much light and creativity and Inspiration to this world. Your lifestyle to me embodies freedom and joy and taking life at it comes. You inspire me to stay true to myself, live a life that suits me and not others.
Thank you so much!!!❤
awe thank you for this sweet message!❤
Thank you for this video, I’m doing a psychotherapy for my anxiety and my therapist said It’s not my role to worry about my parents feelings, and I really felt this in your video, bringin boundaries with parents is so difficult, like you know you respect them and their sacrifices, but u know u got to live your life too and I’m entering in this part of my life, it feels very scary but at the same time, I feel like I’m growing up. Thank you for your soft video, it validates my feelings in a way that makes my heart warm ❤
thank you for being here🥹🥹🥹
as someone who just started college and is 18 (soon turning 19) this video made me cry. dealing with my parents approval for choosing a degree that is not what they expect and constantly being compared to their friends kids who are going into engineering or premed, and having to accept their disappointment is very challenging as I’m still figuring myself out too. It’s so challenging being first-gen and oldest to immigrant parents, but it’s so hard having to choose my happiness and theirs and knowing their sacrifices to let me have this education. So this video really spoke to me. I’m still trying to deal with my own personal issue alongside healing my relationship with my parents, thank you for showing me that it’ll get it better eventually.
Currently been out of college a couple of years, so best of luck to you these 4 years ❤. Having formerly been pre-med, I will say 100% it's not worth pursuing if your own heart isn't in it. I've had friends who also had super strict parents who pushed them to apply for medical school, even when they didn't want to & they had to deal with big disappointment from their parents of being rejected from all because they didn't have good enough grades, MCAT scores, etc. even when they tried their best. One of the ones i know currently is doing another 4 years at an art college, since that's where she was good at & passionate about rather than medicine. It's definitely tough when parents are disappointed your choices don't fall in line w/ your wishes. There's also occupations in the hospital settings beyond doctors and even w/ parents, they generally don't have as much knowledge about your field the way you do in terms of expectations & experiences. The main thing is you have that field you personally feel strongly about & you navigate w/ pursuing it. Hope it works out for you!
love love love
MOCHIIIII!!!!!!
Its wild that Asian parents did all these risky moves like immigrating to a whole other country, learning new language, building small businesses but still have very conservative ideas of what their kids should be doing with their life. I guess from their perspective what they did was out of neccessity and not out of choice. But when i hear about grandparents who started their own business or participated in the student protests, I wonder why they expected our 20s to be any less turbulent.
Wait the dog is so cute he looks like my first doggy Jakie 😭 clicked on the video for the shih tzu and staying for the message… lolol
Unfortunately because of my childhood, there’s a lot of evidence within my family to show that there’s no chance of reconciliation. However, I simply forgive them in order to let go and give it to God/The Universe and to ask that even if we’re apart, to please look out for my family and protect them. I think loving from a distance helps a lot too. But props to you for your growth ❤🎉
I’ll say this once. University doesn’t determine success. I went for two years after high school, dropped out and then went back to community college. I love where I’m at now and I only have an associates degree.
Success comes in many ways and is different for everyone. 😊
Had a similar experience
ive experienced similar issues with you. i just cant tolerate the extremly hierarchial working environment and decided to take a half gap year. and just need to explain to the potential employer now again and again in this environment about the reason why i was not loyal enough even risking my life... really want to escape from this
Mochiiiiii 🥹❤
it's your dog's breed a lhasa apso? it's so cute. i'm very happy to hear that your relationship with yourself & your parents is healing ♥
hes a shih tzu!!!🥹
1:40 bacán😆😆mi palabra favorita
OMG! I had always loved yours videos! I´ve been around since 2018 and I´m from Panamá !!! hope you enjoy it here! , would love to have the opportunity to meet you! you are such an inspiration to me, I had the strengh to dropped aviation school to pursue Visual Arts at uni and Im a tattoo apprentice as well. if you need a guide or a friend to go out around the city would be an honor, since not many people speaks english in Panama, Ik we are strangers but i feel like you are a close friend. Love from Panama
just got back from panama!! had an amazing time~ i would love to go back in the future❤
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mochi!!!
Were your parents disappointed when you got your tattoos? If so, how did you manage? In my family this is a huge conflict :/
yes they were, but they had bigger things to worry about such as school😅😅
Thank you so much for sharing this Jasmine🤍 we love and support you always
I don't think your parents realise how much you've achieved at such a young age. I'm saying this as someone almost 10 years older than you. That you were about to make big scary life decisions for yourself, run your own business and side hustles, and still have time to reflect and grow as person is truly amazing and rare to see among my own peers. And know that you are an inspiration to many like me through your presence ❤
🥹🥹thank you for being here
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Im soo early
You're right about parenting being one HELL of a tough job, one which typically lasts through 18 years of concentrated worrying and hovering, habits which are hard to break when our kids become adults. It's a tough balance to strike. It's the parents' job to prepare their kids for adulthood, without knowing what that will look like for the kid. It's not the parents' job to pre-design or back-seat-drive their kids' adulthood for them, or to guilt-trip their kids based on their own expectations or fears, but that's one of those fine lines which are really tough to spot, especially when emotions come into it. Ultimately, it's the kid's job to find his or her own path, voice, and place in the world, partly using tools and principles learned from their parents, but mostly using stuff learned from their own experience. How you found your voice and passion for tattooing as a career is a perfect example. Hopefully one day, your folks will realize that, and they will truly respect your choices and your accomplishments. In the mean time, like you said, setting boundaries with them is important.