Do not issue ultimatums. “It’s me or your mother” never works. You cannot win a tug-of-war against a woman who has had a thirty-year head start. Instead, you must become the person who validates his feelings without joining the war.

"I’m not wearing the hat, I’m not taking the wipes, and I’m moving out on the first," Leo said, his voice steady for the first time in his life.

Could you give me a bit more detail about what you need?

: Difficulty saying "no" to the mother or allowing her to interfere in personal conflicts.

The next Sunday, the "incident" happened. Evelyn had laid out Leo’s outfit for a hiking trip—khakis and a sweater—despite it being ninety degrees outside. She had also packed a backpack full of wet wipes, a neck fan, and a GPS tracker "just in case."

"He has a very delicate jaw," Evelyn had explained during their first group outing, sliding a pre-sliced piece of ribeye onto Leo’s plate.