I'm 25, I own my own business, why does my dad tell me I need to grow up?

I was on a swim team all throughout high school and college. Then I got a great paying job, but I was getting fat because I didn't have enough to time to swim. Many people told me I was dumb and immature for quitting, but I quit. After a few months, I started my own business with NO help from my parents, and began making more money than at my old office job, AND I have a lot of free time now. I'm in really good shape now because of swimming, I have all my hair, so EVERYONE tells me I look younger, some people think I'm in high school. Even though I make a good living, my dad is always telling me to "grow up". He hates that I'm always swimming, or doing tricks on either my skateboard or rollerblades. I bought a trampoline, and began going to the gymnastics center again. I started doing le parkour, jumping from roofs, rock climbing, rappelling, and climbing trees. My dad says I act like a 16 year old, but I make good money.

Why is it such a problem for him what I do for fun?

Health Insurance is actually one of the first things on my list of priorities. I am covered for any accident I may have.

Tell him that you are a grownup and can do whatever you want as long as you take care of all of you responsibilities. Doing what you do will give you a healthier mind and body that will last into your older years. Keep up what you are doing.

Because he has a sad and depressing life.

It sounds like he resents you for some reason. You need to sit down and tell him how you feel. Tell him that it hurts your feelings when he insults you and that although you may still enjoy some of the things that you mentioned that you are very responsible and you have proven it by the way you have progressed in your careers. If he cant accept you for who you are than ignore him and try not to let it get to you.

When you break your neck and become a quadraplegic, or get a head injury and become permanently brain damaged,how will you pay for the medical expenses and support yourself (at great expense) for life?

Making money is NOT the only aspect of life that signals maturity. Being responsible is just as important.

Do you have millions of dollars of health insurance coverage? Do you have a quality Disability Insurance policy?

If not ...... grow up.

Maybe he is jealous! What does he do for a living? Do you make more money than him?

Maybe he wants to have a second childhood and he sees what you are doing as a threat, instead of being proud of you!!

because he probably not able to do the things that you are doing. I say go a head and be happy and safe doing it....another reason is because the things you are doing...some of them are risky....and he See's this as immature.

I get the feeling that your dad may be jealous of your lifestyle. That is just my opinion. Why dont you sit down with him and have a mature man to man conversation about this and ask him what his problem is about you running your own business and other things that bother him about you?

I agree with your father, you are 25 years old, so behave like one.

Who will end up taking care of you if you end up in a wheel chair. What 25 year old jumps from roofs. I agree, grow up.

You may have your own business, but you are emotionally immature.

It sounds to me like you need to tell him the same thing! Remind him you are old enough to make you decisions on what you want to do in your spare time and he should not be worried about it. Do you make more money than he does? Maybe he is just jealous.

I think your father probably sees your activities as something only children do, my father would think the same way and not because he was jealous. He may think differently and have very narrow opinions of what is "right" for a responsible adult. You are probably an Adrenalin junkie and he is not. I don't think you are going to change his outlook. Just try not to let it bother you. Find some things to do together and maybe don't mention the extreme sports. Good Luck!

Even though it is somewhat true that great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds, I don't think for a moment that this is the case with your dad. To the contrary, I believe that the way he is with you is not uncommon at all as fathers always want the best and I mean the best for their children, especially their sons and even more so the older son or the youngest.
They somehow fear that by revealing their true feelings, which in your case, must be that he is very proud of you, would lead to a form of apathy on your part, or that you might take life for granted and maybe sit on your laurels as it were, so they (dads) try to push and push and push... It's their way to push to greater heights, the one that is and will remain their pride and joy and will keep them living even long after they are gone... Men have been like that for thousands of years and it never was because they didn't love their sons... I don't think your dad is any different.
If you think (because of what he says!) that he hates you swimming etc., remember that he isn't there, whatching you working all day long and if he feels that you might be "playing" more hours than you are "working", the fact that you are making good money with your own business, may not reassure all that much for your future... if you understand where I'm coming from with this... Many have made money fast with whatever business which proved to be very short lived and unstable to say the least and I'm referring here to businesses such as the more unconventional ones such as multi-marketing, etc. Those types of businesses have a reputation for being here today and gone tomorrow... Not to say that this is what you are doing... at all... but it is in fathers' nature to really want the best for their kids and in this case, the fact that you left a stable job! for a more insecure type... (only in their minds, I know!) makes them worry that you may not have used the best judgment for yourself... Time always takes care of that... If you could learn to take the "perceived criticism" as though he was giving you a compliment such as telling you: "I love you so much son! Are you sure you want to be playing so much and not taking care of business? I won't be here forever you know? and I'd die if I didn't do my job as a father to teach you the important things in life such as prioritiy, stability, security, and would hate to leave an immature son behind who may have difficulties taking his responsabilities, with wife and children, which might cause you so much greif and sorrow unless you get your act together and get serious about life, etc." (now this is the sort of things going on in your dad's mind, as he has more evidence of the kid that you still appear to be in his mind, or from what he sees! while you hear: "Why don't you grow up? For goodness' sake, are you going to be playing like a kid all of your life? etc.")
He loves you so much and wouldn't even say a thing about anything you were doing if he didn't...
The thing that would help you the most is if you sat down with him, man to man, or son to father, and communicate the truth of your life, business life, (more mature side of you) that you have a good head on your shoulders, that you are a clearer thinker than he gives you credit for... that you are after all, his son, and that you have learned not only to take care of yourself in a responsible manner but that you intend to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible as well to do it... and that it is for these very reasons that you spend your free time exercising, which is the best way to stay in shape and that you drink your ten glasses of water a day, which is the best medecine bar none to prevent all sorts of diseases, including "obesity", which was about to get the best of you, if you just followed what everyone else seems to think you should have followed by keeping a job that kept you a slave to someone else, getting "fatter" as a result, etc. Now because you took the bull by the horns as it were, and did what you had to do about it and got yourself back in shape, better than before! and used your God-given brain, (and don't be shy to credit him for it too as you partly inherited it from him and the rest of what he taught you, growing up, made you the disciplined person you are today...)
Instead of being upset at what he perceives as "playing around", you can show him how fortunate you both are that he has a son who knows enough to do what a man's got to do... in spite of opposition from the folks who don't understand all that's in your mind... and all of the real serious goals you have set for yourself, including taking care of your every aspect of life... namely financial, spiritual, physical and intellectual as well... If you play your cards right, and pick the best time to communicate all of these thoughts to him, who knows that he won't join you in the games? Whether he does or doesn't, once he knows for a fact that you are in business for yourself as an adult who has given serious thought to his future, he'll be even more proud of you than he is now. In spite of what he comes across as! All the wiser will you be if you can learn this now about your dad... as many sons only learned this after their dad had passed away and was no longer there to tell them that they weren't good enough... Only then, most sons realize all that the father really was out to do, which was to do the best that they could figure to do to make their beloved sons the best that they could be... If you close your eyes and try to walk a mile in his shoes and that reality is often nothing more than perception, you will spend the rest of your days with your dad in a much better atmosphere and he'll begin to notice your higher level of maturity by the day and your relationship itself can take a real good turn as you find yourselves soon going fishing together, etc. Take care and love him all you can now, in spite of what you think he is saying. Remember always that above any word he sends your way... there is more love than words can ever say!!! And the next time he does it, calmly tell him that you two need to chat soon and lovingly smile at him as you remind him that you appreciate his concern and love him too. You'll be just fine!!!