My mother was always judgemental of my friends and now my partner for being less intelligent than me. She feels that my lack of ambition is due to my wife "dragging me down", rather than the fact that I'm just... not interested in the kind of success my mother pictures.

She also drips poison, claiming that my intelligence will cause friction between us. It certainly would if I acted like her!

(Also, I might be smart but there are lots of things I can't do; my wife tutored me in medical statistics so I could pass my epidemiology course. So pffbbbttt.)

Anyway, all of that to say ughhh, this parent needs to get over themselves.

ALSO, friendship and squishes exist and can also be giddy-making. Parent needs to not get ahead of themselves, too.