At 37, I thought I was finally ready to date in peace, free from my mom’s watchful eye. But when my dinner with Theo turned into an impromptu family affair, I quickly realized I was wrong. My mom had crashed the evening with a list of rules—and somehow, ended up on a date with my boyfriend.

I always knew I had a mom. But sometimes it felt like she was my whole life. I was 37, but that didn’t stop her from checking in on me daily, making sure every detail of my life was under her control.

Continues…