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Yes, I think they're arab muslims as well. To the OP, your situation is not easy at all, I honestly don't know how to help, but maybe you could simply talk to your siblings in a way as to show them you have different views on the world and just plant those seeds so maybe someday they'll get there by themselves, good luck.
No. I moved back in with my parents after I finished college in July. I'll be moving out early February.
I want to stay in touch with my siblings but I know the physical and emotional distance will only get stronger.
Hence, I'd like to know how to proceed before I leave.
No. I moved back in with my parents after I finished college in July. I'll be moving out early February.
I want to stay in touch with my siblings but I know the physical and emotional distance will only get stronger.
Hence, I'd like to know how to proceed before I leave.
Don't proceed. Just make your move and let them figure it
out themselves. They'll eventually come around later and
you will be in even better shape then. Win-win.
No. I moved back in with my parents after I finished college in July. I'll be moving out early February.
I want to stay in touch with my siblings but I know the physical and emotional distance will only get stronger.
Hence, I'd like to know how to proceed before I leave.
Your plans to move out shortly are a positive. I had to wrestle with how I feel about this, because I'm a parent, and it would likely upset me to know my kids were hiding their relationship from me. However, in this case, I understand where you are coming from. If your siblings have access to email, I would set up an account name and only give that address to them.
I think your siblings may not feel the need to keep in touch right now, but give it time, and they will reach out. They're very young, and it's not a bad thing that they are strongly influenced by your parents. The time for a little flexing of the wings will come in a few years. Be there for them.
Yes, I think I will let them figure it out on their own instead of forcing my views on them.
Hopefully in time they'll realize that the world isn't black & white and their views should be a bit more nuanced than what they are being taught.
I guess I'm a bit afraid of the "emotional" damage this kind of upbringing can have on them. They're obviously impressionable and sometimes your background can prevent you from spreading your own wings due to various fears. I know that my education sort of damaged my late teenage years and early twenties to a certain extent. When you live a very very sheltered life, it's hard to fend for yourself once you grow up.
My sisters are still young and therefore can't articulate their own values. I'll set up an email account to communicate with them. I'll probably avoid using Skype. I just hope they won't forget my existence or worse, ignore me because my parents regard me as a "bad influence".
Move out, and don't rock the boat with your parents, or they'll cut off your contact with your younger siblings. Just try to stay in contact with them via Skype or such (not email, since your parents may read the emails, and forbid them to have anything to do with you, based upon the content of the emails.) Just try to be warm and loving towards them. Send them gifts. Invite them to visit you, if your parents will allow it. You don't have to feed them pork and give them alcohol to show them that there is a bigger world out there. You can introduce them to your friends, take them to movies, take them on outdoor adventures, show them colleges, show them the world, as much as you are able.
I am in the same situation. I am a pretty middle of the road moderate politically, and my parents...well, are not. They are flaming liberals (former hippies). Think about the 80s sitcom "Family Ties", and you have my family.
I will just say that my parents have extremely tolerant attitudes about EVERYTHING, some things I don't agree with, so we don't exactly see eye to eye.
Also, my parents were the "cool" parents, to all of my teenage friends growing up, as well as my siblings. I didn't think they were so "cool". I keep a healthy distance from them, but will help them if it comes to that, since they are my parents, and I do love them. However, me and them in a room together for more than a few hours...is too much.
Really all you can do is move out and try to maintain some sort of contact with your siblings. I would not do anything that leaves a trail like emails, texts, or letters. Something like Skype or phone calls. Try not to say anything that will disturb your parents and make them keep the youngens away from you. There's absolutely nothing you can do it they do keep them from you.
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