Hello, questioner. You've come to the right place.
When you communicate with your mother in a gentle manner, you will naturally feel aggrieved after receiving an angry attack in return. You have done a great job. You have learned psychological theories and put them into practice in your family relationships. You have reached a dead end and sought help here. Well done for making an effort.
I want to know why my mom acts this way.
1. From an individual perspective
You spoke gently, but your mother felt rebuked and attacked you as a result. This is a clear example of how your definition of gentle and your mother's definition of gentle are different.
We can rule out the first possibility. The second possibility is that your mother has her own anger inside her that has been activated by this conversation and that she has taken out on you. This anger may have been built up over time in your relationship, or it may be related to some unpleasant experiences that your mother had with your father, her own parents, or other people.
2. From an interaction perspective
When you say, "You're so stubborn, Mom," and she says, "You're not so stubborn yourself," I see a clear pattern in your interaction. When your mother attacks you, you are also attacked, and you will naturally come to the position of self-protection to "attack" your mother a little. Your mother will also continue to protect herself, accusing you of being stubborn as well.
In this interaction, both you and your mother are responsible. You must take responsibility for your own actions.
2. What can you do?
1. Reorganizing the ABC theory of emotions
The questioner is an expert at using this theory, and I'm going to take you through it together.
I suspect the soymilk is spoiled, so I'm going to communicate with my mother peacefully.
I will communicate with you peacefully, and you will respond to me peacefully.
When you can't respond peacefully, I get angry.
You can change your thoughts about the same event.
Idea: I communicate peacefully with you, and you have the option to respond to me peacefully or not. You can understand me, get angry, or accuse me. When you don't understand me, get angry, or accuse me, you must have your reasons.
Thoughts: I communicate peacefully with you, and you have the option to respond to me peacefully or not understand me, get angry, or accuse me. When you don't understand me, get angry, or accuse me, you must have your reasons.
Feelings: Stay calm. Keep communicating with your mother, or take a moment to collect yourself.
As you can see, there is a clear distinction here.
Use non-violent communication.
If you feel attacked during a communication, it is a violent act. Both parties can learn non-violent communication to find the right way to communicate.
It is divided into four steps.
2.1 Observe and state facts: Honestly reflect objective facts without criticizing or accusing. You must observe, see, hear, recall, and clearly express specific behaviors or facts.
The questioner should say, "Mom, you said twice that the pulp stinks and you need to throw it away, and that the soymilk stinks and you need to throw it away."
2.2 Expressing feelings: Use words like "I feel sad, aggrieved, happy, depressed" to express feelings, not vague emotions like "unhappy" or mistaking thoughts for feelings.
The questioner can say, "When I heard what you said, I felt a little uncomfortable and a little angry."
Expressing our feelings helps us recognize our true feelings and helps others understand us better.
2.3 Clarify needs:
It's important to understand that feelings can hide our needs and expectations, as well as our views on the actions and words of others, accusations, criticisms, and comments.
In life, if our expressions make the other person feel accused, they will protect themselves and justify themselves. Conversely, if we directly express our needs, the other person will respond positively.
The questioner can say, "Speak to me gently so we can both be happy."
2.4 Make a request:
Use the sentence structure "can you, can, can't" to get what you want.
The questioner can say, "Mom, you need to communicate with me gently in the future."
The above is just a small example for the questioner's reference. Start by practicing this in theory. Then, try it out in practice. Be patient, especially when your emotions are running high. You'll get it.
You will become proficient in applying these methods.
I am Pentium Xiaoxiao, and I am here to help.
I am Pentium Xiaoxiao, and I am here to help.


Comments
I can see why the situation got tense. It's frustrating when trying to calmly address an issue leads to an argument. I guess sometimes it's better to just handle things ourselves quietly without involving others' reactions.
It sounds like a tough moment. Maybe next time, instead of mentioning it right away, you could first ask how her day was or find a good time to talk. That way, she might be more receptive. Also, understanding her mood can help in choosing the right words.
Reflecting on this incident, it seems communication is key but timing and approach matter too. Perhaps preparing a solution along with the problem could make the conversation smoother. For instance, suggesting to check if the soymilk is still good or offering to replace it.
The ABC theory really helps in these situations. Realizing that my reaction to the event is what affects me more than the event itself. I'll try to focus on not taking her response personally and work on responding constructively rather than reacting emotionally.