All I wanted was a sincere, “I’m proud of you,” but instead, I got “That’s good, you’re still about $30,000 short."

It’s like whatever I do isn't good enough and I’m trying so hard; I don’t know what else to do. I’ve tried so hard, worked so hard. I was never a good a straight-A student in high school but I’ve always tried my best to do good and get good grades.

But, that’s just not good enough for some parents.

Getting accepted into college is my greatest achievement and all I wanted to hear my dad say was “I’m proud of you” but it was the complete opposite. I’m not the perfect daughter, but I try. I feel like such a failure to him, I’ve never heard him tell me he’s proud of me, even when I lived with him. I feel like everything's fallen apart since I decided to move back in with my mom. I feel like he doesn’t love me anymore and I just let him down. But, no matter how hard I try, I feel like it’s never good enough.

I’m working so hard, I work a full-time job and go to college full time.

I pay for my own things and don’t ask him for anything. Have you ever had a parent make you feel so bad about yourself and what you do and try to control everything you do? It’s the worst feeling I’ve ever had. I’ve never felt so bad about myself and have to beg for someone’s approval and to have to beg a parent to say they're proud of you really takes a toll on your self-esteem to where I think I’m not going to succeed. Its like he wants me to fail and depend on him.

My dad's always been my best friend and someone I could always talk to about anything, but things have changed and I don't know why.

I wish they didn't, but life happens. I have to learn to be proud of myself and stop looking for other's approval and worry about how I look at myself and what I think about myself and my accomplishments.

No one should ever have to beg a parent to say they're proud of them.

I’m trying to make a difference for everyone who feels like this; for every kid who is looking for approval from everyone else but themselves. I know how hard it is, but do it for you, go out, have fun, you don’t need everyone’s approval. Not everyone is going to like you or what you do, but you can’t please everyone. You’re not put on this earth to please anyone but yourself.

Make yourself happy before anyone else. Stop worrying about other people and what they think because their opinions don’t matter. What matters is what you think about yourself.

You can do whatever you put your heart to - never count on anyone to make you happy.