What describes your family best, dominance-wise?

Controlling, dominant mother and insecure, violent, abusive father. More influential was my grandmother (in a good way). She wasn't dominant in the slightest, was very funny, patient, and interesting.

My mother was in charge of money (my father messed it up badly), my father was in charge of the house and car, and my grandma was often in charge of me (my parents didn't want me around any more when I was four or five so I spent lots of nights on my grandmother's sofa). Without her, I can't see that I'd be alive now. I miss her every day.

My dad was until I was about ten. He and mom were about to lose the veggie & fruit farm where we lived and worked until a man that had been Dad's sarge in the army came into our lives. He was called a partner because he came up with the money to save the place. Though called a partner he was in fact completely in charge of everything, the farm, Dad, Mom, & me. He had been there less than a month when he first took a belt to my butt
(OK,I had it coming). He had been there just a few weeks when something started that seemed a little odd even to a ten year old. Two or three nights a week Dad would sleep in the extra bed in my room while 'Sarge' stayed in the bedroom with Mom, By the time he had been there a year, Sarge, mom and me would take 2 trips a year to visit Sarge's mother whom I was instructed to call grandma. I didn't mind because she was extremely kind to me and always told everyone I was her grandson. By the time we started visiting grandma Sarge & mom stayed in the sane bedroom full time. Dad stayed in the guest quarters where Sarge had stayed the first weeks he was there. By the time I was eleven I was told to call Sarge daddy and was told to call my biological dad by his name (James). This was a weird situation even by today's standards, in the early 60's, well let's just say there were lots stares and whisperings in the small town that was close by. There was no doubt that Sarge (Daddy) was in charge of Dad(James), Mom & me. Though I got spanked many times by my new daddy from age 11 until I was 19 I must say he was very loving to all of us and probably keep us from being homeless or on welfare. I know I got to do lots of things I doubt that I would have done had he not been a part of my life. Quite honestly I think everyone concerned had a better life because of him.

Mom and Dad, Mom in charge (but in a joking way. Like a long-running gag, if that makes sense).

I was in charge as a kid no joke.

Um Dad mom me brother

My parents are (still) married. Mom is definitely the one who gets the most respect in the house; Dad is comically treated like Meg Griffin by everyone (including me).

Dominant mother, weak stepfather. I run the show though.

My mom was in charge until it came to the beatings(to me not her)

Well my father died when I was a child, but there seemed to have been equal parts between them.

My grandmother mainly controls everything. She's strong, scary and rather abusive. She says my grandfather has been verbally abusive towards her, but I've never had a reason to fear him. Me and my mother are quite frightened of her. Most of her siblings have also been controlling and verbally/emotionally abusive, but they've yet to resort to getting psychical...

Dad in charge, mom almost non existent. My mother lived in her basement room, very much like Golem from LOTR. The only time we ever saw her is when we caught her sneaking out of the basement window to head to the bowling alley and buy another 30 pak. There were no lights, books, tv, or anything else in her room, just her and huge amounts of warm beer. She nailed the door shut from the inside and my brother, father, and me had quite a happy and surprisingly normal life without her.

Once a month we would climb into her room to throw out the empty cans, and to clean her up. Shortly after this she would nail the door back shut and live in solitude again.

Everything has always revolved around what my father wants. He's a sexist, narcissistic prick, but has a good heart.

My mum was volatile, angry and bitter. I think she resented her children and her life in general for a very long time. She used to say to me, "I don't like you, even though I love you". That was always difficult to hear as a child. I only have one fond childhood memory of her and it was just before I graduated from high school. A month later she told me she hated me and was glad I was moving away to another city. She had a brain aneurysm a few years ago and is a completely different person now; she's so loveable and kind now.

My parents were pretty hands off. We could do just about anything if we rationalized it well enough. And my dad always did things to make my mom think she was the dominant one. But it was pretty balanced. In hindsight, I think my sister was more dominant than either parent.

My mum walks over my dad - and the rest of the house - in terms of decision-making. Before I had been in a relationship, I didn't understand why my dad let my mum control him like she tries to, but I know just a little more about the situation he's in and I can see why that sort of relationship dynamic might unfold.

Mum makes most of the money, but dad did (and still does) a lot more for me in terms of giving up his time and building up a genuine friendship and being a good role model. He's what you could call a "house-husband". He's also doing a degree in creative writing, and he marks exam papers part-time.

I respect both of them where it's due, but neither of them I follow blindly.

Mom was controlling, my dad was never around much. I think he worked to get away from coming home to her. I lived with my grandma and uncle too. My uncle's hilarious and my grandma was very kind and a good reference for what was "normal".

My mom's the one supposedly in charge and defered to, but my dad's the one who doles out punishments.

Neither was in charge. They couldn't agree on most things and didn't want to back down. What they tried was to compartmentalize their lives as much as possible so that each could be in charge of their domains. Didn't really work out, either. I'd say it was an ongoing battle for dominance. A very hostile environment to grow up in and they actually thought they were doing their kids a favour by "staying together".

Abusive, criminal, psycophathic, evil stepfathers (One being my father, the other being my little brother's biological father, and the rest being stepfathers).