🌟 How Can You Connect With Them?
You might have a parent like this:
They work tirelessly but never say how exhausted they are.
Even when they’re clearly in a bad mood, they just brush it off with a quiet “I’m fine.”
They care about you, but somehow can’t express it warmly.
Sometimes when you try to get close, they seem to shut themselves off.
If you’ve ever thought, “They seem unhappy, but don’t want anyone to worry,”
then your family member might be a classic Oh-Potato type parent.
🥔 Their personality: Quiet strength, but often filled with unspoken disappointment
Oh-Potato parents are usually:
Deeply responsible and never allow themselves to relax
Constantly giving, but no one sees how hard they try
Trying to stay strong, yet silently question themselves when they don’t see results
Unaccustomed to expressing emotions — afraid that opening up might burden others
They’re not indifferent to you.
They’ve just learned to push themselves to the bottom and think:
“Don’t waste time worrying about me.”
💡 What might they be thinking?
“I can’t cry — I have to hold the family together.”
“If I say it out loud, will you even know how to respond?”
“It doesn’t matter if no one sees me — as long as you’re doing okay.”
“It’s fine if I’m disappointed, as long as you’re not.”
But deep down, they might really want someone to ask:
“Are you still holding up okay?”
“If you saw I was tired, would you give me a hug?”
“Can you understand how I feel, even if I don’t say it out loud?”
✅ How can I support them?
1. Say it first: “I see how hard you're working.”
Don’t wait for them to speak — acknowledge them first:
“I know how hard you’re working for us. Thank you.”
✅ That one sentence is more powerful than ten “Keep it up”s —
because what they really want to know is: “You noticed me.”
2. Don’t push them to talk, but leave the door open
Try saying something like:
“You seem a little down lately. It’s totally fine if you don’t want to talk. Just know I’m here anytime you do.”
✅ A gentle, pressure-free invitation feels safer than any kind of questioning.
They need to know: You’ll wait.
3. Do small things together — talking isn’t always necessary
Go for a walk, cook a meal, or watch a movie together.
No need for deep conversation — just being there is enough.
✅ Oh-Potato parents may not open up easily,
but they’ll remember: You were there for them when it was hard.
4. Remind them they don’t have to be perfect — it’s okay to lean on you
Say something like:
“You don’t have to be strong every single day. If you’re tired, it’s okay to lean on me.”
✅ When they know you won’t be disappointed by their “imperfections,”
they’ll finally allow themselves to relax a little.
🥔 What Oh-Potato parents really want you to know:
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk — I just don’t know how.”
“It’s not that I’m not sad — I just feel like I don’t have the right to be.”
“It’s not that I don’t need care — I just don’t want to be a burden.”
💬 You can say to them:
“You’ve already done so much. Whether you’re tired or not, I’ll be right here.”
“You deserve to be seen and appreciated — not just left to silently hold everything up.”
“It’s okay to be sad. You don’t need to be the sunshine of the house every day.”