Yeah, the comparison thing is starting to get pretty old. She does it with everyone (she was working with DD adults at her last job, so I don't even know how much experience she has with children who exhibit behavioral issues).
I get the feeling that she sees a lot of those characteristics in herself (OCD, BPD, etc.), and is trying to see if/when other people's characteristics and traits also might fall into that category. I'm not a mind reader, but that's the impression I get...and, well, she's already been diagnosed with OCD, so I'm sure it makes her feel better if she can believe that other people exhibit those traits even if they don't.
She thinks everything is hereditary, and I think that we're mostly a product of our environment, our own unique personalities, genes, and individualized responses to our environments....etc., blah blah blah...
But yes, it is inappropriate and offensive, although I doubt that she's even aware of any of that. It's irritating enough when she does it to me (I do not have OCD or BPD, etc., but she's always great to point out if I'm obsessing over something), but if she's going to start drawing comparisons with my son, my husband and I have already decided that we will be putting our foot down.
She never really does it directly, it's like she's just making her own little observations (out loud), and it's just her ingrained behavior that causes her to search out the negative in people, or things to be fearful of.
Honestly, I think that my mom derives a disgusting, secret pleasure out of seeing tragedies happen in other people's lives. It's bizarre.
...Now, if I could just un-learn that ingrained thought pattern of searching out the negatives and finding any possible scenario to be fearful of, life will be a lot more pleasant!
