I’m 23 & don’t date because my mum tracks my every move – she even follows me to my mate’s house…I’m ‘her princess’
WHILE it's only natural for parents to be overprotective of their children, especially when boys are involved, one mum appears to have taken it to a whole new level.
Gabriella Vigorito, 23, has revealed how her mother Catherine, 56, doesn't trust her to go on dates alone, "isn't happy" when she does anything by herself, and has even been known to "follow" her to a friend's house.
But Catherine, who often gets mistaken for her younger daughter, despite the 33-year-age gap, is the first to admit that rather than giving her attention to boys, she believes her "princess" should focus all of her attention on her and beauty pageants instead.
"I don't know if I trust Gabrielle on dates alone," Catherine, who is an author and product designer, admits in a clip from TLC's hit reality show, sMothered.
"I'm not sure and I don't trust those boys, absolutely not - not with my princess."
As Gabriella can be seen driving with her mum in the passenger seat, Catherine says: "Look, you have your mother and that's it.
I do want to go out on dates with boys, I want to go hang out with my friends....if I want to do those things then I have to sneak out of the house and that's very hard to do when she tracks me and watches my every move
Gabriella Vigorito
"You focus on me, focus on the pageant and we're all good."
But Gabriella, who is a model, complains that her mum is a little too overbearing and explains: "I don't really date because I just have to be hanging out with my mum.
"Anytime I want to do something without her - she's not happy."
She goes on to recall a time that she went to visit her best friend Maddie, who lives in Florida, and was planning on being gone for just three days.
"My mum got so mad she booked a trip to follow me there," she says.
"The bottom line is I love my mum with all my heart.
"I love matching with her, I love all the adventures we go on because we do crazy things together, but at the same time, I do want to go out on dates with boys, I want to go hang out with my friends.
"If I want to do those things then I have to sneak out of the house and that's very hard to do when she tracks me and watches my every move."
The pair are inseparable, with Gabriella even following in her mum's footsteps by competing in the same beauty pageant that she won in 1988.
"My mum's only concern is me winning Miss Connecticut USA, winning Miss USA maybe, Miss Universe and finishing what she started...so that's a lot of pressure because I can't let her down," the 23-year-old says.
Unsurprisingly, the revelations made on the show have caused quite a stir online, with many viewers branding Catherine "creepy" and urging her to give her daughter some space.
"If you pay close attention you can tell that the daughter isn’t actually as happy as she makes out or her mother seems to think," wrote one.
"In fact I’d say she’s probably living a pretty miserable existence at 23 having her mum trail and copy her every move. It’s so creepy."
A second penned: "These mums have such an unhealthy codependent relationship with their daughters. Honestly feel bad for the kids."
A third commented: "This mum is just jealous because she doesn’t want to be alone and wants to be in control.
"I get worrying about your kid being taken advantage of but give her some breathing room.
"Looks like daughter just wants some space but her mum plays a big guilt trip for control."
I don't know if I trust Gabrielle on dates alone. I'm not sure and I don't trust those boys, absolutely not - not with my princess
Catherine Vigorito
Meanwhile, a fourth noted: "This young lady is 26 yrs old not a hormonal teenager who cant be trusted outside the house….lady cut the cord smh…. by time I was her age I was I already married and had 2 kids."
In a previous episode of the reality show, the mother and daughter duo, who even dress the same, revealed how they do everything together - and coordinate their work schedules so they can spend all of their free time together.
But it was the admission that they even share weekly baths that left viewers gobsmacked.
Speaking on the show, Catherine said: "Twice a week, we take celery baths together.
"It releases all of the stress - it's beautiful for our skin."
She continued: "The celery juice heals the body but when we bathe in it, it takes it to a new level."
Gabriella added: "When we're in the soap, we're one, and we can think as one."
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The pair could then be seen giving the bathtub water a swirl, before dipping a stick of celery into the water they were bathing in.
"The celery tastes so good after you dip it," Gabriella said, to which Catherine chimed in: "It's like tasting the essence of us."
