[The Cloud]

They treat you like a child because you act like a child with them. You've taken a passive stance with them, and become their willful subordinate. You can change that in an instant, though. A single instant. You'll find that most people will follow you if you lead them. Wherever you're going, whatever you're doing at the moment, choose that and decide that you want it and you're going for it. It doesn't matter whether you really want it or are really going for it, it just matters that you choose to do so. You're not fighting for anyone to accept what you're doing, you're just going to do it.

For example, say you're walking with a group of friends to a club. Decide that you want to lead the group to the club. You don't even have to consider if they're going to follow you our not, and it doesn't matter if you do. You're leading yourself, too, so it's irrelevant what you think because you're leading yourself to the club and that's the end of it. You'll find yourself at the head of the group, and feel as if you're pulling the rest of the group along with you. You won't be separate from them, you'll just be first among equals.

You're passive because you don't know what you want. To be active, you have to act like you know what you want. To do that, you have to choose what you want. Don't wonder whether you really want it or not; it's irrelevant to being a leader whether you really want something or not. It's only relevant that you act like you want it, even for yourself.

You're not going to be happy with this, at least not more so than you would be without it, but it is an interesting phenomena and it will get your family off your back. You assume your leadership of them, and they will have no choice but to follow you unless they are much more conscious than you make them sound. As a leader, you don't need their approval, and they will feel that.

EDIT: They can't fight an arbitrary desire. They can't disagree with you if you offer no argument in favor of what you're choosing to do. It doesn't matter why you choose what you want, there is no good reason and you don't need one. You don't need to convince anybody, yourself least of all. You just need to do it.