My Dear,
I am almost three times as old as you are, and my mother told me the same thing 50 years ago. But here is the secret. The people who think they are being "looked down upon" are actually looking down on themselves. Your parents aren't really worried about you; they are worried about what they will tell their friends. When you learn to see yourself as God sees you there is no more worry about "what people will think". You are His precious child. In his eyes, you are perfect just the way you are. No tweaking required.
The Apostle, Paul admonished us to "...do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,..." (Colossians 3:22-23, emphasis added) When we concentrate on pleasing God, and not on what people think of us, we are blessed with a peace of mind and heart that cannot be duplicated. Unfortunately, there will always be shallow people who judge us on our accomplishments, and parents who try to motivate their children with that notion. God's advice, "fuhgedaboudit".