Hello. I have never posted on Mumsnet before but feel compelled to do so as I am trying to seek advice for my sister. I hope that someone on this forum can help. She is 42 and has been separated from her partner for 3 years. They have a 7 year old daughter. The ex has a crazy work schedule which in large part led to the break up in the first place. Whilst some time ago, they agreed that he could have access to his daughter once during the week and every other weekend, if he has been working away for 3 weeks, he often wishes to catch up on nights lost and see his daughter for two or three nights in succession on his return.
Whilst my sister understands that it is important for her daughter to see her father and can just about deal with her being away for one night at a time, any longer than this and she is finding it very hard to deal with her daughter's departure. She shows all the symptoms of deep anxiety, worrying that her daughter will not be safe until she returns. She feels depressed and lonely and cannot stop crying. She finds it impossible to control her mood and only returns to her normal self once her daughter returns.
What hasn't helped is that the ex works in the music industry and travels long distances to visit the stars he has now befriended. Last week, he took his 7 year old on one of these journeys with him. Whilst my sister knows that she cannot dictate what activities the father does with their daughter, it only adds to her anxiety. In her own words, if she knew he was spending good quality time playing with his daughter, she would feel much more reassured.
I have suggested counselling to my sister but she is not open to this as her first experience of therapy was not a good one. My sister has not found a new man in her life although she has formed a very good circle of supportive friends.
If anyone can throw some light on this situation, with a fresh perspective, similar experience or with useful links or positive outcomes, I would be very very grateful. It is so hard to see my sister in such a bad way and whilst she tries hard to hide her distress from her daughter as much as possible, there is no telling what her daughter is picking up now that could have consequences in the future. Many many thanks.
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Use our Single Parent forum to speak to other parents raising a child alone.
Lone parents
Maternal separation anxiety after relationship breakdown
6 replies
100percentSunshine · 25/02/2013 10:50
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.