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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Tricky situation

13 replies

Treesofgreen · 14/07/2018 09:31

M and D have a Grown up DS who is married with kids. They have been together a long time but since the kids came along in the last few years the relationship between M/D and DS/DIL has broken down. Both parties have acted badly at times and both have crossed lines. DS and his family have now moved far away - about 7 hours drive. M and D have visited twice with no incident but fairly strained and uncomfortable visits. Since the last visit, DS is not responding to any messages or calls. M and D know he is receiving the messges and is still responding to other people. They have been trying to arrange a visit as they want to see Ds and GC but are being ignored. They have sent a couple of texts to DIL who responds and seems normal but have not asked her if they can visit (not sure why). M and D are now saying they are just going to drive down and see them as they are worried about him. I think this will cause issues as some of the arguments were about them not respecting privacy and overstepping boundaries. However it’s just not fair that he is completely ignoring them and I understand their frustration - this has caused a lot of upset.

So wtbu to do this? My gut is yes but I can’t think of a better way of dealing with it other than waiting patiently which is killing them. For background Ds has a history of depression and even when he lived near by he had started to contact them and respond to them less. The issues between them all are between M/D and DIL but over time this has impacted the relationship with Ds. I am part of M and Ds family and am heartbroken by all of this.

OP posts:
Pengggwn · 14/07/2018 09:43

Are you asking whether they would be unreasonable to again simply ignore their child's boundaries and drive down to visit, when they are clearly NFI? Confused

Treesofgreen · 14/07/2018 09:47

Not sure what NFI means

I already think they are but I guess I’m looking. For alternative ways for them to deal with it. They’re not bad people but they have made mistakes and they love DS and GC

OP posts:
sunshinesupermum · 14/07/2018 09:48

No. Please don't let them go down uninvited.

Bambamber · 14/07/2018 09:48

They should just should just ask DIL if they can visit. If he doesn't want to see or speak to them it will just piss him off even more.

Slartybartfast · 14/07/2018 09:49

not invited.

Pengggwn · 14/07/2018 09:49

Not invited!

bubbles108 · 14/07/2018 09:50

They shouldn't go uninvited. If DS doesn't want to speak to them, they should respect that. Or speak to DIL about it. But they should respect DS boundaries

Slartybartfast · 14/07/2018 09:51

sorry, no they can't just turn up, out of order.
can you be a go between?

otherwise they will have to sit it out and wait for an invitation, or invite themselves, but with notice.

tenterden · 14/07/2018 09:52

I can't understand why the parents have texted DIL rather than calling her? If she is the only one responding then I would call rather than text.

Anyway, I think they need to take a step back and build up slowly. Obviously we don't know what has gone on here, but if they are serial boundary busters, they need to re establish trust and prove to their DS and DIL that they have taken them seriously and are capable of self reflection and change.

It doesn't sound like they are though!!!

trojanpony · 14/07/2018 09:54

M&D are being unreasonable and you know it.

It would be ridiculous and rude to drive down without notice

He is clearly fine/alive and his wife is in contact. for whatever reason he is not keen for contact and they need to respect that - they could ask to come up and take the kids out for the day if that’s something that’s of interest but they need their son and/or his wife to agree to this and make proper arrangements before jumping in a car and ambush them

(I say with kind intentions as I know first hand how upsetting and difficult estrangement can be)

User467 · 14/07/2018 09:55

The previous issues aren't really just between them and DIL. She is DS wife and any issues between his parents and her will absolutely have affected him. I think D and M need to consider these issues from DS point of view and whether the last visit really was without incident from everyone's point of view. The fact that DS is not responding makes me think there is more to it and that he would give a different account

BewareOfDragons · 14/07/2018 10:10

No, they can't just fucking show up uninvited. They already knew there were boundary issues, probably a contributing factor to DS/DSIL moving 7 hours away!

It sounds like D and M may have pushed things too far, tbh, and this is the result: DS doesn't have much to say to them at the moment.

I think they're going to have to wait for an invitation. Send birthday cards, send holiday cards, keep in touch. Ask if you can Skype with the DGrandchildren, but they'll need to show very clearly they can respect boundaries for quite some time by the counds of it.

DoJo · 14/07/2018 10:17

It sounds like there is a lot more to this than simply hard done-by parents being bumped down the list of their son's priorities - I would imagine he has good reason to go low contact with them and perhaps a little reflection would help them to understand better why that is.

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