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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

9 months on I am grieving for the loss of my son - he has gone NC on us

522 replies

birdladyfromhomealone · 25/09/2018 15:00

I will try not to drip feed, but I am devastated that our son has chosen to cut us out of his life.
Every night I go to sleep thinking about him and wake up in the morning with a pit in my stomach.
I have spoken to him several times since Feb on his terms, when he will allow me to but he refuses to meet us, as he says it will just be another arguement.
Our DS met his DW at uni 11 years ago, she is from a different culture but born here.
For 5 years she kept our DS secret from her family, she had to go home EVERY weekend. Even though she was living with our DS, having a relationship with us, lived with us whilst they flat hunted, holiday's, meals out, staying over etc
She was treated very well by us and was one of the family. Me and my 2 DD and her used to go for spa days, nights out etc .
We all got on.
Then my DS proposed with my DM engagement ring .
A huge diamond with rubies,
We arranged to have it made into a solitare and the rubies into earrings.
This was a huge thing for me to pass on my DM ring, I wanted my DS to give it to her as we loved her.
After they got engaged she told her family and my DS was welcomed into their family ( she said it would destroy her family for her to be with a white man)
Her parents arranged 2 weddings one for their religion and one civil white wedding.
We felt like guests at our sons wedding.
We were told what to wear and how and when to behave.
The next day 40 of the brides family turned up at ours for lunch. We invited her immediate family only.
I told my son off and he got very emotional. I admit I was cross
After that things were never the same.
A year after they got married he gave up a city job in London to work for her father, moved 300miles and moved in with them.
He told us 3 weeks before he moved although they had been planning it for months.
They then bought a house just down the road so she still sees her family daily.
I bought them a surprise of some furniture for their new home, she refused to let the delivery driver take it off the van.
We then had a huge row as she said I disrespected her.
We have not seen them since.
My DH told our DS it had made us ill.
My DH has gone on antidepressants and I have been diagnosed with stomach ulcers.
Our DS reacted very badly to be told this and said he does not have a DF anymore.
Our 2 DD are stuck in the middle as they still see their DB and DSIL (once or twice since) but cant try to resolve this for our family as DS goes off on one if our names are mentioned.
For the last 11 yrs we have been a very close family, holidays, nights out, weekend breaks.
We are devastated by this but there is no talking to our DS he hangs up on us or ignores messages.

OP posts:
chillpizza · 25/09/2018 16:42

You belong on gransnet where they all moan about their horrible controlling dils and her family. They all seem to have sons that have gone non contact even though they are perfect it’s clearly the dils/families fault.

butterflysugarbaby · 25/09/2018 16:43

This reply has been deleted

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LydiaLunch7 · 25/09/2018 16:43

Yes, people are telling you off for being a bigot. What a surprise.

kally195 · 25/09/2018 16:43

butterfly erm, but I wouldn't be. Not one jot. Why would I?

SittingAround1 · 25/09/2018 16:43

There is definitely more to this story. If the OP thinks it's normal and generous to send surprise furniture to someone's house then I'm thinking she has probably overstepped a lot of boundaries in the past without knowing.

butterflysugarbaby · 25/09/2018 16:45

JEEEZ there are some horrible, vicious, nasty posts on here, from some people.

I am reporting the thread though. It's full of bullies.

I'm out.

See ya.

OP I would get this deleted, seriously. The vipers are out of control!

53rdWay · 25/09/2018 16:46

I’m kind of intrigued now by what your religion is, butterflysugarbaby, and whether your fury towards everyone here and to your nonexistent future in-laws is in keeping with its teachings?

Deadringer · 25/09/2018 16:47

Being honest I wouldn't be thrilled if one of my DC married into a different culture, particularly if it was a religion that had very strict rules. If it happened I would accept it though and try and find out as much as I could to ensure that misunderstandings didn't happen. I do sympathize with the op. I would be devastated to be nc with any of my DC, and I would do anything I could to resolve the situation.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 25/09/2018 16:48

Are you enjoying yourselves

No because I find your narrow minded views really depressing

Pemba · 25/09/2018 16:50

I also think the OP is getting a hard time, she was accepting and loving towards her DIL and it sounds like what happened was probably due to cultural misunderstandings, like pps said. Maybe the OP has done some things she should apologise for, but maybe the DS and DIL need to apologise too. The only answer is for them to all sit down together in good faith and work it out. Life is too short to be estranged from family unless something awful has happened.

There seems to be a very noticeable bias against PILs on Mumsnet. Probably on Gransnet there is a bias going the other way. Why can't everyone just try and understand others' points of view?

agnurse · 25/09/2018 16:50

Wow, so your son's marrying a girl from another culture, with different traditions, and wanting to live where he wants and furnish his own home is a problem for YOU?

I think you've really made a rod for your own back here.

If the wedding was traditional for her culture, I would think it normal to be told how to behave and how to dress. I wouldn't know what to do in such a situation.

As PPs have said, "family" can mean different things in different cultures. On top of that, you behaved very poorly at the brunch. It was your son's wedding and his first time having his family host her family - and you showed him up. No wonder he was emotional. You embarrassed him in front of his bride and her family.

Then you seem to have a problem with his deciding to move near her family. Guess what? He's an adult and can move where he wants. There's no "competition" going on here. We live in Canada about 4 hours' drive from my parents, and my ILs live in the UK. I would hope they don't see it as a "competition". I suspect he didn't tell you until three weeks before they moved because he suspected you would react badly.

On top of that, you take it upon yourself to furnish THEIR home. Now, if you had said "Let me send you some vouchers or some money as we'd like to buy your furniture" that would be one thing. But YOU chose furniture for THEIR home. From what you've described I'm guessing that you had never seen their home. Therefore you had NO idea what would fit, where everything would go, or even if it was to their taste and fit with the colour scheme and style of their home. how would you feel if someone gave you a whole houseful of furniture THEY had chosen and then called you ungrateful because you said you didn't want it - when you had never asked for it in the first place?

To top it all off, you blame your son for your health problems. So not only have you alienated him already, you're now using a guilt trip to try to get him back.

I'm not surprised he wants nothing to do with you.

SweetSummerchild · 25/09/2018 16:50

If my DS ends up marrying someone whose father is prepared to make them part of a successful family business then I’d be f*cking delighted.

LydiaLunch7 · 25/09/2018 16:53

I am reporting the thread though. It's full of bullies.

Don't worry, I already reported your hateful bigoted posts 15 minutes ago. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.

butterflysugarbaby · 25/09/2018 16:54

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

butterflysugarbaby · 25/09/2018 16:56

And after that last vile post and personal attack on me from LydiaLunch7. I am 100% out! Byeeee...

53rdWay · 25/09/2018 16:56

I guess if you’re an extreme fundamentalist type you might be angry at your children for marrying an outsider?

LydiaLunch7 · 25/09/2018 16:57

Good riddance.

SnuggyBuggy · 25/09/2018 16:57

The furniture was misjudged and blaming someone else for you and DHs illnesses was never going to go down well. I would have been pissed off if 40 guests turned up when 12 were expected and can understand why you panicked and got cross.

I think all you can do is take the high ground and be there for your DS if it is the case that he is in a controlling relationship. Don't make this your DDs problem.

2018SoFarSoGreat · 25/09/2018 16:58

Butterflysugarbaby how bigoted your statements are. It is quite shocking to read. I'm sad for any children of yours. Truly sad.

SnuggyBuggy · 25/09/2018 16:58

I wouldn't mind if my DC married into a different culture but would be sad if they had to choose between their family and the different culture.

ShatnersBassoon · 25/09/2018 16:59

When was the wedding and the gathering of 40 people? It sounds as if it was years ago.

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 25/09/2018 17:01

OP, it appears that you want want your Son and Dil to apologise to you.

I’m afraid it is you who owes them many apologies.

Sleeplikeasloth · 25/09/2018 17:05

ShatnersBassoon, the wedding was 5-6 years ago Hmm

pumkinspicetime · 25/09/2018 17:05

Buying furniture without consulting the home owners is both odd and controlling.
Blaming Ds for illness is emotionally manipulative.
I thought the story of the buffet was going to end with no one coming which would have been unpleasant, more people coming has got to have been a positive sign. A quick emergency shop could have made up the deficit of food.
I would start gentle written contact with your ds and dd. Think about what you could have done differently, apologize and take it slowly from there.

SweetSummerchild · 25/09/2018 17:08

Thanks @deadringer* I think most people would be pissed off and upset if their child married into another culture and religion. Despite what people are saying on here.

In the parallel universe of Mumsnet, most people are insistent they would be TOTALLY fine with it, but in reality, most people would not be happy.*

Personally, I wouldn’t be thrilled if I thought my future grandchildren were going to be brought up by anti-Vaxers or on a vegan diet. I wouldn’t be thrilled if they were home-schooled without a very good reason. I wouldn’t like the idea my grandchildren would be raised as evangelical atheists who were taught from birth that there is no God.

These are my personal preferences, but none of my f*cking business. If that’s what my kids choose, it’s not my place to object, interfere, or make them feel bad about it.

The only thing I’d draw the line at is the idea of my future granddaughters being subjected to FGM or forced marriage.

Other than than, different culture/religion wouldn’t bother me.

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