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How awful that much-loved 30-year-old son cut all contact

1000 replies

soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:14

I'm actually writing as I have a very, dear old friend whose DS has completely cut her off. He is in his early 30s and he grew up between his parents (in a different country so no risk that this is outing) after his dad left the mum, shared contact which is common over there. The dad has since then had numerous relationships, and was horrible towards my friend in the early days, and wouldn't provide enough economic support etc. All the main care really came from my friend.

Anyhow, she was always extremely close to her son and was (is) the most warm, loving mum (person) you could imagine. Her son was always her first priority (but I wouldn't say he was spoilt) and we, her friends, always used to meet up with him and he was super cuddly and loving with his mum. No wonder, she was always very encouraging. However, over the last few years he's gone into modelling and has had a few girlfriends, the most recent one who is from a wealthy family.

My friend's son has slowly cut contact from last Xmas until a hard cut off earlier this year. He kept bringing up old (what I would have considered normal experiences) from when he was a child, when he felt she didn't meet his needs with regards to taking him e.g. to the doctors immediately after a fall (she did the next day when he complained of more pain, he initially said it was OK) and he had a fracture. Well, I'm sure lots of parents would have been the same. She is the most far from neglectful you could imagine, a wonderful person.

My friend has taken onboard that perhaps she and her parents at times talked about her ex husband (the father) in not too rosy a terms but I don't think it was a bad case of it at all, just a few occasions (tbh we all knew how awful the father was to my friend).

I wonder at times whether he due to mental health issues is gaslighting his mum, and now that he is in the modelling world and with rich girlfriend and parents, he somehow is embarrassed about his mum (who is very overweight and lives in a small flat) and that this has created some sort of dissonance which have led him to almost create false memories of how awful she was when he was growing up.

I hate seeing my friend upset and I would like to offer to write a letter to the son (and perhaps to his girlfriend and her parents as they only have his word) as I know both my friend and remember seeing her son grow up from 0-5, then seeing them regularly almost every year until he was in his late teens/early 20s. She honestly is a natural with kids and the kindest friend.

I would like to hear from all of you out there that have been affected by this either as the person being cut off, or the person dropping contact. What would be the best way to approach this letter?

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theresnolimits · 21/11/2024 17:17

Don’t. You can’t possibly know his experiences. You could make things worse.

Beryls · 21/11/2024 17:18

I think the best way to approach the letter would be to put the paper and pen away and remember that this has nothing to do with you.

I know you're friend is upset but you can still support her without getting involved. You never know what goes on behind closed doors either and you're only getting one side of the story.

PinkyBlueMe · 21/11/2024 17:19

It sounds very sad but I don't think you should get involved. You cannot possibly know the full story, only what you've seen of her relationship with him in front of others.
Maybe he has done this without justification but if he has, he'll use your interference as another excuse.
Or maybe she denigrated the other parent a lot more than you realise - that is terrible for children to hear as it's bound up with their identity. Or something else.
Either way, support her, help her write a non pressuring letter about door always open but I wouldn't go beyond that.

Purplepeoniesdroppingpetals · 21/11/2024 17:19

Just support your friend. It isn’t your place to moderate his feelings towards his mother.

Gazelda · 21/11/2024 17:20

A letter is likely to inflame the situation further. Particularly if it came from a friend rather than mum herself.

The kindest thing you can do is support your friend in a non judgmental way. Sympathise but keep an open mind that he may view his past differently to you and her.

cheddercherry · 21/11/2024 17:20

You don’t really know what he did/didn’t do through and to be honest someone so removed from the situation (in his eyes) going out of their way to write such a letter would probably just be seen by him as outrageous and not do his mum any favours.

User37482 · 21/11/2024 17:20

No-one would believe what my mother is actually like, she’s the 180 opposite (including to close family and friends) of how she presents.

I wouldn’t assume you actually know what his actual childhood was like.

Redglitter · 21/11/2024 17:20

I hate seeing my friend upset and I would like to offer to write a letter to the son (and perhaps to his girlfriend and her parents as they only have his word)

Absolutely not! That's a dreadful idea

As you say they only have his word, you only have hers. There could be a lot that's happened or been said that you know nothing about

Support your friend but keep out

soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:20

theresnolimits · 21/11/2024 17:17

Don’t. You can’t possibly know his experiences. You could make things worse.

But it's following a pattern. His dad cut all contact with his father too. I personally think they possibly have depression and the son told his mum that the father cut contact last year too (with his son). I just don't think it's right that he can go around saying these things which are very far from the truth.

History repeating itself.

The father always had slight narcissistic tendencies. I never thought the son (who was lovely as a child/young adult) would have them too but I do wonder as he was completely gaslighting his mum, saying things that he said she would have though or done, which were very very far from the truth (I know this as another friend was there when he was little during the episode he brought up).

OP posts:
soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:22

I'd like to hear from also people who have been cut off from contact themselves (as well as from those children who have chosen to cut contact).

OP posts:
soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:22

Should mention that the son said recently that he was suffering from orthorexia,

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DoYouReally · 21/11/2024 17:22

You cannot do anything about her son's behaviour and anything you attempt is likely to be unwelcome and even inflammatory.

Your time snd energy is best serviced supporting your friend.

People cannot be controlled.

Crumpleton · 21/11/2024 17:23

Keep out of it...unless you know for sure that the son is openly telling lies, which by your post it doesn't sound like he is, you'll never know 100% what went on in his/their lives.

I always believe people will only tell you what they want you to hear, be it the truth or otherwise.

Purplecatshopaholic · 21/11/2024 17:23

Support your friend, but defo don’t get involved with the son, gf etc. You don’t know the whole story, and as an adult he has made a conscious choice for which he will have his reasons.

AnneLovesGilbert · 21/11/2024 17:23

No good can come from you butting in and it’s not your place. Your recollections of his childhood are irrelevant to him, his gf and her family.

Is he close with his father now?

It’s well known that slagging a child’s other parent off, as you admit she did, can be extremely damaging. He’s half his father as much as he’s half his mother. She should have sought support from other adults, not dumped any of her complaints on her young son.

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 21/11/2024 17:23

Do not get involved. Please don't. You might make things worse. My son has cut off his entire family three years ago after a bad breakup. None of us can get through to him. I send him birthday cards and Christmas cards to keep the door open but the chances are he will never contact any of us again. I would be very angry if a friend got involved. You are not family

Newgirls · 21/11/2024 17:24

Op writing a letter would make you a ‘flying monkey’ - don’t get involved. Support your friend by listening to her.

SallyForf · 21/11/2024 17:24

Please don't contact the son, ever, about this. Nor his family or spouse/GF.

Support your friend, and bear in mind that if the son has indicated a definite no further contact then your friend should abide by that.

soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:24

Crumpleton · 21/11/2024 17:23

Keep out of it...unless you know for sure that the son is openly telling lies, which by your post it doesn't sound like he is, you'll never know 100% what went on in his/their lives.

I always believe people will only tell you what they want you to hear, be it the truth or otherwise.

He is telling things in ways which were just not the case. Admittedly I only know of a few of these (as there were other people present) but he is clearly not 100%.

As I said, his father cut contact with his own father and both father and son have had multiple relationships and multiple jobs. It's always 'someone else's fault'...

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soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:25

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 21/11/2024 17:23

Do not get involved. Please don't. You might make things worse. My son has cut off his entire family three years ago after a bad breakup. None of us can get through to him. I send him birthday cards and Christmas cards to keep the door open but the chances are he will never contact any of us again. I would be very angry if a friend got involved. You are not family

Very sorry to hear this.

Just to clarify, my friend knows about my intention and would support me writing the letter.

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XWKD · 21/11/2024 17:25

soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:24

He is telling things in ways which were just not the case. Admittedly I only know of a few of these (as there were other people present) but he is clearly not 100%.

As I said, his father cut contact with his own father and both father and son have had multiple relationships and multiple jobs. It's always 'someone else's fault'...

None of this means you should write to him. You're not his mother and have no right to interfere with his life.

ByHardyRubyEagle · 21/11/2024 17:25

I agree with previous posters, to not get involved. There are ideally reasons beyond his mum being overweight and living in a flat and a few adverse childhood experiences - otherwise he is probably not a very nice person.

DollopOfFun · 21/11/2024 17:26

Just to clarify, my friend knows about my intention and would support me writing the letter.

That's quite telling in itself.

XWKD · 21/11/2024 17:27

If he thinks she got her friends to guilt-trip him, he will probably never speak to her again.

SallyForf · 21/11/2024 17:27

soupsetpleasehelp · 21/11/2024 17:24

He is telling things in ways which were just not the case. Admittedly I only know of a few of these (as there were other people present) but he is clearly not 100%.

As I said, his father cut contact with his own father and both father and son have had multiple relationships and multiple jobs. It's always 'someone else's fault'...

So how do you know the son is 'telling things in ways which were just not the case'?

Are other people also carrying messages/reports about the son back to your friend?

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