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Parents of adult children

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My mum has cut me off and says I hurt her

96 replies

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 17:35

So this might be long but I’m all over the place. Some context. Mum is 65 and I’m 39, I’m married with a 6 year old. About 2 months ago my mum just decided to stop talking to me. We used to speak 3-4 times a day, DC would video granny almost daily whilst in the car.

  • As a child my mum was very clear to let me know others were mean to me and disliked me after meeting her (because they’re racist)
  • as a teen and young adult I often didn’t want my mum with me, at my birthday, or party, and she holds it against me forever. Even thought I’ve invited her to numerous things.
  • My mum often told me how she did everything for me and her friends didn’t understand why and she would say how it wasn’t a sacrifice. She would tell me this almost biweekly.
  • she told me everything about her abusive childhood. It was often too much for me to bare.
  • she is a hermit and hoarder, so she doesn’t like to receive anything. She has also cut off mostly everyone in her life.
  • I have Spent my life always simply apologizing to her since it’s easier than dealing with her extreme emotions.
  • she paid for my wedding and had brought that up possibly every month. I do appreciate it, she says it in a way of ‘I’m so glad I was able to do that’
  • she has told me my entire life that I have a bad memory and she had a great memory, so if I didn’t see or recall something her way, it’s because I have a bad memory.

Mum was a single lady with a bad abusive childhood. She was always very emotional I found and she often made the comment that I was always expecting her to have no emotions as a kid. Generally you would say I had a great childhood, she got me everything and despite not having the funds, made sure I was in any program. We did have ups and downs as a teen, I often just wanted to break out, maybe rebel a bit. Reach adulthood I started to travel for work. That did help for me to have space and not be so attached to my mum. I married and moved a 4hour fought away. She often would see things or hear them her way, for instance, I recall when I was pregnant, she was saying that she wish she could come and visit me, and I said to her that it was OK since she saw me in the beginning of my pregnancy, I was really just comforting her. But when she did come to see me by surprise, she kept telling me how I didn’t even care to see her. Another thing is a very different issue for me where she mentioned that I was a very bad hostess to her in my home and she would stay here because I didn’t offer her food enough. For context on that she is not a big eater and I am not either. Since I do speak to her so often, I know that she often spends half of the day not eating and just eats at dinner time. Every day I would make a very big, beautiful elaborate dinner, since I would forget to offer breakfast, she would ask by saying you don’t eat breakfast in this house? And I would immediately make her the toast and crumpets and butter that she likes then a few days of pass she would leave and I would talk to her daily normally in a few days later she would come out crying on the phone about how I made her feel like a beggar for food that I wasn’t preemptively offering her food. I apologized profusely and the next time that she came I thought I did everything right I had food ready before she arrived. I offered her continuously I made breakfast lunch dinner as many times, I asked her in the day if she wanted some thing and yet when she went home, still managed to tell me that I didn’t do it right I matter how much I tried to convince her that I would try to be a better hostess the next time she said no she was not coming back into my house ever again, and the next time she came, I got her a hotel. Now that hotel trip I have to say really felt different. I was almost unemotional to her. It felt so silly to be 10 minutes from my home and she staying at a hotel because I’m such a bad hostess. My child loves her granny and wants to spend every moment with her so I would go in the morning and would stay until the afternoon I brought food I took care of everything on the final day of her hotel stay when I arrive there I realize that I had forgotten my purse entirely. I asked her if we could pass by my house since it’s on the way to the airport just so I could get my purse I don’t want to be driving without a license or my cards. And she said no anyways fast forward a couple of weeks after that last trip I talked to her on the phone and I thought we had a very nice productive conversation where I told her that I really hope that her stay in a hotel is a temporary thing that she has a room here that’s even called Granny’s room. We all referred to as That , and then I will give her her space and all she needs to do is tell me exactly what I need to do to make it better and we hung up for the night seem like a great conversation. I was very pleased fast forward and the next morning I call her as usual after I drop off my child and she tells me that she had the worst night ever couldn’t sleep because I made her have a panic attack about coming back to my house and the abuse that she feels being in my house because I am not a good hostess when it came to food that I was so controlling because I asked her to lower her ringtone on her cell phone at night because she was getting messages all throughout the night and it’s very loud or that I rolled my eyes when she told me she forgot her make up and I said that’s not possible I straightaway went and purchased for her a whole bunch of make up and she said yes, but you rolled your eyes . Now since then she has called me cheap, she’s called my husband and I abusers she has called my husband classless because when people come over we aren’t rushing to offer tea and biscuits 20,000 times a day. And I told her that she’s my mom it’s not that hard to simply do it on her own and I had mentioned to her that when I noticed that she drank a lot of coffee I went and I bought her the exact coffee that she likes that we don’t drink I bought it for her and she said, and you know I never used it , because I didn’t want to use your things. Since then she started seeing a therapist and that has only been feeling her victim hood. I have seen the therapist also and I don’t know how I feel because they are trying to tell me that everything in my childhood as I see it stems from somebody that seems to be a covert narcissist with a murder complex, and I find that hard to understand because she’s somebody who has the lowest self-esteem, she has said that she needs space from me. She has made comments that she loves my child privacy will not have a relationship since she and I don’t have one and she’s made these passive comments that she doesn’t want to mess her up now I am continuously having a struggle some days. I am OK some days I’m crying some days I’m angry some days. I’m guilty. I just don’t know how to feel for the longest time I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of a terrible daughter I am and I started to realize that she has perception that is completely false. I don’t know what I’m asking here but I’m so confused and so hurt and so lost.

OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 13/06/2023 18:35

Soupsetscared · 13/06/2023 18:04

Couldn't read it properly. You need to use paragraphs.

Try harder. I could manage perfectly.

Tippingadvice · 13/06/2023 18:38

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:30

@Tippingadvice I actually did go gray rock with her, and I don’t think that she really noticed, but within a month she cut me out of her life

She 100% noticed and punished you.

NeverendingCircus · 13/06/2023 18:38

You both need to respond to each other with respect, compassion and appreciation.

To be fair to her, I'd be hurt if I'd had a shit childhood and tried my best to be a better parent then was rejected by my child in their teens (even if that's normal) and I'd feel very low if I stayed and felt i had to beg for food.

In your position I'd send her a love-bomb of a letter, telling her every single thing you can think of about her treatment of you that you appreciate and remember - how she provided for you and did her best etc. And I'd apologise with very firm boundaries around the apologies. E.g. i might say, Thank you for being honest about how you felt about food when you came to stay. You are my mum and I want you tio know you never ever have to ask for food. I don't eat breakfast but next time you come I want to see you help yourself to food. That would make me happy as I'd feel like you knew you belonged in my home.

See how she responds to a warm reaction like that.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:38

@Eyesopenwideawake I wish I could just shut it out. I’m just so devastated to lose my mom, it sounds crazy to me.

OP posts:
blacksax · 13/06/2023 18:39

You would be far better off without this woman in your life. You could grovel until the end of time and it still wouldn't be enough for her. She will never accept that she's hurt you because in her mind, she is in the right. Okay, so she's cut you off. Good. That makes it easier for you to keep it permanent. You owe her nothing. Take the time to think about whether you would treat your own child the way she has treated you all your life.

ArcticSkewer · 13/06/2023 18:40

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:38

@Eyesopenwideawake I wish I could just shut it out. I’m just so devastated to lose my mom, it sounds crazy to me.

Just keep going with the therapy

She sounds a total waste of space and you need to focus on your daughter and the future, not your messed up mum and the past

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:44

@NeverendingCircus ive done all of that. The food thing is an excuse. I have given her everything, flown in the things the things she liked, cooked 4-5 meals a day, then complained I wasn’t offering more. I apologized etc… for anything and everything, but then finds the next thing… she’s a prisoner in my home because I put a home alarm at night…

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:45

@ArcticSkewer my issue is I feel that she’s really hurt and I don’t want to be the reason for her pain and I wish she’d heal, so we can be a family.

OP posts:
007DoubleOSeven · 13/06/2023 18:47

She has murder complex? How does that manifest because it sounds very worrying.

It seems that you have quite a codependent relationship and I wonder if her breaking contact was a response to you using the grey rock technique.

You need better boundaries.

When you speak with her (because im sure you will), keep communications positive and light - don't go into the mess. Maintain grey rock.

I understand how painful this is, turn to your friends for support right now. It's a good time to do some work with a therapist who you can trust and have a rapport with. I think if you keep the door open, you can reestablish a relationship with her - hopefully with much better boundaries.

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:47

@blacksax I’m making sure that I don’t use the same words my mum did. I can’t stand that she is using this new story of me being bad to her. I had to think of it, see everything I’ve done and I can’t talk to her about what she did.

OP posts:
SquishyGloopyBum · 13/06/2023 18:51

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:45

@ArcticSkewer my issue is I feel that she’s really hurt and I don’t want to be the reason for her pain and I wish she’d heal, so we can be a family.

Wow op. You are very codependent.

She's never going to be the mother to you that you need. You won't ever be good enough. It's a horrid realisation ( I have a similar parent).

You need to step out the FOG (fear, obligation, guilt).

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:55

@SquishyGloopyBum oh I know I’m codependent, trust me it’s embarrassing. I would call to get approval on a color of a dress. I used to feel ok or I thought I was, she seemed proud of me, then poof ! I’m a terrible person

OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 13/06/2023 18:55

It's really important that you also take a break from her until you have completed therapy with a really well qualified therapist. You can be free of her and then choose whether you want to try and have some relationship with her, but at present it really isn't a good idea to be in contact with her.

ArcticSkewer · 13/06/2023 18:56

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:45

@ArcticSkewer my issue is I feel that she’s really hurt and I don’t want to be the reason for her pain and I wish she’d heal, so we can be a family.

You have a family. It's you, your partner, your child. Stop letting horrible dysfunctional people near them.

ArcticSkewer · 13/06/2023 19:00

Imagine allowing your daughter to grow up thinking this is okay!

NeverendingCircus · 13/06/2023 19:09

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 18:44

@NeverendingCircus ive done all of that. The food thing is an excuse. I have given her everything, flown in the things the things she liked, cooked 4-5 meals a day, then complained I wasn’t offering more. I apologized etc… for anything and everything, but then finds the next thing… she’s a prisoner in my home because I put a home alarm at night…

In that case, you might have to let her go. People say narcissists start showering you with attention if you ignore them but not all of them do. Some just shut down as you are no longer a player in their game. It's sad, but it could be the start of your own journey towards emotional healing.

Starchipenterprise · 13/06/2023 19:10

Your mum sounds a bit like mine - really uber helpful to me, helping around the house etc. problem is I then shared too much info with her. She would turn this round by then 'taking over' and for example booking the holiday that I wanted to go on with my husband, but with her coming along too!

booktokbear · 13/06/2023 19:12

I highly recommend looking up Ben @ Trauma Corner on Tiktok, I think a lot of his content about his narcissistic mother will resonate with and help you.

https://www.tiktok.com/@bencoleedwardss*

starrylights · 13/06/2023 19:13

@Hurtingnlost I am sorry for the pain your Mum's actions are having on you. Ask yourself is that the behaviour of a kind loving Mum, who is putting her child first?
Your Mum sounds ill, from what you have written she sounds unable to act in another way, as others have said you can never win because it's the responses she receives from you which validate what she needs. As you have said she wants you to be dependent on her, but (very much taking a leap here), also wants to be parented herself. It sounds like your mum needs help, but you are not the person who can do this.
All you can do is look after your own sanity, look at your own parenting (which sounds caring) and see the differences.
Be sad, feel the rejection (which is shit) but reflect and think in the space without her and see what a negative impact she is having on you.

RattyHealy · 13/06/2023 19:18

@Hurtingnlost I can easily imagine how you are feeling right now, believe me.

I think for your own well-being and future happiness, you need to cut her off.
She's not a positive influence in your life and she will start to manipulate and hurt your children too. If you do continue contact with her keep it brief and minimal.

You can't win here, you'll never give her what she demands/expects from you because it's not about you. This is all about her unmet needs.

Protect yourself.

Bigminnie1 · 13/06/2023 19:26

Soupsetscared · 13/06/2023 18:04

Couldn't read it properly. You need to use paragraphs.

Really? Is that the only comment you felt able to make?

Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 19:26

@ArcticSkewer this is the only reason I am having this issue now. Because in my heart of heart, I don’t think she’s a good influence. She is extremely fun and loving with my daughter. But I don’t trust the outcome.

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 19:27

@RattyHealy some thing that I find quite annoying about myself is that logically I can see a lot of this. And I could still acknowledge all the nice and amazing things that she’s done for me growing up but I see a lot of toxic and bad behavior. But seeing how she’s my mom and she continuously says that all of her pain is because of me, I feel so guilty

OP posts:
Hurtingnlost · 13/06/2023 19:30

@starrylights in my mind. My mom has always been extremely selfless, caring, loving, there for me. And it is still how I see her. But I’m seeing that her childhood trauma has taken over. I have never thought that I would be on the receiving end of her, cutting me off since I know she cuts off almost everyone in her life, I am logical enough to know that I can see that I couldn’t do any thing right. I tried to do everything better each time and I’ve asked her for step-by-step instructions, and yet it was never right. But as a mom, I just can’t fathom any of this and seeing how she is an educated, smart woman I can’t understand how she doesn’t see what she’s doing.

OP posts:
IncompleteSenten · 13/06/2023 19:32

You're not a terrible daughter but you need to be a better mum than she's been and protect your own child from her because she WILL treat your child as she treats you in the end.

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