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Parents of adult children

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Adult daughter conflict

76 replies

EverythingisRosie · 30/10/2024 21:48

Hoping for some advice from anyone who may have been through similar and can offer some advice.
My eldest daughter is 40, I have a son of 38 another son who is 20 and a daughter who is 16.

The youngest two children are half siblings as it's my second marriage. The eldest have always got on with my husband (their step dad). He was a brilliant step dad although the teenage years with my daughter were quite tricky as she was very challenging at times.

My eldest daughter has made it known to me that she is disappointed with our relationship.
Four years ago at the start of lockdown she had breast cancer and it was a very difficult time for us all and her especially. As it was during lockdown it was very difficult to spend time with her but we made it work as best we could. I visited most days, cooked and looked after my grandchildren as much as I could, (she has two girls). The relationship took a big wobble when my youngest daughter wanted to return to school (she was in year 6 and wanted to finish her time at primary). My eldest daughter thought I was putting her life at risk as she would then be at risk of catching covid at a time when her immunity was compromised by having chemotherapy.
I was stuck in the middle and wanted the best for both and offered to do as much as a could for her without coming into direct contact. This was difficult but we got through it.

Since then and during her recovery from breast cancer she has been highly critical of my apparent preference/favouritism to the younger half siblings.
She feels excluded and not part of the family.
The truth is that her life and my life are very different.
Her home is chaotic and very disorganised which I find hard to deal with. I don't cope very well with mess and its very triggering to be in her home. I have tried in the past to help get things in order but it's never maintained and in order to protect my own energy I have stopped offering my help.
I have just accepted that we are different in that respect and that's okay.
Her lifestyle is VERY different to mine, her husband is a high earner and she has frequent luxury holidays and membership to a beautify private spa and leisure facility. Her whole family are vegan and only eat organic & whole foods which is different to us.
I gave up my career when my youngest son was diagnosed with autism and I needed to be at home more. I work part-time now but don't earn a huge amount. We are comfortable but careful.
I have always tried my best to cater for them when they visit. When we meet up I am always fearful of the costs involved and inevitably visits mean eating out. I also have to drove and hour there and an hour back to fuel costs are also noticeable.
My daughter offers lots of (often unwelcome) advise including those around health. I have a few ongoing issues. Her advice often involves huge amount of money if followed through therefore I largely listen but don't follow through.

I could go on but she feels that I don't want to spend time with her. In truth with parenting the two children who live at home, managing a part time job and looking after three dogs I am pretty exhausted.

She sent me a message today which was very hurtful. I appreciate she feels hurt but compares the time I spend with her to the time I spend with my 16 year old. I have tried pointing out that she had that time when she was younger and that I can't do any more.
She accused me of not including her in family things. One of those being a short break I had with my younger daughter so that she could surf abroad. It was a budget break and we stayed in a surf hostel which she would have hated.

We have argued back and to all day and I am just constantly accused of not hearing her hurt. I do hear but I can't give any more of myself as there is little time or energy.
Where do we go from here? I want the make it better and for her to feel heard but she makes me feel so defensive and then I just want to withdraw and avoid. Not sure how we move forward...

OP posts:
DoreenonTill8 · 31/10/2024 00:05

Wow @starbat It would have been wrong to prioritize her over them unless perhaps she was dying.
How shitty are you? Well dd your sister seeing her friends is sooo much more important than your health, perhaps if you're dying ill prioritise you, but only then!

Entertainmentcentral · 31/10/2024 00:13

AgainandagainandagainSS · 30/10/2024 22:08

The not wanting her sister to go back to school gives me the absolute ick. She sounds rather indulged (not by you). Oh and if she wants to build her health up, try eating some real food.

But I can see how you having a ‘second family’ must have thrown her.

Edited

I can understand why she would be hurt if she felt her life was being endangered. You do expect your mum to keep you alive if at all possible.

Gagaandgag · 31/10/2024 00:27

DoreenonTill8 · 30/10/2024 23:02

This, you sound awfully dismissive and deriding of her.
Were you a really young mum to her?it seems like you are offering younger children a different childhood than you offered her, and seem.a bit pissed off she still wants a mother figure?

💯

Gagaandgag · 31/10/2024 00:37

You don’t sound like you do like your daughter though. And she feels this. She feels rejected and pushed down the pile. She might have a different lifestyle but you can always work on seeing the best in her. See the value of her suggestions of her trying her best to support you in her own way.

Ultimately she wants to feel important to you. She wants to feel valued and loved by you. Work on this and pull her in rather than push her away. Be humble and caring. Put all the financial differences aside. Tell her you love her and want to have a positive relationship with her; validate her feelings. Connect through a shared hobby or something you both enjoy.

Marmiteontoastgirlie · 31/10/2024 01:19

I have to agree that you don’t sound very motherly OP, maybe it is just your writing style though. Or perhaps you have a really small age gap between yourself and your eldest daughter so things like “different lifestyles” are an issue for your relationship. I can’t imagine my mum not wanting to spend time with me because I’ve done well and can afford a fancy gym membership - surely that’s something a mum would be proud of in a child? My husband and I live a different lifestyle than our parents do but they’re just super proud of us and excited to hear about what we have been up to, they know it was their good parenting that enabled their children to have social mobility and don’t begrudge us that.

If you want a good relationship with your daughter I would most definitely ignore all the posters offering terrible advice like telling her to “grow up”. I think all you can really do is listen to her and reassure her that you love her and are proud of her and ask her what she needs.

starbat · 31/10/2024 01:47

DoreenonTill8 · 31/10/2024 00:05

Wow @starbat It would have been wrong to prioritize her over them unless perhaps she was dying.
How shitty are you? Well dd your sister seeing her friends is sooo much more important than your health, perhaps if you're dying ill prioritise you, but only then!

Not shitty at all. Parents should prioritise their dependents, not adults. It's called good parenting.

OP helped her adult DD where she could without compromising the welfare of her younger DD by keeping her off school unnecessarily. We all know the mental health issues that were caused in many young people by the isolation of lockdown. The younger DD shouldn't have been kept off school just because the adult DD was unwell.

Unless she was dying, in which case any difficulty caused to the young child is temporary, and the person dying has greater need of support and comfort than the person who isn't.

Starlight7080 · 31/10/2024 03:34

Has she ever helped you? Does she support you with your autistic son? I assume you are in your 60s .
With pt job , a adult son to care for and a 16 year old.
Well that's a lot for anyone but in your 60s with health problems it's a lot.
I think given her age and she has obviously got a dh and no money problems. Then she needs to grow up a bit and start seing things from your point of view.
Does she ever make the effort to go to your house for a cuppa and a chat?
Obviously she can't be treated at 40 plus the same as a 16 year old.

Starlight7080 · 31/10/2024 03:40

Marmiteontoastgirlie · 31/10/2024 01:19

I have to agree that you don’t sound very motherly OP, maybe it is just your writing style though. Or perhaps you have a really small age gap between yourself and your eldest daughter so things like “different lifestyles” are an issue for your relationship. I can’t imagine my mum not wanting to spend time with me because I’ve done well and can afford a fancy gym membership - surely that’s something a mum would be proud of in a child? My husband and I live a different lifestyle than our parents do but they’re just super proud of us and excited to hear about what we have been up to, they know it was their good parenting that enabled their children to have social mobility and don’t begrudge us that.

If you want a good relationship with your daughter I would most definitely ignore all the posters offering terrible advice like telling her to “grow up”. I think all you can really do is listen to her and reassure her that you love her and are proud of her and ask her what she needs.

But at what age does the adult child start asking what does the mum need! You can't act like a child forever .
And also she may have moved up socially but she obviously hasn't the ability to keep a tidy house. Which the op has stated causes her distress when visiting.
Why is the daughters distress more important then the op ?
And maybe she sounds not very maternal because she has spent the day having back and forth conversations as to why she hasn't apparently been a good mum.
Any mum would be fed up at that point

Larrythebloodycat · 31/10/2024 04:08

Some of the behaviour you describe sounds very irritating, but your eldest daughter has had to cope with the break-up of her parents' marriage, the advent of a stepfather and the birth of half-siblings. Some allowance needs to be made for these things.

Sheri99 · 31/10/2024 04:21

DoreenonTill8 · 30/10/2024 23:25

Absolutely, ops post reek of annoyance and dislike for her older dd.
Like it was an inconvenience for her to have cancer as it impacted her proper family.

Am shocked you tell OP this.

OP, your story is nearly mine.

My DD was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 29; she had three small children of her own, 9 months, 2 yrs, 4 yrs old at the time. Her father and I divorced when she was 4; I remarried when she was 9.

When DD was 10, we had a son, when she was 12 we had a daughter, and then another son when she was 17 when she was in the second semester of her in her freshman year in college - she was age 17 (she went to college early as she skipped her 9th year in high school). My first child and last child are 17 years apart.

I was managing my children, her three half siblings when she was diagnosed; all three were living at home or just beginning college, etc. My spouse worked all over the world, so he was not home to help a great deal with raising the family and taking care of everything, it was almost as if I were a single parent; he was home, but usually only about 5-6 days a month.

My daughter when through two brain surgerys 6 years apart as her brain cancer grows back ever so often and surgery is done whenever it causes issues. I did the best I could to help her endure her cancer, and she lives with it every day the last 16 years.

Never once has she called me on the carpet, complaining about this or that that I didn't do, or express the negative, guilt inducing things your daughter is doing. Am sorry to say this but your daughter seems to want you to feel guilty or is she immature; she is 40 and she does need to grow up; her expectations are out of wack.

In fact, one time my broke down into tears and apologized to ME that she "had gotten brain cancer" and "made MY life upside down". MY life?? She was more concerned for me having to juggle my kids and hers now and then to help out.

And yes, it drove me crazy being in her home, too, just like you! Each time I left after visiting more than a couple days at a time, I would breathe a sign of relief to get back to my less chaotic life.

Your daughter is 40. She has a therapist. You have done what you can, with what energy you have at this time of your life. You are fine, a good mother, obviously, with a lot on your plate - the autistic son is a huge responsibility. I am sorry your daughter has breast cancer - having a child with cancer, no matter what their age, is so difficult - we worry we will lose them and that too causes stress we try not to show.

I hope your health problems stabilize and please give yourself a break.

Your daughter nor anyone has the right to give you a hard time when they have never lived your life. Your daughter needs to be happy she still has you in her life and listen to her when you have the energy.

RunningOutOfImaginitiveUsernames · 31/10/2024 04:29

I know I'm missing the point here, but I absolutely hate this saying - It doesn't matter how old you are, you always need your mum.

Sheri99 · 31/10/2024 04:46

Larrythebloodycat · 31/10/2024 04:08

Some of the behaviour you describe sounds very irritating, but your eldest daughter has had to cope with the break-up of her parents' marriage, the advent of a stepfather and the birth of half-siblings. Some allowance needs to be made for these things.

I'd think the daughter would need to get over it by now...either that or get a new therapist!

Coddling until a kid is 40? If she can't deal with Mom not having time for her when she is 40, what the devil is she going to do if Mom dies next week?

The job of a parent is to help a child be autonomous as soon as possible, not be their crutch or friend! Good Lord!

CrikeyMajikey · 31/10/2024 05:00

Surely the younger DD had no choice about going back to school? When schools re-opened all children had to go back.

What stands out for me is the messy house coupled with apparent rejection. We have a similar situation and the suggestion is ADHD is involved, not that anyone has sought a formal diagnosis but it has helped us understand why the ‘victim’ feels like a victim and move on.

VeilFlowyLace · 31/10/2024 05:12

You have my sympathy OP.

Families aren't easy, we aren’t experts, and we do our best.

Ignore some of the less than helpful posts on here.

Ambienteamber · 31/10/2024 05:16

Try and detach a little here. You say you've been arguing back and forth all day. Just stop. Say your piece. Say you love her. Then that's it don't get tangled in a back and forth argument. Let her think what she likes beyond what you've stated.
You can't control other people's emotions. She feels left out you started another family. There's not much you can do about that. It is what it is.
Of course you have to spend more time with a 16yo than you do with a 40yo. Of course you had to prioritise your 16yos mental health and education, and facilitate her going back to school.
I think your daughter has been thru a big health scare and is possibly just struggling to regulate her emotions.
There's not anything you can say or do that will make her feel less 'abandoned'
It sounds like you see her plenty and have been there for her.
I'm an only child and I only see my mum once a week. She doesn't help with childcare or anything like that.
I don't think your daughter even understands what's normal.
She's obviously just in pain. Don't let it effect you and make you grovel because that won't help. Just respond that you love her and you are sorry she's been feeling that way. Then don't respond further don't get pulled into arguments. Just let her say what she's got to say. Don't get defensive, but don't agree either. Just tell her you love her.
Rest assured you sound like a good mother. I think hour daughter has just got her own issues and stuff she's been thru and is working thru. It's hard but try not to take it personally and get offended. You know you love her and give her time. You know your 16yo still needs day to day parenting as she's a child. You don't need to explain this.

Richiewoo · 31/10/2024 05:31

Your older daughter is jealous of your younger daughter. At 40 she needs to grow up

Savingthehedgehogs · 31/10/2024 05:59

You really don’t like her op and even I can feel that from here, she senses that keenly too, and is clearly very hurt by it.

You wrote a long list about the things you don’t like about her - her food choices, holidays, messy house and disorganisation but nothing about her qualities and abilities. She has survived breast cancer and you say it was hard for you all, but it must have been truly horrendous for her.

It is not her fault you choose to have four children op, and she is now paying the price for that as you don’t have time to see her. Why take on 3 dogs as well?

You sound avoidant, and are busying yourself to avoid having any meaningful relationship with her, you need to start therapy individually first before family counselling.

Your eldest dd has absorbed a huge amount of impact from your choices op, and you need to start taking some responsibility for that.

Savingthehedgehogs · 31/10/2024 06:03

Richiewoo · 31/10/2024 05:31

Your older daughter is jealous of your younger daughter. At 40 she needs to grow up

I suspect when the eldest DD was 16 she was not taken on surf holidays abroad, but left to manage alone because her mother had 3 other children to care for. I sense there is a huge childhood discrepancy at the root of this.

Pat888 · 31/10/2024 06:29

YOu say you gave up work for the autistic son - I don't suppose you gave up work for your eldest DD. Why can't you or your DH spend a bit of time with your daughter - maybe DH take over more things at home so you have the energy to spend time with her.
Why not go out for lunch once a fortnight or mooch round the shops and have a coffee. Ask her what she wants to do together - obviously not too expensive. Go to the cinema.
Seems like seeing DD means sitting in a messy home while she moans. There must be something you would enjoy together.

DanielaDressen · 31/10/2024 06:37

Entertainmentcentral · 31/10/2024 00:13

I can understand why she would be hurt if she felt her life was being endangered. You do expect your mum to keep you alive if at all possible.

She was being unrealistic though. Anyone would realise that the priority has to be to a 10yo needing to go back to school. If the older Dd felt seeing her mum would endanger her life at that point then she could stop seeing her face to face and have zoom calls. Sounds like she wanted to prioritise a free skivvy helping round the house over her sisters education.

OP, I would invite her to yours for coffee, etc. you talk about visiting her and the petrol costs and costs of eating out. How often does she come to you? Let her do some of the leg work in maintaining the relationship. If you keep inviting her you’re demonstrating you want to see her.

WhatNoRaisins · 31/10/2024 06:45

My two cents being a similar age to your older DC is that there can be feelings of jealousy about people having different amounts of grandparent help and childcare. It's not a helpful emotion but people feel it nonetheless especially when worn out by parenting.

Could that be happening here? Could she be a bit resentful that you had a second family instead of focusing on grandkids?

Pinkmoonshine · 31/10/2024 07:01

She sounds insecure, immature and self absorbed. My sister is behaving like this at the moment and giving our old Mum a very hard time. I think it comes from being very unhappy but it’s hard to be generous about it because it seems so unfair.

premierleague · 31/10/2024 07:03

EverythingisRosie · 30/10/2024 21:59

At the time it felt quite joyful. My elder daughter was delighted to have a baby sister. No difference in lifestyle fundamentally

Joyful for you.

If you keep having kids for 24 years, your older ones are going to feel they're not thst important in your life.

FfsBrian · 31/10/2024 07:10

premierleague · 31/10/2024 07:03

Joyful for you.

If you keep having kids for 24 years, your older ones are going to feel they're not thst important in your life.

I don’t think this is fair. You could apply this to any age gap.

Are we supposed to only ever have one child so the other one doesn’t feel left out.

She is 40 years old with her own family - of course the dynamics will change

DoreenonTill8 · 31/10/2024 07:21

Sheri99 · 31/10/2024 04:21

Am shocked you tell OP this.

OP, your story is nearly mine.

My DD was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 29; she had three small children of her own, 9 months, 2 yrs, 4 yrs old at the time. Her father and I divorced when she was 4; I remarried when she was 9.

When DD was 10, we had a son, when she was 12 we had a daughter, and then another son when she was 17 when she was in the second semester of her in her freshman year in college - she was age 17 (she went to college early as she skipped her 9th year in high school). My first child and last child are 17 years apart.

I was managing my children, her three half siblings when she was diagnosed; all three were living at home or just beginning college, etc. My spouse worked all over the world, so he was not home to help a great deal with raising the family and taking care of everything, it was almost as if I were a single parent; he was home, but usually only about 5-6 days a month.

My daughter when through two brain surgerys 6 years apart as her brain cancer grows back ever so often and surgery is done whenever it causes issues. I did the best I could to help her endure her cancer, and she lives with it every day the last 16 years.

Never once has she called me on the carpet, complaining about this or that that I didn't do, or express the negative, guilt inducing things your daughter is doing. Am sorry to say this but your daughter seems to want you to feel guilty or is she immature; she is 40 and she does need to grow up; her expectations are out of wack.

In fact, one time my broke down into tears and apologized to ME that she "had gotten brain cancer" and "made MY life upside down". MY life?? She was more concerned for me having to juggle my kids and hers now and then to help out.

And yes, it drove me crazy being in her home, too, just like you! Each time I left after visiting more than a couple days at a time, I would breathe a sign of relief to get back to my less chaotic life.

Your daughter is 40. She has a therapist. You have done what you can, with what energy you have at this time of your life. You are fine, a good mother, obviously, with a lot on your plate - the autistic son is a huge responsibility. I am sorry your daughter has breast cancer - having a child with cancer, no matter what their age, is so difficult - we worry we will lose them and that too causes stress we try not to show.

I hope your health problems stabilize and please give yourself a break.

Your daughter nor anyone has the right to give you a hard time when they have never lived your life. Your daughter needs to be happy she still has you in her life and listen to her when you have the energy.

So all the sympathy for the OP saying she's unwell and the daughter has to suck up her cancer diagnosis and get on with things?
You sound just as lovely as the OP...