it's only 11.30 am but i've already managed...

[totalmisfit]

a horrible confrontation with dp, a big row with my mum and now i've broken dd's heart.

wtf is wrong with me?

My kids are older now and have returned this evening from a short visit to MiL's, I smiled, asked questions like "how was nan?", said "oh, that's wonderful" when they showed me the gifts she had given them and all was well. The kids don't have a clue what has happened over the years, but slowly they are noticing themselves some of the things she says and I will let them make their own mind up. It's different when kids are younger, more intense, but it's just how I've managed to survive this over the years (18) and we've had too many rows to remember about her, a complete waste of precious time. I'm just not doing it anymore more. Once both kids were born, things changed and DH realised that I wasn't being bitchy or unreasonable, and now he feels the same as me, but tries v. hard to maintain a relationship for the sake of our kids who do love her. That's just how things have gone since I "cut her out". I won't bore you with some of the crazy and downright nasty things she's said and done, it's over now and it's fine, but all the same, I wish we were closer, she's almost 70 now and her health isn't great, so I know the time will come when she needs us and we will be there, but out of duty not love. I'm not saying what I have done is THE only way, but it's worked for us and life is so much happier. Sorry this is so long, good luck, keep in touch.