Looking for advice or personal experience on handling toxic family relationships.
A close family member has repeatedly insulted me and my family over the years. I’ve tried to keep the peace for the sake of my partner and child, but after a recent situation where boundaries were crossed, I asked for space and said I didn’t want this person in my home anymore. They reacted by cutting contact completely, saying they don’t want to see us—including their grandchild—ever again. They always said that they loved their grandchild a lot!
I’ve never prevented a relationship between them and my child, and it hurts that they’re using this as leverage. I know I’ve done nothing wrong and don’t feel right apologizing just to smooth things over, especially after years of being disrespected. Still, I feel awful that my child might miss out on a relationship with their grandparent.
How do you emotionally come to terms with something like this? And how do you explain it to your child in an age-appropriate way (3yo)?