Parenting
fromwww.psychologytoday.com
4 days agoFor Estranged Mothers on Mother's Day
Mother’s Day can intensify loneliness and grief, but choosing meaning and connection can make the day better despite pain.
I had gotten along fine with my son until this moment nine years ago. Since then, he won't speak to me or return my texts, letters or phone calls and I haven't seen him. If I call him and he answers, he hangs up as soon as he hears my voice. I have no idea where he lives now (he's out of the Marines) or what his life situation is.
As the mother of a son who has cut himself off from his parents (blocking us on social media and not responding to letters), I can categorically state that the pain is year-round. Like the Beckhams, our situation appears to have started at the time of a marriage, followed by a gradual realisation that for unknown reasons we were no longer acceptable as parents or in-laws, then an abrupt (and inexplicable to us) termination of all contact.
Laura Wellington is estranged from one of her adult daughters. The Connecticut 59-year-old is somewhat famous for this, in fact, or anyway famous for her response to it. Across Tiktok and Instagram, under the name "Doormat Mom," Wellington's railing against the supposed injustice done to her by a daughter she calls an "ungrateful little bastard" has brought her some 140,000 total followers.
He would initiate a verbal confrontation with Andrew and say things like, You are not my son. Later, he'd clarify that he meant Andrew doesn't act like his older brother does. Another example: You didn't call me last week, so I'm not going to help you out today. The one blessing is that both boys love each other. I believe children should know they are loved by their parents. They should not have to continually prove they are worthy of their parent's love.
I stay with my mom during the week and split weekends between her and my dad. From all appearances, my parents get along well. Sometimes my mom will even join all of us for dinner, and she's occasionally watched my siblings for my dad and Inez. I'm super close with my mom. I get along great with Inez, and respect her as my stepmother, but I don't really share personal information with her.