Gransnet forums

AIBU

ESTRANGEMENT- The silent epidemic! Let's get this out of the cupboard.

(1001 Posts)
Otw10413 Wed 18-Feb-15 22:13:05

It is time to quantify the terrible development in our increasingly secular family lives, the pain and heartache faced by those who have been 'cut out' of their Children's and Grandchildren's lives. Please, whether it was for a brief and now resolved, or extended or as in my case, repeated period, could you add your story, just one entry per tragic tale. It is something that our sociologists should start researching as it is clearly a very damaging development to all sides, hence the silence that shrouds the pain. I personally have lost access rights to my grandchildren, and I have no doubt about the loss and pain I suffer but also the positive influence and confidence gained by small children from their interaction with loving grandparents (already measured) is ignored as a right of the young. So why hasn't this society taken steps to ensure that such damaging behaviours are limited for the sake of the children; it is their way to connect with their histories and for many, it has led to the inspiration behind many many great lives. It may be painful but I think that this is an invisible infection which has taken hold in an ever-increasing "disposable"society. It might be useful to explain what you feel lies behind the terrible decision to stop talking and what you feel might be the answer in your case. Also how you cope/coped with the prolonged or short periods of estrangement.
Thank you if you can let your story be counted.
flowersflowersflowersflowersflowersflowersflowersflowersflowers

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 16:16:20

I'm not understanding how living my life as I choose, as long as I am not doing anything illegal, is at all distressing?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 16:25:18

Really?

Bibbity Fri 17-Feb-17 16:25:20

I hope you don't mind me asking Norah but just to show the other side.

If you were forced to stay in contact with the CO person, socialise and have them in your life would that be distressing?

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 16:30:29

Of course I don't want to be in contact with anyone I dislike enough to CO. Being in contact with anyone I dislike is very distressing. I get nervous just thinking of being near CO worthy people.

Bibbity Fri 17-Feb-17 16:31:28

So as a question to pp.
do you think it's acceptable to cause the AC so much misery, anxiety and distress by expecting them to maintain a relationship with the people they have CO?

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 16:33:34

Ankers "Really?"

Directed towards?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 16:49:07

you

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 17:05:12

Ankers Please explain how living my life as I wish (no illegal bits) could distress others, please. I don't condone hitting others, rape, stealing, lying, killing, adultery, cheating or other bad deeds. Just living as I wish.

eddiecat78 Fri 17-Feb-17 18:19:53

Norah - this is not a personal attack on you or your ethics. But you did say that you believe it is desirable for people to live their lives however they choose. Personally I do not agree that it is acceptable for people to live their lives doing whatever they want if that causes unhappiness all around them.

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 18:27:04

I noted I don't condone hitting others, rape, stealing, lying, killing, adultery, cheating or other bad deeds. No unhappiness ensues.

Bibbity Fri 17-Feb-17 18:47:58

How is removing those who cause you distress and anxiety not acceptable?
Why do you all gloss over the distress that having CO people around causes?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 19:08:28

No one can really think like Norah purports to think.

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 19:19:29

Ankers Why would anyone want to be around anyone toxic?

Boggles my mind to think anyone should allow themselves to be unhappy.

Nobody needs be a martyr.

willsmadnan Fri 17-Feb-17 19:55:16

No, nobody needs to be a martyr, but on any of the estranged threads there are regular contributors who revel in it. Thats why they will never put the estrangement at the back of their minds and get on with the rest of their lives. They want to be modern day Joans of Arc, and walk around with smell of the martyr's pyre clinging to them.
A line from John Lennon's ' She's Leaving Home ' ..... "we gave her everything money could buy" resonated with me 50 years ago and still does. It was a phrase I know my parents bleated on multiple occasions after I left home as a soon as it was legally possible,and never returned. But the martyrdom made them feel better!

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 20:01:39

willsmadnan

"No, nobody needs to be a martyr, but on any of the estranged threads there are regular contributors who revel in it. Thats why they will never put the estrangement at the back of their minds and get on with the rest of their lives. They want to be modern day Joans of Arc, and walk around with smell of the martyr's pyre clinging to them."

Brilliant. Martyrs would feel much better getting on with a full life.

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:02:33

Lets pretend for example that you mum is pure toxic.

Meetings could still be arranged in a neutral place, for a couple of hours a month or whatever, for the grandparent to play with the grandchild in a park, fully supervised or something like that.

No need to fully cut them off.

A fully functioning daughter for example should be able to manage that.
If they cannot, then a person could accompany the child on their behalf.

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:03:49

Brilliant. Martyrs would feel much better getting on with a full life

No they wouldnt and no they dont.

So you are just making things up.

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 20:07:06

Why would getting on be better than acting a martyr?

Nobody is making things up, except those who refuse to understand toxicity.

Bibbity Fri 17-Feb-17 20:07:18

If I found someone to be toxic. If I found that I'd didn't like them as a person enough to cut them off there would be no hope in hell of them getting near my child.

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 20:08:15

Why would a functioning dd want her child around a toxic mum?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:10:50

What sort of things do you call toxic?

If a child is going down the slide with "toxic gran" watching, what can she do?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:11:03

the gran I mean

Norah Fri 17-Feb-17 20:11:13

Or son? CO is for sons too.

Why would a functioning son put his child at mental danger being with a toxic mum?

Why would dil want her child near toxic mil?

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:12:06

[not sure it is worth asking the questions, but perhaps it is worth finding out how some people are thinking, assuming they are genuine].

Ankers Fri 17-Feb-17 20:13:01

answer the question if you can Norah
You cant can you?

This discussion thread has reached a 1000 message limit, and so cannot accept new messages.
Start a new discussion