My OH (of just over a year) refuses to speak on the phone to my oldest GS who is 8. He says it’s because he found him rude the first time he met him a year ago. I have tried to get him to accept that sometimes kids are not at their best when meeting people for the first time. He’s 78 and insists that when he was a child he never interrupted. I’ve tried to tell him that times have changed but he refuses to listen. I’ve asked him to move on and try build a relationship with my GS but he flatly refuses. My OH and I live abroad and he only sees my family 3-4 times a year for a couple of hours at a time. I visit more often. I’m alone at the moment and my GS is coming on a sleepover tomorrow and my OH has told me to tell my grandson to leave me alone in another room and not interrupt me when I am talking on the phone to him. I don’t want to do that because if my GS does interrupt me my OH will sulk and use it as another reason to confirm why he doesn’t like him. He has no relationship with his own granddaughters (8 and 10) and blames his daughter, but I think he is the problem. His biggest concern with his GDs is that they are doted on my their mother.
I think he is being self-centred. I have given up most of my time with my family to live abroad with him but his behaviour indicates that I must always put him first (but without actually saying that).
Advice please.
BBC Radio 4Extra Scheduling Shake-Up.
