Gransnet forums

Estrangement

I chose one over the other now I regret it

(32 Posts)
Bella23 Thu 15-Feb-24 10:39:03

You've finally recognised what she is doing stop her now.Talk to your son and your GP both you and your daughter need help.
maybe she is frightened of being on her own but she needs strategies put in place to cope with that and you can't do it.
Best of luck.flowers

Germanshepherdsmum Thu 15-Feb-24 10:32:16

I agree with Smileless. Ask your son to help you get free from your daughter.

Smileless2012 Thu 15-Feb-24 10:26:43

Cossy is right you need to reach out to your family and friends. You need to contact your son and tell him what you've told us. He needs to know that you accept what you have done, that it's responsible for you being estranged, and that you are sorry.

Your daughter is coercively controlling you Ogabc and because this type of behaviour can be so damaging, it was given it's own status in the 2015 Criminal Act.

Your daughter can't be happy now if she can behave the way she does and you enabling her to coercively control/abuse you, isn't going to prevent her from being lonely when you've gone.*

Please* stop this abuse, it's never too late and your son needs to know how much you regret the way things have been.

Greenfinch Thu 15-Feb-24 10:24:51

I agree with Cossy. This is coercive behaviour and you need to confide in a GP, social services or the local vicar. Can you reach out to your son and explain that you have been manipulated through no fault of your own ?You are the important one here not your daughter.

Theexwife Thu 15-Feb-24 10:23:52

You are enabling your daughter, you are the parent and it is up to you make boundaries and call out bad behaviour. You will not be here forever then she will definately be alone.

Cossy Thu 15-Feb-24 09:59:53

What a terrible story! To be perfectly honest you need to immediately distance yourself from your daughter! Reach out to all your other family members and friends and tell them what’s been happening across many years. See a GP, get some counselling. Be very strong and brave!

Personally I believe this is a form of domestic abuse and the relationship is highly toxic.

Good luck flowers

Ogabc245 Thu 15-Feb-24 09:55:21

I chose my daughter over my son by just being passive and doing nothing. I allowed my daughter control over everything and silently went along with all she did. If anyone asked me I just said everything was ok and when my son confronted me I sat silent, kept secrets and told lies. My daughter said I was taking my son and DIL side over things and I wanted to show her I wasn't. I didn't call her out on her behaviour and I should have because it's not helpful to her to be this way.

Now my daughter has control of my life and all of my relationships are affected. I no longer see my son and my grandchildren. When I discovered they had another baby I was devastated my daughter just made a nasty comment, she didn't consider how I felt.

My close friends hardly see me, my daughter always has something negative to say about them so I only saw them if she wasn't around which is hardly ever, I feel my daughter is guarding me preventing anyone from having private access to me.

Recently my sister asked me to look after some items for her, they have now gone missing from my home. My sister is now not talking to me as I have been telling her I will look. I think my daughter has had the items and I am protecting her.

I have to keep this going because I have lost so much I can't lose my daughter too. I just wish I'd acted differently when I had the chance. I am worried my daughter will end up sad lonely and alone when I am gone. I am all she has.

Don't make the mistakes I have