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Estrangement

Successful reconciliations & how you got there...

(229 Posts)
stillawip Tue 31-Dec-24 12:07:33

I thought it might be a lovely thing going in to the new year tomorrow, for those who are maybe newly estranged to hear stories of successful reconciliations, and maybe even how they were achieved.
How did I get there? For myself, & as I have said before, after 4 years being estranged from my son, we were finally reconciled after a lot of soul-searching on my part, swallowing my pride & having an unflinching look at myself & my past mistakes. I saw a counsellor, was completely honest with her & myself & learned a lot about myself & why I acted as I did. I was finally willing to listen & think back over what my son had been saying to me and to recognise that I had got some things horribly wrong and had caused a lot of upset. I wrote them a long letter, apologising unreservedly and promising that I would do things very differently given the chance. When I first became a grandmother, a dear friend said jokingly that his only tip for grandparenthood would be to "keep your mouth shut & your wallet open". The second bit is debatable, but I wish I had done the first bit right from the start. I have learned my lesson, and have just spent the most wonderful Christmas period with my son, his wife, & my 3 grandchildren - that is priceless and worth every effort I made to get there.
I have always said to my children "if you change nothing, nothing will change" and I am so, so glad that I decided to change things - to listen, admit I was wrong, and move forward.
Can anyone else offer stories of hope from their successful reconciliations to others?

Babs03 Wed 01-Jan-25 11:36:03

Sorry typos there…of course meant to say to love and depend upon their parents.

Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 11:39:06

the majority of parents are also biologically hard wired to unconditionally love and care for their child absolutely Babs which is why some put up with abuse and heartbreak.

EnmeshedNoMore2017 Wed 01-Jan-25 12:07:50

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EnmeshedNoMore2017 Wed 01-Jan-25 12:10:33

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Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 12:14:20

Perhaps you didn't see eddiecat's post on the first page of this thread ENM. Her estrangement with her son ended with his divorce. She now enjoys a lovely relationship with him and his new wife, her new d.i.l. so the something happening you refer too had nothing to do with her parenting.

Sometimes the something that happens is because of the EAC, not their parents.

EnmeshedNoMore2017 Wed 01-Jan-25 12:20:12

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Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 12:25:31

^until they are treated and/or taught otherwise* and that treatment and teaching can come from an outsider; an abusive, manipulative and controlling partner for example.

It can come from 'falling in with the wrong crowd' and becoming involved with drugs and/or alcohol resulting in a warped view of not just one's parents but society.

stillawipp Wed 01-Jan-25 13:33:46

Oh dear, yes my apologies, I did ‘get the hump’ and delete my account earlier but then i realised that that was a bit childish so i have re-registered (with an extra p!) . I haven’t really got anything to add to the thread -as Smileless2012 pointed out, nobody owns a thread, so it will go where it goes, I guess! If I can add anything helpful, I will .
flowers

Babs03 Wed 01-Jan-25 13:49:12

Good news stillawipp, we all get the hump on GN at times, hope you stick around your input has been helpful I'm sure.
xx

Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 13:52:35

Oh dear, it looks as if we've had a couple of posters who shouldn't be here again.

stillawipp Wed 01-Jan-25 13:53:04

Thank you Babs03

Sweetyesterdays Wed 01-Jan-25 15:13:41

Glad your back Stillawipp thanks your post gave me a lot of food for thought

Sweetyesterdays Wed 01-Jan-25 15:14:10

You’re* back

stillawipp Wed 01-Jan-25 15:26:04

Oh, thank you Sweetyesterdays! That’s good 👍🏻

Skydancer Wed 01-Jan-25 15:55:12

Is this only about estranged AC? What about other estrangements such as an adult sibling?

stillawipp Wed 01-Jan-25 16:04:31

Oh absolutely - any estrangements! I thought it might be useful for some to hear what worked for other people on the way to a reconciliation

Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:06:39

It can apply to any estrangement situation Skydancer.

Ziggy62 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:07:40

stillawipp

Oh dear, yes my apologies, I did ‘get the hump’ and delete my account earlier but then i realised that that was a bit childish so i have re-registered (with an extra p!) . I haven’t really got anything to add to the thread -as Smileless2012 pointed out, nobody owns a thread, so it will go where it goes, I guess! If I can add anything helpful, I will .
flowers

I'm so very pleased you returned. I tried to send you a pm but guess your original account was deleted

I would love a thread that tries to remain positive

I can see estrangement from both sides (fortunately and unfortunately)

My daughter stopped contacting me some years ago, like other EPs on here, I couldn't understand why. She didn't reply to my messages or letters. Birthday and Christmas cheques were left not paid into her account. One Christmas I wrote a letter and included tree decorations I'd kept since she was a (miracle) baby some 30 years earlier, it broke my heart every time I looked at them. I kept the letter friendly and explained my heart was broken
The following August was my 60th birthday, the day before I received a card, flowers and a letter "reaching out" to me. No explanation as what I had done to annoy/upset her. We spoke on the phone a few days later for at least 2 hours ( no mention of the estrangement)

Anyway, my point being, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself and keep my mouth firmly close ( not always easy)

On the other hand I went NC with my own mother in 2014, she has mental health issues and after being sectioned in the late 50s was advised never to have children. After my father died in 2012 I did my best but just couldn't cope. Long, long story. To protect my own mental health I had to walk away. It wasn't an easy decision. It still isn't.

I am of the opinion no AC make the decision lightly

Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:26:07

It's great that you've reconciled with your D Ziggy but have you found it difficult renewing the relationship without knowing why she estranged you?

Ziggy62 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:28:58

No not at all. I'm just overjoyed to have her back
We're very alike. So as I've said I've learnt to keep my mouth firmly closed lol
Not always easy

Smileless2012 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:37:23

Not always easy I can imagine smile.

Ziggy62 Wed 01-Jan-25 16:39:50

Nope, times I've ended up in tears with frustration but still i keep my mouth shut lol

stillawipp Wed 01-Jan-25 17:02:22

It’s lovely that you’re back on track with your daughter, Ziggy62, I’m so pleased for you! I had the dearest father-in-law, who would never say a critical word against any of us…one day I bumped into a friend of his who told me that he had indeed been terribly thrown and upset by something in the family (not being used to the modern world & its ways), and had confided that to them, but to us not a word in disapproval, only showing total support for that family member’s choices. I was really struck by that, and remembering how much he was loved and respected by us all, I now try to channel that same behaviour with others and remember that not all my thoughts and opinions need to be voiced.

Ziggy62 Wed 01-Jan-25 17:11:41

I think it's wonderful that you started this thread and have returned to it.
I'm no saint, I'm estranged from the woman who gave birth to me and I visited my mother in law on Christmas day, first time since she told my husband last Spring that I haven't never wanted to be part of their family (totally untrue)

As I've got older I've just realised I got change people's view of me.

Ziggy62 Wed 01-Jan-25 17:12:37

Can't not got