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Estrangement

Today on BBC - does anyone know the mum?

(81 Posts)
Stellar Tue 10-Mar-26 08:57:53

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2l0glqeyo

There is an article on BBC today which resonates with me as I was falsely accused of abuse of my AC despite the fact that I was a victim of childhood abuse myself.

I feel I went out of my way to ensure was never repeated with my AC, but there IS a disturbing trend of 'no family contact' amongst the younger generation fuelled by - in my opinion - 'anti' social media, where the bar for 'abuse' has really been lowered. One thing I was accused of was 'watering down orange juice'. I did this because I learned that giving concentrated orange juice can cause spikes in blood sugar which could eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

If anyone might be on here that knows the mum I would love to reach out to her. I know exactly what she must be going through and this week in particular - approaching Mother's Day - is particularly difficult.

I know this is a long shot but you never know...

NoNews Tue 10-Mar-26 09:02:48

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Stellar Tue 10-Mar-26 09:15:03

If you read the article, you will see that he has become a social media influencer and a 'trauma informed coach'.

NoNews Tue 10-Mar-26 09:15:16

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Shelflife Tue 10-Mar-26 09:17:29

Watering down orange juice - for goodness sake !!! Does your AC think that is abuse !? You were probably correct orange juice definitely raises blood sugar.

Lathyrus3 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:19:48

If you read you will see that he is the lead in creating this article, not his Mum.

He is an influencer who gives online advice on parenting and also advises people on how to estrange their families.

Lathyrus3 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:20:23

Sorry a reply to NoNes original comment

NoNews Tue 10-Mar-26 09:22:17

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Smileless2012 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:22:27

Thank you for sharing that article Stellar; I don't know the mum whose taken part in the article. I'm pleased she was included in the article as it was interesting that she says she was responsible for the estrangement having seen what her son was saying about his childhood and relationship with her.

To be falsely accused of abusing your own child, especially when you're a survivor of childhood abuse is monstrous. watering down orange juice is abuse!!! Good grief; with the bar of what constitutes abuse being so low, is there ever going to be a parent who'll be safe from the label of 'abusive parent'?

You are sadly not alone. False allegations are what so many EP's have been subjected too, either directly from their EAC when they've been told why they're being estranged or when the stories they've been telling get back to their parents.

All estranged mums will be doing their best to get through this week and of course Mother's Day, especially those who know they wont be getting any recognition at all flowers.

Smileless2012 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:30:11

Yes that's right Lathyrus, his mother's input is just a small part of the article.

Why assume that the example given by the OP has been cherry picked NoNews. In your first post you said you hadn't read the article yet there you were, jumping straight in and assuming incorrectly that the article had been instigated by the mother.

I always find it's much more beneficial to those posting to respond to what they've actually said rather than creating a narrative of your own.

Lathyrus3 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:35:11

“Only one true way to love and raise them correctly.”

I don’t think that’s so.

Almost everybody raises their children differently in some ways. Almost everybody criticises some aspect of the way other people raise their children.

I seen many families over the years, some parenting practices that I thought were dreadful- because of course they weren’t my practices😬- but the majority of those children have grown up into caring adults who love their families.

There is no perfect parent out there. And you will always have the children who wanted something different from the family life they got.

I think I was able to accept the wanting something different, to travel, to be successful was in me, not the fault of my parents for valuing a quiet family life and providing me with that.

Personally I think those who estrange because their parents didn’t provide what they wanted as children or even as adults, haven’t yet grown up and taken responsibility for their own lives. They are still looking for someone else whose job they think that is.

NoNews Tue 10-Mar-26 09:40:15

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NoNews Tue 10-Mar-26 09:45:48

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Stellar Tue 10-Mar-26 09:48:24

Smileless2012

Yes that's right Lathyrus, his mother's input is just a small part of the article.

Why assume that the example given by the OP has been cherry picked NoNews. In your first post you said you hadn't read the article yet there you were, jumping straight in and assuming incorrectly that the article had been instigated by the mother.

I always find it's much more beneficial to those posting to respond to what they've actually said rather than creating a narrative of your own.

Excellent comment. Thank you @Smileless2012

Lathyrus3 Tue 10-Mar-26 10:06:27

Post references deleted post

Sago Tue 10-Mar-26 10:11:44

The young man himself is an author and qualified counsellor, it is probably unfair to refer to him as an influencer.

He has Instagram/Facebook/TikTok accounts so is easily contactable.

Obviously there are two sides to every story, I was an abused and neglected child in a middle class family.
Outwardly even looked fine, private schools, holidays, well dressed, attending mass every Sunday etc.

I was physically and mentally abused, my parents had lots of nasty little tricks up their sleeves.
I once had to pack my bags, say goodbye to my brother (golden child) I was going to be dropped off at an orphanage.
We got in the car drove somewhere, I was given a beating then told we could go home, I was given a second chance.
I was 9.
I was starved of affection, told I was a “guttersnipe” whatever that is and put down and ridiculed at every turn.

My parents were clever, they told everyone I was a fantasist therefore if I tried to tell anyone I was wrong and they were proved right.

Even as an adult my mother told family,friends and neighbours lies about me.
How she always had to bail us out financially, how we bullied her and coerced her for money.
The most money I ever received from my parents was £40 for my fortieth birthday.
She told one friend she had never been to our home when we moved back, we had lived there 5 years, she came nearly every Sunday!

I tried to go no contact but she made my life hell, it was easier to tolerate her.
I wish I had stuck it out.

I think it’s possible but rare for a child to fabricate abuse.

Fallingstar Tue 10-Mar-26 10:19:57

This is a difficult one, but certainly I know the majority of parents muddle through the best they can and some ACs can have very exacting standards with which to judge them by. I just wonder how today’s children will feel once adults, having suffered gender politics and various new fads when it comes to parenting. For those trumping up allegations - not those who have suffered abuse - it may very well be a case of what goes around comes around.

Allira Tue 10-Mar-26 10:22:08

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Allira Tue 10-Mar-26 10:23:26

It will be interesting to see what happens when Ben's children become teenagers then adults.
History often has a tendency to repeat itself.

Smileless2012 Tue 10-Mar-26 10:31:43

You have no grounds to doubt what Stellar is telling us NoNews or reason to assume that her AC has more serious grievous complaints about her apart from perhaps your own bias.

Good post @ 10.06 Lathyrus.

Oh Sago I wish you'd stuck it out tooflowers.

I agree that it's rare for a child to fabricate abuse and by that I mean the legal definition of a child but not rare for an adult to fabricate abuse from their childhood as a reason to estrange.

Smileless2012 Tue 10-Mar-26 10:33:26

Yes it will be interesting Allira to see if when his children grow up, they see him as the 'perfect' parent he seems to think he will be.

Allira Tue 10-Mar-26 10:38:21

Smileless2012

Yes it will be interesting Allira to see if when his children grow up, they see him as the 'perfect' parent he seems to think he will be.

None of us are perfect and even children in the same family can have different recollections of the same events, which can differ from the parents' recollections too

As widely noted by our late Queen.

Allira Tue 10-Mar-26 10:38:47

Wisely!

Autocarrot (sic) at large again.

Lathyrus3 Tue 10-Mar-26 10:39:32

That was true abuse Sago. I a truly sorry you had to suffer that.
Perhaps influencer was not the correct word and I don’t know his qualifications. The article said Diploma in Psychology and CBT.

I have a Diploma myself in a chosen field. I looked on it as a first step in gaining knowledge,not one that makes you an expert or gains you relevant experience to advise worldwide.

petra Tue 10-Mar-26 10:42:26

If you search you will find her name is Nicola.
There’s a lot of info on TikTok