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Grandparenting

Am I the asshole? 😣

(68 Posts)
Pampas07 Sun 03-Dec-23 23:25:34

So my son and dil had my gorgeous granddaughter 3 months ago.
I have stage 4 cancer but treatment is working so fa me I’m on chemo for life but manage to work etc.
when she went into labour I was not allowed in the hospital (I totally respect that) and her mum was (again I get it) I waited outside the hospital for hour. She was born and for 2 days I asked to pop in just quickly for a visit,

My son said no, I could come over when they came home. I cried my eyes out to my partner (didn’t say a word to my son) and waited for them to come home.

I love her to pieces but my son is so stressing and overbearing. I put a pic in Facebook and he went mad at me, even though my DIL’s mum had and my daughter in law?

My DIL tells me that her mums cat sits on the babies lap etc, the today I offered to change the baby and my son had a go at me because my little dog came over whilst I was changing her?

They are both exhausted and I offered to sleep on their sofa to give them both a nights sleep, he refuses? But she’ll go to her mums and she’ll look after her whilst she sleeps for a bit.

My son spoke to me in such a patronizing and derogatory way. I’ve told him if he doesn’t trust me why come over to my house?

He had a great childhood and im at a loss as to why I’m singled out like this.

Any advice please!
BTW my son is a stressy person full he overly worried about the smallest thing but I’ve had it up to here with being belittled because he thinks he can.

I may only see this grandchild with my cancer issues and wanted to be there.
My DIL is 100 % not the issue it’s him

Hithere Wed 06-Dec-23 18:00:26

Cancer is a terrible disease
Stage 4 is devastating
Do not wish that nightmare on my worst enemy

A person, consciously or unconsciously using is a factor that can be interpreted as emotional blackmail - huge no no

The parents look what's best for their baby

Op is thinking about this situation from her own POV, how she can maximize her time on this earth

Rainnsnow Wed 06-Dec-23 18:24:16

I get it , it sounds like being I’ll u are wanting to maximise time with ur grandchild. It’s unfair you being sidelined. Maybe the good child hood has made ur son confident to speak out. I hope this all calms down soon.

rafichagran Wed 06-Dec-23 18:25:49

Hithere

Cancer is a terrible disease
Stage 4 is devastating
Do not wish that nightmare on my worst enemy

A person, consciously or unconsciously using is a factor that can be interpreted as emotional blackmail - huge no no

The parents look what's best for their baby

Op is thinking about this situation from her own POV, how she can maximize her time on this earth

So.

V3ra Wed 06-Dec-23 18:41:26

Op is thinking about this situation from her own POV, how she can maximize her time on this earth

It wouldn't hurt for OP's son to think about the situation from her point of view either, and cut her some slack 🤨

Pampas07 do you think there's a tiny possibility he's stressing so much because you're ill, and his worry for you is all tied up with his attitude over the baby?

WillowBreeze59 Thu 07-Dec-23 00:10:21

I do feel there are a few people that are being very harsh with their replies here. Firstly from someone who is also undergoing cancer treatment, where emotions run high, along with the sheer exhaustion that runs alongside this awful disease, to be told this lady is basically using her illness as a "Wo me" as well as some sort of weapon towards her Son and DiL, to see her new Grandchild, is really not being very kind. I don't think she is doing this at all. The lady just wants to know if her son is being patronising and speaking to her in a derogatory way. So in answer to your question Pampas07 then yes, I do. On saying this it is usual for the new Mum to want her own Mothers support once the baby arrives, but I also hear you where you say it isn't your DiL that is the problem here. I understand your Son is a new parent, and it is only natural that he and your DiL want to spend time together with their new baby, and getting her into some sort of routine. However he shouldn't need to be rude to you in explaining this, and asking if you would mind just bearing with them while they do this, but they will welcome you gladly once they are ready for you to have some quality time with the baby, and begin the task of Grandmother duties!!
There really are polite ways of saying things. šŸ™‚
I wish you all the luck with your treatment, and do take this time at the moment to look after you. 😊

Mitzigem Thu 07-Dec-23 05:14:00

Annanan

As the mother of the child’s father you will always be number TWO grandmother. Mother’s mother is always number ONE. Get over it and grow up!

Wow , so which one are you then ?? How dare you tell her to grow up , how arrogant!

Delila Thu 07-Dec-23 11:21:41

Hithere, if you can’t wish to ā€œmaximise your time here on earthā€ when suffering from stage 4 cancer, when can you?

And Annanan, I imagine that having stage 4 cancer forces a sufferer to ā€œgrow upā€ pretty quickly.

dragonfly46 Thu 07-Dec-23 11:26:07

Annanan

As the mother of the child’s father you will always be number TWO grandmother. Mother’s mother is always number ONE. Get over it and grow up!

That is extremely unkind and so not true. I am the mother of my grandchildren's father and our DiL treats us all equally!

rafichagran Thu 07-Dec-23 17:07:00

I really don't understand some posters, a woman with stage 4 cancer comes on here and asks for advice, and she is met with really nasty, remarks by 2 posters.
One tells her to grow up and one tells her she is using stage 4 cancer to get to more access to her Grandchild.
Please look at the advice from the more measured kind posters.

Iam64 Thu 07-Dec-23 17:09:20

dragonfly46

Annanan

As the mother of the child’s father you will always be number TWO grandmother. Mother’s mother is always number ONE. Get over it and grow up!

That is extremely unkind and so not true. I am the mother of my grandchildren's father and our DiL treats us all equally!

I’m the mother of daughters. They both share good friendly loving relationships with their mothers in law. We three grannies all get on well because we are connected by our grandchildren and their parents. That’s the same with most people I know

DeeJaysMum Mon 11-Dec-23 04:32:23

I just wonder whether the OP 's son is thinking about her health, and not wanting to tire her out or subject her to any unnecessary risks. Personally, that's what I'd be thinking my son was trying to do in a similar situation.
I don't want to sound horrible here, but there is another way he could be looking at the situation in light of the OPS advanced stage of her condition, I wonder, might the son and DiL not want their child to become too attached? Yes, the OP could still have many years left, but her son may not be thinking this way.
Either way, maybe a conversation with the son to find out how he feels, what his reasons are for keeping his mother at arm's length are and to offer assistance if it's needed, might be the best move so they both know the lay of the land, and this can be repeated from time to time as the baby gets older or the OP 's abilities change.

NotSpaghetti Mon 11-Dec-23 06:39:21

dotpocka - I did wonder about that to be honest but don't know enough about it.

Allsorts Mon 11-Dec-23 06:47:38

Yes!

Allsorts Mon 11-Dec-23 06:48:20

In answer to question

MercuryQueen Mon 11-Dec-23 07:35:37

Depending on the treatment you’re having, it may not be safe to be around infants, or they may have been waiting to get information from doctors about what is safe and what isn’t, and didn’t want to upset you until they knew what was going on.

That said.

Your son is dealing with a lot right now. His mother is terribly ill, his wife is recovering from childbirth and he’s a new father. That’s a LOT for anyone to be handling at once.

Give him some grace. He’s dealing with all of this, with the added bonus of sleep deprivation. I don’t know of anyone who’d manage all of this well.

I wish you the very best with your treatments and health flowers

VioletSky Mon 11-Dec-23 18:45:45

I am sorry for your health issues

I think you will have a much better time if you start respecting their boundaries as parents. It doesn't matter if you agree with them, that is what they want.

That's how you become a trusted person in their lives.

Your son is stressed and you know that, until the point he can work on that issue, that is the son you have whose stress levels need consideration from you.

The more you push, the more they will back away

I don't see any "assholes" here, just people who need better communication and to work on themselves... As a family you could make the choice to do that together

Haydnpat Sun 17-Dec-23 17:00:47

Hithere

Yes, you are

Your health condition has nothing to do with this - do not use it to further your agenda

Not a very nice reply, what's your problem?