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Banned from having contact with grandchildren

(182 Posts)
Jenrev Fri 24-Feb-23 22:31:11

I am so heartbroken. It's been 3 years since I last saw my 2 grandchildren. They were 18 months old and 4 years old then, and we adored each other. We were so close.
My daughter, her husband and my husband and I were all close to each other. But, my daughter did not like our views on certain political issues and that is where it all started to go wrong. They refused to let the children see or speak to us again.
My husband and I have tried and tried....virtually begged them to at least let us have a bedroom call or phone call with the children. But they refuse every single time. We have suggested that we agree to disagree and move on as a loving family, but no, this is also not acceptable to them. I miss them so much that my heart literally aches, I cry myself to sleep and kiss a photo of the children every night. I have even had suicidal thoughts occasionally, telling myself that at least then I won't be in this pain and sadness any more. We continue to send Christmas and birthday gifts to the grandchildren and Easter gifts etc. But it's not the same. We have not seen them play with and enjoy the gifts. The only photo's we get are the occasional ones that my mother in law sneaks to us.
To make matters worse, my daughter is expecting our 3rd grandchild next Mon and I know we will never get to see or hold the baby, never get to see our beautiful grandchildren grow up. My heart is breaking as I write this, the tears blurring my vision.
The fact that there are no rights for us grandparents and knowing I can do absolutely nothing is tearing me apart and my husband too. We are lost and cannot understand how our once caring and thought daughter can now be so cruel and hurtful. It is all so unecessary, and we gave told her this.
Sorry, I just need to get it all off my chest and talk to you all about it. I am hurting desperately.
Thank you for taking time to read this.

Smileless2012 Sat 25-Feb-23 17:41:29

I've never said I agree with your mother VS; I don't know her.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 17:42:33

Sometimes it really is Smileless and the grandparent is just too self involved to see it

rafichagran Sat 25-Feb-23 17:42:49

Germanshepherdsmum

Thanks for saying you detest me, as a Tory voter, and that I’m an idiot PinkQuartz. Nice.

Not a nice thing to post PQ Take no notice GSM idiots come in all shapes,sizes and political persuasion.
The biggest idiots are intolerant people who see no other views other than their own, they dont listen so dont learn anything.

Smileless2012 Sat 25-Feb-23 17:43:37

Yes VS sometimes, but not always.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 17:44:07

Smileless2012

I've never said I agree with your mother VS; I don't know her.

I do sadly

Fleurpepper Sat 25-Feb-23 17:44:39

Assumptions, sorry. Yes, opinion, views, can differ, and can agree to disagree. But if it goes beyond and to extremes, and supports violence or fascism and/or other extreme ideas- then there is a 'fine line'. As said, put yourself in Franco's Spain, or Nazy Germany... at what stage does an opinion becomes so much more.

Smileless2012 Sat 25-Feb-23 17:47:18

In relation to this thread Fleur there's nothing to suggest that extreme views have been expressed.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 17:48:50

Yet, OP blames the protest... the protest that doesn't occur without the oppression

Where does the blame actually fall?

That's right.. with the oppression

Smileless2012 Sat 25-Feb-23 17:55:16

Where does the OP blame the protest? She said violent protest is sad and unnecessary not that protesting per se is wrong and to be blamed.

Fleurpepper Sat 25-Feb-23 17:56:40

Smileless2012

In relation to this thread Fleur there's nothing to suggest that extreme views have been expressed.

Agreed- but as OP has not given any indication- we can only try to imagine. My comment is in response to comments which say 'family comes first, come ... whatever'. There is a line beyond which that does not work any longuer.

Delila Sat 25-Feb-23 18:03:29

Perhaps, following the intervention from Imani at GNHQ, the OP will turn to Mumsnet for more help and empathy than she has received here (but can’t help thinking good luck with that). At least some useful links were provided.

Fleurpepper Sat 25-Feb-23 18:13:59

Indeed. One of my best friends is going through this, and this is due to her daughter consulting some sort of Guru who has put ideas into her head about the past. It is very hard.

We hear more and more often about ACs expecting so much from parents, including full time free childcare, large loans, etc, etc, and turning really nasty if they don't get their way, and using grand-children's visiting rights as 'tools' to get what they want. So massive sympathy from me.

Without more information, we just do not know what is going on, and if there is indeed a solution. It is clear though, that family ties cannot hold forever in some cases.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 18:22:08

Again Smileless tell that to the suffragettes

growstuff Sat 25-Feb-23 18:25:05

Fleurpepper

Indeed. One of my best friends is going through this, and this is due to her daughter consulting some sort of Guru who has put ideas into her head about the past. It is very hard.

We hear more and more often about ACs expecting so much from parents, including full time free childcare, large loans, etc, etc, and turning really nasty if they don't get their way, and using grand-children's visiting rights as 'tools' to get what they want. So massive sympathy from me.

Without more information, we just do not know what is going on, and if there is indeed a solution. It is clear though, that family ties cannot hold forever in some cases.

We also hear about grandparents who think they have the right to have "silly" views, who want to impose their own style of parenting on their children and who seem to think that grandchildren were brought into the world to make them feel good. It works both ways.

Fleurpepper Sat 25-Feb-23 18:29:34

Yes, agreed.

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 18:51:48

VioletSky

maddyone I don't really approve of "child speak". It leads adults to believing that children aren't capable of understanding them and saying things in their presence that they shouldn't

Children need more credit than that

You can do as you like VS but I, as a parent and an ex primary teacher, believe children need to understand what is being said to them. Therefore the way we speak to children should be understandable by them and couched in terms that are straightforward and non controversial.
As I said previously, the majority of people do not want to criminalise granny.

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 19:01:40

In fact, most people, want to provide their children with the example of harmonious relationships within the family. This is better for the mental health of all the family and helps children to learn to develop to manage relationships in a pleasant manner.
Some grandparents on this site seem to be particularly keen to promote the exact opposite of this. Because you don’t agree with someone does not make them your enemy, it simply means you disagree. Children need to learn to manage relationships as this is what they will need to do later on in life, in the workplace for example. Teaching children that if you disagree with someone the way to manage this is to ostracise them is poor teaching in my opinion. I had some difficulties with my mother but I taught my children that despite her sometimes problematic behaviour, she was their grandmother, my mother, and still a valued member of our family despite the sometimes difficult behaviour.

Sarah75 Sat 25-Feb-23 19:09:32

maddyone

In fact, most people, want to provide their children with the example of harmonious relationships within the family. This is better for the mental health of all the family and helps children to learn to develop to manage relationships in a pleasant manner.
Some grandparents on this site seem to be particularly keen to promote the exact opposite of this. Because you don’t agree with someone does not make them your enemy, it simply means you disagree. Children need to learn to manage relationships as this is what they will need to do later on in life, in the workplace for example. Teaching children that if you disagree with someone the way to manage this is to ostracise them is poor teaching in my opinion. I had some difficulties with my mother but I taught my children that despite her sometimes problematic behaviour, she was their grandmother, my mother, and still a valued member of our family despite the sometimes difficult behaviour.

A sensible post, in my opinion. It seems to me, these days, that some people - parents or grandparents - rush to estrangement.

sodapop Sat 25-Feb-23 19:27:05

I agree maddyone we need to learn to manage differences.
As Sarah75 said estrangement seems be rushed into as a solution.

Fleurpepper Sat 25-Feb-23 19:29:50

Many of us are also prepared to walk on eggshells and be VERY careful about certain subjects, and do almost anything to avoid any damage to our relationships, and the one we have with grand-children. We are very fortunate that the few things we disagree with come in the camp of 'agree to disagree'. However, if my ACs held views from the far right, extreme forms of racism and prejudice, we would have to express that we disagree, and take what comes.

WE had cousins in USA we really got on so well with, had holidays together and had great fun. Then Obama was elected and the vitriol and extreme racist, islamophobic stuff came out. We tried to discuss, but it was not possible. We never argued- but that was that. Not sure how we would have reacted and coped if it was that sort of stuff with ACs. Thank goodness we don't have to face this.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 19:30:16

That's fine maddyone, that is your choice to parent as you see fit

But not much to do with saying granny is just being silly, which is the point you made with me.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 19:37:34

Some things about another person's personality are fundamentally a no for me and my children

1. Unwholesome opinions

2. Thinking they are so special and important we must listen to them

Lol no, afraid not, you can be my mother or the king and its a nope

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 19:43:52

I don’t parent any longer VS because my children are now all grown up and two of them have children of their own. If I was talking about the subject of racism with my grandchildren, and I only would if it somehow cropped up, I would say something a.one the lines of some people think…..but we don’t think that because it’s not very kind. That would be my child speak, simple, to the point, but not placing blame.

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 19:44:41

I should have pre read
something along the lines of

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 19:47:46

We cannot protect our children from unwholesome opinions because they will encounter them at some point whatever we do. Surely it’s better to educate them that certain things are unkind.
My opinion anyway.