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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.

Luckygirl3 Mon 23-Sept-24 10:59:02

Difficult.

I guess if I held, for instance, far right or racist views my children would be rightly concerned at my influence on the GC. They would wish to keep them away if they felt they could not trust me to keep my lips zipped.

eazybee Mon 23-Sept-24 10:32:16

Thread started in February 23, some additions in January 24.
Why resurrect?

Sallywally1 Mon 23-Sept-24 08:10:00

Should read message from her husband, not son!

Sallywally1 Mon 23-Sept-24 08:09:16

Nothing to offer but a hand hold. Our daughter cut us off and we cannot see our grandson, nor his brother. We did send presents but I got a nasty message from her son saying they just throw them away or ‘re gift’. It is heartbreaking I know. Luckily I see my son’s children, who I adore. I’m trying to move on but it is so hard. I hope they will contact me when they are old enough to decide for themselves,

Chelle60 Sat 06-Jan-24 20:32:19

Hello new here...I had to go to court etc almost 5yrs for access to my grandchild who is now 7yrs....at the time of separation we lived near each other...mum was very against me having contact but I've been granted a child arrangement order and we both stick to.it or vary it sometimes which is amicable.
By time of getting the order mum moved away hour each way for me to now visit which I do but getting older 60 on own I'm concerned if I can't get there she will not and never has brought him to me...i drive she doesn't.. plus half my age.
I get no photos school etc...or facetious...she won't allow not even a phone call nor their address to send correspondence...

MadeInYorkshire Sat 01-Jul-23 12:07:18

welbeck

are you also an anti-vaxxer, OP ?

Does it matter if she is?

I am now anti Covid vaccines, but wouldn't try to alter someone's view other than by asking them to do some research on it.

I took the first vaccines, then smelled a rat when the Govt were deliberately inflating the death stats - why, what were they gaining by that? I've had no more ....

The we get this

www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jun/22/health-bosses-warn-of-heart-disease-emergency-in-england?utm_term=6493c7441f4effe5c9ed25392b4382fa&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email

Why isn't anyone looking for other reasons? Because they choose not to! Young fit men and children are dropping like flies. It could be the vaccines, so why aren't they halted until we know - because they choose not to.

Hancock's WhatsApp message to me says it all ....

"We frighten the pants of (sic) everyone with the new strain
But the complication with that Brexit is taking the top line"

"Yep that's what will get proper bahaviour (sic) change"

"When do we deploy the new variant"

In order to DEPLOY anything you have to have it in your possession, by definition (bring into effective action) - to me that sounds dodgy?

The new SKYCovion vaccine that we have approved and probably have bought God know how many of, actually says in it's 'blurb' - "Efficacy was not evaluated as part of the clinical trial programme". So why are we buying it? Pfizer has had it's clinical trial information locked away for 75 years. Why would it need to do that? Astra Zeneca was taken off the market.

Have a read ...

www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulatory-approval-of-covid-19-vaccine-skycovion

Juliet27 Sat 01-Jul-23 10:55:33

Just pointing out that this thread is 4 months old

Mamasperspective Sat 01-Jul-23 10:43:32

Is it just political views or has there been some overstepping also and they have had enough? I would say it’s fine to have differences in political views as long as you’re not shouting from the rooftops and telling others they should have the same views as you do (social media is terrible for this)
Did they try addressing it with you a number of times and you have chosen to not listen?
For your own daughter to cut you off, things must have become pretty bad and it’s not always possible to backtrack once that straw has broken the camels back.
Ultimately they have their own nuclear family and you need to let them be (the more you push, the more they will pull away) I understand this is very hard for you but they have ‘flown the best’ so to speak and only the parents can decide what is best for their children. If they consider your words or actions toxic, they won’t want their children growing up with that influence in their lives.
Is it maybe worth writing your daughter one last heartfelt letter to take accountability and apologise for your actions? (Don’t keep repeating how much you are hurting otherwise that means the focus of the letter is on you as opposed to how much you have hurt her) and tell her that after the letter, you won’t bother her anymore?
You have nothing more to lose so maybe worth a try?

Caleo Mon 27-Feb-23 11:37:29

Actually in support of Jenrev, she has written that what she actually opposes is noisy or violent demos. I myself am all for supporting noisy demos. However there have been many grans writing on these pages who are like Jenrev in their opposition to violence in demos.

Caleo Mon 27-Feb-23 11:32:19

We actually need to know what Jenrev said, verbatim, her tone of voice, and the whole context. It would also help to read the young parents' opinions.

Unless we know these variables we can't assess what is the best response that will help the children to learn.

Jenrev may need to bring her ideas on racial equality( black lives matter) up to date, quite apart from future access to her grandchildren. If Jenrev can do this and demonstrate to the young parents she has changed her consciousness then she may be reinstated.

VioletSky Sun 26-Feb-23 17:40:15

I used to try and think differently Madgran I was told growing up that some people "are a product of their time" but they arent boxed up in a museum somewhere, they exist in our time, they haven't changed because they choose not to

Madgran77 Sun 26-Feb-23 17:33:22

But what I was saying is that if any grandma made racist remarks then calling her "silly granny" and poking fun is not the way forward.

I agree *VS

VioletSky Sun 26-Feb-23 13:16:41

Also genuinely, I can't see past racism, sorry, that's a character flaw that overshadows any good characteristics a person has. That's who they are and their whole personality in life and how they treat people is based on what they look like... racists are just not good people, cannot like, generally come with many other similar flaws, it is a no from me.

I stopped visiting "silly" grandma at 15, because she wasn't silly she was oppressive and harmful to multiple demographics and people like she was are the reason others are oppressed and fighting for their rights

VioletSky Sun 26-Feb-23 13:11:03

It's possible we strayed from OP a bit

But what I was saying is that if any grandma made racist remarks then calling her "silly granny" and poking fun is not the way forward.

Children will either repeat what granny says at school because granny is just silly or they will have no respect for granny and will eventually stop speaking to her anyway.

I'd rather give the responsibility to granny not to be an awful human.

"Those are irresponsible things to say around my children, I am not raising my children to be discriminatory and if you don't change that attitude my children won't be around you"

If granny didn't change I'd say to my children:

"The things your granny is saying are very unkind and not OK, we value others in this house and the things that make us different as well as the things that make us the same. Because granny won't stop saying those things, we won't visit granny until she changes her mind"

My children know that whoever they bring home, whether that is a partner or a friend, whatever their religion, race, gender or sexuality is welcome in my house. If they aren't welcome in grannies house granny isn't going to get a visit and that's grannies silly fault

Caleo Sun 26-Feb-23 12:27:13

Violet Sky, we are on the same train.
I think that to ban the grandmother from the house is too much like hating the person.

My idea that the granny's daft idea can be laughed at about is like how parents might make fun of other bad ideas such as superstitions. For instance my mother used to laugh about ghosts ,which at one time frightened me , and that was how I learned ghosts were nonsense.

VioletSky Sun 26-Feb-23 11:47:25

My children do know that Caleo and hate is a very pointless way to spend life. Which is why they have been brought up to be open minded and accepting

Caleo Sun 26-Feb-23 11:35:25

Violet Sky wrote:
" I would keep my children away from someone who is emotionally abusive the same way I would keep my children away from someone who is sexually or physically abusive."

Okay. However your children need to learn there are people who say bad things. We would not want to pretend to the kids these people don't exist. neither do we want to scare the children. What it all comes down to is : hate the action(or opinion) but not hate the person.

Caleo Sun 26-Feb-23 11:29:45

Grams2five, I agree.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 23:25:49

We estrange abusive people in my house. I would keep my children away from someone who is emotionally abusive the same way I would keep my children away from someone who is sexually or physically abusive. Each type does extreme harm to their victims and while I sometimes see the rhetoric that emotional abuse isn't that bad, that's an entirely ignorant viewpoint and disregards a large portion of the population struggling with low self esteem, anxiety, depression, suicide and physical health ailments.

My mother estranged many people too, jealousy, power, control and didn't really consider or care who got hurt in the process. She could see her own parents were abusive yet never estranged them and could never see how she carried that legacy on with her own daughter. Because she thought herself very special and important and always right

We are very different her and I, and my children and I are all much happier since estrangement and we finally feel safe. It's taught us a lot, about how to protect ourselves in future and how people like her are just... nothing, can't harm a hair on our heads, we have each other

Norah Sat 25-Feb-23 23:22:10

Sarah75

I am saying - repeating - that we will all have different ways of managing family dynamics The way you have chosen would not suit others (me, for instance)

Sarah75 I am saying - repeating - that we will all have different ways of managing family dynamics.

Indeed.

Nobody has identical family to another.

Nobody "manages" anything the exact same way, either.

Smileless2012 Sat 25-Feb-23 22:12:16

As you say Sara we all have different ways of managing family dynamics and as children grow into adult hood, the way their parents chose to manage them may not be their preferred option.

Not everyone chooses to estrange a family member and some may not agree that their parents did the right thing when estranging some of theirs.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 21:46:04

No idea what is going on the maddyone

What is your specific problem.with what I have said?

Let's go from there

Personally I think just putting it down to "silly granny" doesn't help anyone

maddyone Sat 25-Feb-23 21:38:18

VS I did not give you a different example but if you choose to interpret what I said in that way, it’s entirely up to you.

VioletSky Sat 25-Feb-23 21:03:58

Cool

Sarah75 Sat 25-Feb-23 20:50:59

I am saying - repeating - that we will all have different ways of managing family dynamics The way you have chosen would not suit others (me, for instance)