MOTHER & SON RELATIONSHIPS

During discussions I have had with my son since, he asked why I didn't point the things out and warn him?

Oh yes, when I got together with my abusive ex a friend of mine said it to me straight. Of course I fell out with my friend. When I finally split up and was going through all my ex's faults in my head, I suddenly remembered that all that was what my friend had pointed out to me.

I think as a mother you can’t do right for doing wrong. My advise would be to take a step back and let them get on with it. Because your son will always choose his wife. Which is the way it should be, and hopefully you can be a close 2nd.
Everyone wants their children to meet someone nice and settle down, but sometimes it causes a divided family, which is heartbreaking. So tread very carefully.

I agree with Gonegirl on this one. Similar circumstances whereby my son listened to everything his fiance said. I tried so hard to like her, but she made it obvious to me that she didn't like me.

Anyway, there was a very harsh message from my son, and I decided at that point enough was enough. I just let them get on with it, I was so angry. I had no contact for a year and tbh I needed the break from all of their problems.

Our relationship is now back on an even keel; he is married to a different girl, an utterly wonderful person.

I'm not sure therapy will help, sometimes you just have to let go and hope things work out.

I don't understand why we think we should like or even love the partners our children choose for themselves.
In the beginning, they are random people who we don't know. Strangers.
We can't expect or be expected to like everyone. Our (your and my) AC have their own tastes in food, drink, clothes, friends, music, hobbies, films etc so why be upset if their choice of partner is not your choice for them?

I don't understand why we think we should like or even love the partners our children choose for themselves

It is indeed a problem, but when our children's partners end up being the parents of our grandchildren, we do have to try to see the best in them.

OP after reading you later posts it looks like the complications are arising from your Dil's complicated past relationships with her stepmother and mother?In which case she will be projecting on to you issues she hasn't resolved with them. And then you have done nothing wrong and
there is nothing you can do apart from talk with her if she wants to.
while she projects her unresolved issues onto you it makes it easier for her but not everyone else.
I think the Therapy really needs her to be there to work.
Still a good idea to stand back and keep your good relationship with your DS he will need you whatever happens.

I wish you all the best.

I think that is very perceptive CarlyD7: 'There is a reason your son has married her - which only he may ever know - but you have to trust that there is something in the relationship that he needs" I sometimes wonder if the more inspiring etcetc and great the mother is, the more the children will opt for spouses that don't conform to the adoration. Harsh to good mums but perhaps necessary to the adukt children if they are to shine on their own. Take it on the chin.

I feel you have accomplished masses by getting all siblings to agree to go to family therapy. It shows that you all care and want to resolve the situation. If your son really, really loves his fiancee and feels her to be perfect he is going to be taking a lot of pummeling from the rest of you. It could push him even closer to her as he'll hear things he doesn't want to believe. She sounds so controlling I'm amazed she is 'allowing' him to attend the meeting. Take lots of tissues!
Good luck. Do post on thevoutcome.

P.S. I agreed with pinkquartz, you really need for your sons fiancee to join in the therapy but she'd have to be a very brave woman to do so as she must believe it's already 4 against 1.

LOU2019

Feel for you. And, contrary to what some previous posters have assumed, you don't come across as controlling.

I have good friends who are in a similar situation and it is SO hard. I'm sure as your son has suggested the counselling, it sounds as if he wants to mend fences so it should be fruitful.

Yes, of course, there will be adjustments needed by all parties and there might be hard truths to hear but I wish you all the very best with the counselling. You deserve it.

I agree with Fenton95

Willa45 our dil was very clever at worming her way into our family and struck up a very close relationship with our dd (who was very close to ds). She was treated like our own, invited to all family occasions and happily lived with us as was unhappy at home and struggled with her mother. We never put down her family and all joined in big mixed family parties etc. Once they got engaged she changed, literally over night, they had moved out by this time. Over a couple years my sons friends started to stay away despite them having partners and all going out/away as groups. One by one she upset them until they decided to stay away (3 groomsmen dropped out of wedding). Her iwn chief bridesmaid and one other dropoed out as well. She upset dd several times who said nothing to keep the peace, but now has strained relationship with both of them. As I posted previously she kicked off at some family events and spoiled them and said some hurtful things. Our ds spoke to us saying that her comments were just her joking and she just comes across wrong! Anyway they married and had children and she spends more time with her mother because her mother does a lot of childcare because dil finds it all too hard. Ds does most of childcare when he not working to give her a rest. We have gc 1 day a week as she had decided to try a job! My db (who works in the field) has watched carefully and says she has narcissistic tendencies and possible sociopath. She NEVER accepts responsibilty for her actions and it is always everyone else (her mother, her sister, dd, me etc) making her behave how she does. My son does struggle but is loyal, which is commendable, and remains so for the gc. I do think though that one day he will wake up and decide he's had enough. We keep our distance and say nothing as dont want to lose contact with gc. I akso feel that if oud ds stopoed buying all thd things she sets her heart on, she will move on to someone with more ?. I have tead up on narcissists and tgey are very clever and manipulative to get what they want and cadt people aside when no longer needed, this suits her down to the ground

Please excuse aweful typing, wish this had edit function

Oh, there are all types in this world and we cannot know very much from the few paragraphs the OP has written. But what we do know is that the OP needs to try to see the best in her future DIL, as long as she is her son's partner. And should there be grandchildren, then that will be forever.

So easy for everyone to tell you to pull back and let them get on with it. Fortunately I have been so lucky regarding my AC’s choice of life partners but it must be hard to cope with your situation and I feel for you.
My darling mum had the same problem with her DIL. She bent over backwards to make her welcome but she just didn’t want to be part of our fantastic family. Not once did she interfere but stayed calm and loyal to my brother. That really is all you can do. Sending you love and hugs. ?

Clearly a very common scenario! Mothers of sons and dils. Each one regarding the other as the bad guy!

Sadly dils haven’t always got the life experience to manage the situation well. So it’s down to the mother of the adult son. I have struggled over the years as a mother of an only son. But I have made huge progress! Painful progress! My tips are, pull back, don’t interfere, be supportive when necessary, get your own life going, your son has his family now and they come before you! Try and walk a mile in the dils shoes before criticising. You have to gain her trust and it may take time. My dil has just asked me to join them for Christmas! There’s a first! One more thing. My son married a girl with 2 teenage girls. My kindness to them has won my dils heart! Kill ‘em with kindness!