Daughter-in-law

Cookie, I'm so sorry you're disappointed in your relationship - or lack of one - w/ DIL. Of course, you do have a kind of relationship w/ her, as MIL and DIL. But I think you and she are talking about a closer relationship than that, separate from the fact that she is married to DS. In fact, as you say, you would like her to be the "daughter you never had."

Unfortunately. her poor relationship w/ her own mum is making it difficult for her to have a mother/daughter relationship w/ anyone else. She has made that very clear. I know you think you two can "work on that," but I'm afraid she isn't interested or just isn't capable of it. Sorry to say, I think you need to step back and stop trying to create a closer relationship w/ her that's never going to be. If you keep pushing, I'm afraid she'll push harder in the other direction.

As for the texts, that may be her way of avoiding direct and perhaps more personal conversation. However, a lot of young people prefer texting to talking on the phone, so that may just be her preferred method of communication. She might feel more comfortable if you communicated the same way. But overall, I think you need to cut back contact and give her more space. Hugs!

Sorry Cookie but you can’t ‘manufacture’ a daughter because you didn’t have one She’s yours sons wife not your new daughter She has been very honest with you and that is something you need to accept It hasn’t worked out as you had imagined but that’s life I m afraid it rarely does
Who knows one day she may come round but not if you keep trying
Stop the calls and texts let her make contact when she’s ready you will drive a big wedge if you keep trying and that will be very difficult for your son
Good luck, but do stop trying

I think she’s been quite brave, it can’t have been an easy conversation for her

As the years pass, if you give her space, she may warm to you, but really, it’s her choice

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

People need to be able to choose how close they are to anyone including family and we all have to respect that as we would like our wishes respected.

You can’t force closeness and the best relationships grow naturally without one person pushing full speed ahead. If you take it at her speed now you may find, like the tortoise, you get there in the end - wherever you consider the end to be of course!

I'd like to know what's caused all these DiL's and D's to behave in this way. There's never smoke without fire !?

Well I blame it on the mothers EllanVannin !!! There is no single cause for family rifts, unfortunately we mainly hear about the problematic relationships on Gransnet. I am sure there are many good relationships out there.
Your daughter in law was brave enough to explain her feelings Cookie1961 and deserves respect for that. Don't push her, accept how things are for now and be there if needed.

I too feel sad for you, but I would like to put this perspective, that I was aware of during my time working with young families:
If a young woman can't have a strong relationship with her own mum (usually because of death, but occasionally other reasons such as the one you have been given) then she often cannot manage someone else in that place. It reminds her too much of what she doesn't have.
I would hold on to the relationship you do have. At some point (and it may not be soon) you may be able to let her know that you value what you do have. She does at least reply!

Not sure your comment is helpful EllanV

I agree with BlueBelle

Ellen there are always reasons why people do not get on togteher, just as their reasons why people do. This doesn't mean any fault on either side, just that two people, for whatever reason are incompatible.

Ellen and sodapop, I hear what you're saying, but I don't think anyone here is talking about rifts. They just talking about DILs who don't want a close, "mother/daughter" relationship w/ their MILs. I wouldn't have wanted that w/ my MIL (fortunately, I don't think she wanted that w/ me either). She wasn't my cup of tea. Also, we had our issues from time to time. But there was no rift. We got along nicely and she had a good relationship w/ DD. MIL and I simply were not "close," that's all.

IMO, if there's a difference in how close two people want to be, the relationship will end up being as close as the least interested person wishes. B/c no matter how hard the more interested person tries to tighten the relationship, that less interested one will resist., and a closer relationship just won't happen.

Starlady

Agree, you don’t have to be the best of friends, I didn’t always agree with my mother in law, we certainly weren’t close, and sometimes she drove me round the bend, but she was essentially good and kind, adored the children, and we rubbed along for many years without ever having words

I am sorry you are upset by it all and amazed it was all put into words but at least you know where you are. It doesn't sound like a fall out just someone who is aware she can't do the mother/MIL/daughter thing. I think I get on well with my DIL but she isn't always texting me or phoning and is in close touch with her own mother. I just take it as it is, things may settle for you as time goes on.

Accept the relationship for what it is Cookie and as others have suggested cut down on the text messages you send.

The OP has explained her d.i.l's. reasons for not wanting a close relationship with her EllanVinnan and as well as being unhelpful your post is also wrong; sometimes there is smoke without fire.

When someone tells you that they can no longer have a relationship with you - then you have no option but, to respect their choice. So you telling her that Well we have to work on that and then following up with more calls comes across as being very pushy and controlling on your end.

You can't push your will on others, and she has every right to terminate any relationship(s) that she no longer deems as being fit in her life. Continuing contact anyone after they've specifically told you they want nothing to do with you, is a form of harassment. She's not your daughter and you unfortunately can't live vicariously through her. I hope you find peace in all of this.

Oh for goodness sake MovingOn, a mother of an only child, hoping for a relationship with their AC's wife or husband isn't being controlling. The OP didn't say anything to suggest that she wanted to live vicariously through her d.i.l.

The OP's d.i.l. doesn't instigate contact but does respond if the OP texts her. Of course a relationship cannot be forced but there was nothing wrong with the OP hoping for a close relationship with her d.i.l. and it's a shame that that isn't going to happen.

My MIL told me she hoped I would be a sister to her DD , my OHs sister ! I ran a mile ( figuratively speaking ) you can't force relationships , I was not a DD to my MIL and I don't expect my DIL to be my chum , we have an amicable distant relationship

Smileless2012, i understand the spirit of your comment but I'm not sure your critique of MovingOn was quite right.

Cookie's DIL told her something painful for Cookie to hear, but it was honest and kind of DIL to set Cookie's expectations. However, Cookie disregarded what her DIL told her by telling her they would work on it and then proceeded to contact her quite a bit in the aftermath.

All she succeeded in doing was showing her DIL that she didn't respect what she had to say.

You said "...there was nothing wrong with the OP hoping for a close relationship with her d.i.l. and it's a shame that that isn't going to happen."

I would agree that there is nothing wrong with "hoping" for a close relationship with her DIL, but after she learned that wasn't going to happen (at least for now), she was no longer "hoping", she took action by stating she wouldn't respect DIL's boundary and then contacted DIL repeatedly after.

MovingOn is right, this does come off as controlling.

Even though Cookie sounds like a lovely woman who is hurt and upset by her and her DILs expectations and wants not matching up, she was wrong to push after being told DILs feelings.

(MovingOn, I hope i didn't overstep or put words in your mouth, apologies if I did).

I agree with Smileless

TBH Goodmama I think that the fact that Cookie's d.i.l. responds to any text messages she gets from her m.i.l. shows she's not wholly against any form of contact. This could be something to build on in the future and had Cookie never attempted to contact her d.i.l. following that conversation, which I agree must have been very hard for d.i.l. to deliver, there would be no contact there at all.

I suppose what you see as controlling, sending text messages which can be ignored or blocked if necessary, I see as an attempt from a mother of an only child, to establish some common ground with her son's wife.

It all depends of course on the content of the messages which I very much doubt were an attempt to control or the d.i.l. wouldn't have responded.

There was certainly nothing from the OP to suggest that she desired to live vicariously through her d.i.l. but is something that MovingOn accused her of doing.

Smileless2012, I would agree with you. I don’t think Cookie intentionally and spitefully disregarded her DILs request. I think she was just sad and trying to win her DIL over.

But, I think the result was the same. She disregarded her DIL’s boundary.

Her DIL responding is certainly a good sign. I want to add that the DIL didn’t say she wanted no contact, just that they weren’t going to have a super close mother-daughter relationship that Cookie wanted.

The DIL wasn’t offering all or nothing. She was explaining they would have a relationship, but it wouldn’t be what Cookie hoped for.

I can see both your and MovingOn’s point about “living vicariously”. I think you are right that Cookie didn’t say she wanted to be her DIL and live vicariously through her.

But, she did say she hoped her DIL would be the daughter she never had, which is asking her DIL to fulfill one of Cookie’s fantasies.

So perhaps it was a case of using the wrong word on MovingOn’s part, but I understand her point.

Anyway, I think Cookie has probably received wonderful advice on adjusting her expectations and accepting the relationship DIL is willing to offer moving forward.

I wish her peace and good fortune.

GoodMama thanks for your reply.