82456
Jun 2, 2013, 07:14 PM
Where to begin? My husband and I do not have the best relationship. Communication is the biggest problem. We've tried counseling but were unsuccessful and he's not willing to try it again. We sleep in separate bedrooms, do not have any friends that we socialize with, or even vacation together. We both have jobs but are nearing retirement age. We have two grown children, that live out of state.
My husbands career has always come first, and I found myself overindulging my children when I shouldn't have. There was a time when my son was in college and we didn't speak for 3 years. During his adolescent years, I was the "bad guy" or disciplinarian, as his dad worked shift work and often wasn't around when he wasn't in school. We used to have some pretty heated arguments which my husband would hear, but wouldn't interfere. He did not back me up when it came to discipline.
My daughter, who is 5 years younger witnessed all of this. She and I were much closer although we occasionally argued. My son and I have reconciled, now I'm experiencing a problem with my daughter. She went to college out of state and met and married a young man she met there. He is a great person and we love him very much. His parents are a decade younger than us and have a beautiful, huge home. My daughter and son-in-law live in an apartment located within this home.
During the past year and a half, I feel my daughter has turned her back on me and the family "back home." She rarely comes home, including the past two Mother's Day holidays or birthdays. Her entire focus seems to be on her new family. We have visited there several times. When I do go there, she is cold to me. She'll carry on conversations with her Dad, usually on topics I have no knowledge of. She has said mean and hurtful things to me, such as "I'm much closer to Dad than you." And, once told me the only reason my son reconciled with me is because their Dad said he couldn't afford to subsidize him and that he should make up with me. I just don't know who she's become.
I am not without fault, I recognize that I have made many mistakes too. Many times I felt like a single parent trying to juggle home, kids and a job. But I would hope by this point, given all we've been through, there would be more appreciation and respect. Heartbroken.
My husbands career has always come first, and I found myself overindulging my children when I shouldn't have. There was a time when my son was in college and we didn't speak for 3 years. During his adolescent years, I was the "bad guy" or disciplinarian, as his dad worked shift work and often wasn't around when he wasn't in school. We used to have some pretty heated arguments which my husband would hear, but wouldn't interfere. He did not back me up when it came to discipline.
My daughter, who is 5 years younger witnessed all of this. She and I were much closer although we occasionally argued. My son and I have reconciled, now I'm experiencing a problem with my daughter. She went to college out of state and met and married a young man she met there. He is a great person and we love him very much. His parents are a decade younger than us and have a beautiful, huge home. My daughter and son-in-law live in an apartment located within this home.
During the past year and a half, I feel my daughter has turned her back on me and the family "back home." She rarely comes home, including the past two Mother's Day holidays or birthdays. Her entire focus seems to be on her new family. We have visited there several times. When I do go there, she is cold to me. She'll carry on conversations with her Dad, usually on topics I have no knowledge of. She has said mean and hurtful things to me, such as "I'm much closer to Dad than you." And, once told me the only reason my son reconciled with me is because their Dad said he couldn't afford to subsidize him and that he should make up with me. I just don't know who she's become.
I am not without fault, I recognize that I have made many mistakes too. Many times I felt like a single parent trying to juggle home, kids and a job. But I would hope by this point, given all we've been through, there would be more appreciation and respect. Heartbroken.