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Gosh...now that I started this thread I don't even know where to begin with it!
Let me just start out by saying that this thread is not so much adoption related as it is a rant about the horrible relationship I have with my mother.
I have never really had a good relationship with my mom, probably the best it ever was was right after I gave birth to the daughter that I am parenting.
She has been married and divorced 7 times, she had an abusive alkie father who sexually molested her. I know her childhood was very rough. On the same note she kind of choce that same childhood for me as well. I too was sexually molested by a step-father, and she had many one-night stands in a drunken stupor. I was never really abused per say...more like I was simply neglected.
I was often pushed aside for her favorite flavor of the week, month or year which ever it happened to be. I hhave a sister that is 7 years younger then me that I pretty much raised from the time she was 10. I spent many nights of my teen years babysitting either my sister or nursing my mom through her latest heartbreak.
I did not have it easy during my childhood, it was actually very hard. She would meet a man that would decide to move and she would up and move us as well. I have lived in so many different places it is crazy. I was never offered any stability, love or compassions as I was growing up.
It really is no wonder that I too saught out an abusive guy to decide to have a baby with. It is also no wonder that I ended up pregnant at 17, the only difference is I was pushed into giving my baby up. My mom was one of the people that helped to put a lot of pressure on me to place my daughter.
I never understood that!!! Why was it ok for her to have and parent me, but she didnt want me to parent my own child. One thing that she said to me was...Let me tell you, Casandra, being a single mom is not living it is existing. When you are a single parent you never really know what it means to live you simply exist for yourself and your children.
Her saying that was one of the things that has always stuckin my head. Can I tell you that looking back I would have rather had the existence of a single parent than the existence I have had a birthmother? Either way maybe I wold have not ever been living for myself, but at least if I had parented her I would have at least had her.
I guess what has brought me to the point I am at today is...my mom just won't talk to be about my situation with Jenna. She side steps it and tap dances around it, and it is driving me crazy. You know she wasn't even in the delivery room with me when I had her, she hardly came to the hospital at all while I was there, and she when it came time for me to sign the papers she was no where to be seen when the aparents came and sat for about 2 hours pressuring me into signing them.
She just has been so checked out of my life for so long that I fell like it takes too much energy for me to continue to sit on the sidelines of her life patiently waiting for her to give me some playing time. IT HURTS!!! I just want her to love me, I just want her to acknowledge me, and most of all I just want her to treat me like a daughter and not like a casual aquaintence.
When I call her to talk about Jenna or even my life or the children I am raising I get a lot of...can I call you later? or my phone battery is dying, or I can't talk right now b/c (insert every lame excuse you can think of including I am in the middle of vacuuming my floors!) I am confused by what it is that I have done to make her want to treat me like this.
I have put up with so much crap from her throughout my life it is crazy. She recently told me that the only reason she didn't want me to parent Jenna was because...The idea of her granddaughter being raised by total strangers didn't scare her as much as her losing the only care taker she had ever had. Hmmm...notice how I was her care taker...not the other way around?
Here is the recent craziness...
She had been telling me for a year now that no matter what she would come and visit me here at my home this summer. (about 3 years ago she moved to Florida and we moved to Illinois. She grew up here in Illinois, all of her brothers and sisters live here as well. In the last 3 years she has not come to visit me once, yet my husband, children and I have made 2 trips to Florida to see her, and she has made 3 trips to see my step-dad's kids and my sister who all live in PA)
Anyway...she was suppose to come her for my daughter's sweet 16 party on Aug 16th. She promised her and she promised me. About 2 weeks before the party I got the "I can't come" call. She told me that they couldn't afford it, and that she couldn't use the vacation time because she may have to have surgery on her wrist. (she has used that excuse for the past 3 years!) I told her fine I understood even though I didn't. Well come to find out she and my step dad just fly back to FL from PA after a week long vacation with my sister and step-siblings.
I am deeply hurt!!! I want to address this with her, but I know she won't allow me to. My daughter is terribly hurt, and wants nothing more to do with her grandmother. Here is what I need advice on...How do I tell my mom that I no longer wish to have a relationship with her, and not be hurt when she doesn't care?
She just has been so checked out of my life for so long that I fell like it takes too much energy for me to continue to sit on the sidelines of her life patiently waiting for her to give me some playing time. IT HURTS!!! I just want her to love me, I just want her to acknowledge me, and most of all I just want her to treat me like a daughter and not like a casual aquaintence.
I think you will have to accept the fact that your mom will never be the mom you want her to be. Never has been, and never will be. It's hard to accept this, I know, as I also have a mother who is very limited in how she can BE a mother. You cannot change your mom. You can only change how you react and respond to her.
Here is what I need advice on...How do I tell my mom that I no longer wish to have a relationship with her, and not be hurt when she doesn't care?
I would make sure you are firm on cutting ties before saying so. Then, just tell her, or write her a letter indicating your stance. I wouldn't go into a long winded explanation or a laundry list of reasons why. She won't see it from your perspective anyway. Just lay it out, or just stop associating with her without any explanation at all. How not to be hurt when she doesn't care is another issue altogether. I can't answer that one. Have you thought about seeing a therapist to help you with this??
How is your relationship now with your daughter you relinquished? Maybe focus on that and it will help you take your mind of your mom. Is there is another person in your life that is like a "mother figure" to you? I had an aunt who was like a mom to me, and I also have an older cousin I am close with. I share with her all the "goings on" in my life that I cannot discuss with my mom.
I hope this doesn't sound insensitive, but given your description of your upbringing, has your daughter perhaps benefitted from growing up in an adoptive home? I ask this because one of the reasons I placed my son was to get him out of a dysfunctional family life that I feel would have influenced him in a negative way. I realize no family is perfect, not even his adoptive family, but there was stability there and close family ties, without all the craziness in his envionment. I am truly thankful for that.
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Ugh I'm so sorry. I thought my mother was bad! A lot of your story resonated with me. I was my mother's caretaker as well and she was the most UN maternal human being in the world. She told me NEVER to have children and that if she could do her life over she also wouldn't have had me or my two sibs. She was possessive over my dad and jealous that we loved him. She said weird things, was kind of inappropriate bordering on other stuff....was never near the mother my friends had. Never helped with homework, never played with me ugh ugh ugh. She never made me breakfast! I was in first grade dressing myself, feeding myself, finding my way to the bus stop.
One day she fell down the steps and died (about 6 years ago). I'm not kidding. I cried so hard I thought I would drown for a few months but then I started healing....like really fast. I never miss her now because my life is DS and she didn't even want me to have kids! I'm GLAD she's not around to criticize our OA, to comment, to reject me when I least expect it. I feel I have a life for the first time. Isnt' that sad? I'm not glad she died or anything but I can tell you my brother who has suffered from horrible mental illness has never been better.
You do need to be sure what you want. And then you have to accept in your heart that you are NOT doing it to get a reaction from her. Personally from everything you described I suspect it may be the best decision you ever make. We can live better without toxic people in our lives even if they are our "mothers"
Good luck. I wish you the BEST. PS You'll also be setting a GREAT example for your daughter in that you demand respect from people (for you and for her)
Jennasmom1990
I have put up with so much crap from her throughout my life it is crazy. She recently told me that the only reason she didn't want me to parent Jenna was because...The idea of her granddaughter being raised by total strangers didn't scare her as much as her losing the only care taker she had ever had. Hmmm...notice how I was her care taker...not the other way around?
Banging my head on some mad 'so and sos' wall..
She is wrong.. she even admits it.. she is not a good parent.. and those are the facts..
You grieving this may be the task at hand..
Accepting it.. walking by it..
I am deeply hurt!!! I want to address this with her, but I know she won't allow me to. My daughter is terribly hurt, and wants nothing more to do with her grandmother. Here is what I need advice on...How do I tell my mom that I no longer wish to have a relationship with her, and not be hurt when she doesn't care?
I think the way to do this is learning to love yourself.. and saying no..
Putting up those old boundaries.. those words that say.. ғgo this far but go no further..
Not about cut off.. just saying no..
Its so hard.. I had a terrible time saying this to my mom because her drinking was all my fault.. ha..
And my dad would be miserable if I was not the good caretaker daughter..
All on me..
Accepting what we can not change..
Jackie
I am sorry Jenna. While my father was never abusive with me I was often the adult in the relationship, so I can relate remotely.
It has taken me 28 years to realize that I can't change him and that no matter how hard I want it or how much effort I put into the relationship he will never be the "perfect" dad. I have had to put boundaries up for myself so I don't get hurt all the time but have come to realize the relationship is what it is.
((((HUGS))))
.How do I tell my mom that I no longer wish to have a relationship with her, and not be hurt when she doesn't care?
Cas..you know I love you and I am here for you, just needed to say that. I am hearing noise from upstairs >>:hissy: << again and will pm you and come back here ASAP. Tracy (((((CAS)))))
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