• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Advice on dealing with 'Awkward Parents'

Status
Not open for further replies.
You are making a mistake joint purchasing that house no matter what legal agreements you have drawn up. If you are committed to this girl, marry her, and get the house. If not, buy a more modest house just on your own and make her pay rent.

You are not covered in case of the worst. If you break up, who decides to sell? Is it automatic? Is there a buyout clause? How is the price determined? Can she refuse to sell and refuse to move out and live there rent free? Is she obligated to pay a certain percent of the mortgage?
 
Stick with your girlfriend... You only have one girlfriend, parents come and go. Plenty more parents in the sea.
 
Following the trend here, move out as soon as you can. Your parents disowning you is nothing, really. I've been there and done that, and got over it. Infact, my parents and I had a similar fallout - my dad had a heart attack, and him and my mother blame me to this day. I ain't even mad, though.
 
You are making a mistake joint purchasing that house no matter what legal agreements you have drawn up. If you are committed to this girl, marry her, and get the house. If not, buy a more modest house just on your own and make her pay rent.

You are not covered in case of the worst. If you break up, who decides to sell? Is it automatic? Is there a buyout clause? How is the price determined? Can she refuse to sell and refuse to move out and live there rent free? Is she obligated to pay a certain percent of the mortgage?

Agreed on all this. Seems to me that the parental drama is making him want to push forward with buying the house. Funny that the gf telling the mom that she thinks he may cheat on her has now turned into them getting a house together. Very interesting.
 
We find a lovely new house which should be ready my the end of the year, and by that time we will have been together for 2 years which for me I think is a good time to take that step.

To meet certain criteria for our mortgage we need to make it a joint mortgage. I'm the main bread winner if you like and will be footing the bill for 95% of the costs so I'm obviously a little uneasy about signing half the house away. I speak to my girlfriend and she agrees. Ideally she wouldn't be on it as she doesn't really want to have that responsibility but we both agree that if the worst comes to worst then a 50:50 spilt wouldn't be fair on me.

So we agree with our solicitor to write up a legally binding document with both our signatures which gives us each what we feel is a fair % of ownership of the house if we were to sell it. We are both happy with this and feel it's the fairest way to get back what we are entitled to if worst case scenario happens.

Exciting times!

This is your only mistake. Do not put her name on anything unless she is your wife or maybe fiance. Seriously, I've seen it way too often where these situations don't end well. Not saying yours will end badly but giving her a smaller percentage isn't good enough. You need to have it all in your name and let her pay what she wants towards it until you reach the next level in your relationship.

Remember, sometimes the best advice is advice you don't wanna hear. Please don't set yourself up for heartache.



As for the rest of your situation... my parents are hardcore Christian and my dad is a minister. They didn't want me moving in with my gf (now my wife) at the time. I could understand that and I saved more money while I was living with them until we got married anyway.

But your parents are just being plain ol' controlling. Your mom is going to have to get over it. If not, live your life man. That's all you can do. Be happy and if they can't respect that you're happy with her then that's their problem and not yours.
 
I'd say leave the parents for a bit, but what are your brothers take on this? You don't explain much on that front or are they a very neutral side in this? I mean if they see your parents bs you still got them as family.

My brothers are too young to properly have a view on this. No doubt they will be told that I chose my gf over them if I were to leave.

They are only aged 10 and 12.

Your parents sound like my Mom from time to time. Salty as fuck over a minor slight, sharing secrets she has no business sharing, holding grudges for years. But at least my mom has mellowed out over the years.

Just rent an apartment for the next 6 months. If you've already got enough for a down payment, renting a room can't be that big of an expense on top for half a year. It probably wasn't wise to go in together on owning a place with someone you're not even engaged with, but that's neither here nor there. Your parents obviously don't want you to leave, so they will continue to sabotage this and every other relationship that you have.

Sounds like my mum really.

Yeah I see a few people mentioning that. For clarity I'm a UK gaffer so I don't know if maybe people's views on owning a house with someone are skewed due to the U.S. Being different in that perspective.

In the UK (Scotland specifically) when a couple buy a house they are regarded as cohabitants.

There are 2 options:

- 'Joint Tennants' : If you own the property as joint tenants, this means that you will each have an equal interest in the property

And

- 'Tennants in Common' : If you're living together and owning the property as tenants in common, you don't necessarily have equal shares. You may think this is appropriate if you have made unequal contributions towards the purchase price and want this to be reflected on the sale of the property.

If you intend to hold the property as tenants in common, you should discuss with your conveyancer whether you should enter into a trust deed. They can draft one for you. This is a binding agreement regarding your property, which means that you can regulate what will happen to the property in the event that you separate (e.g. on what terms one of you can be bought out).

We are the latter option, whereby I own a larger percentage of the house and if we separate what the terms are for the separation.

Also the only reason she is on the mortgage (she actually doesn't want to be) is due to the way the first time buyers help to buy scheme works over here. With my wage alone I don't qualify as they say I earn too much, but with her wage involved it allows us to qualify as the way it is worked out is different.

Yep. Move in with your girlfriend and see if the time away from your parents helps the situation. It doesn't seem like it's helping for you to still be living in their house.

I wish it would help the situation, unfortunately I already spend 3 weeks away from home due to work and then when I'm home I'm rarely home and it still doesn't help the situation unfortunately.

It sounds like you're 24 and your parents think you're still 12 and need to control everything.
It's time to move out.


I have a friend that has a similar issue. She was dating a guy that is really awesome but a bit overweight. Her parents HATE the dude. They got engaged, and the parents want nothing to do with him because a good guy would care more for his body than to let it go to waste like that.

Pretty much. It makes me wonder if I'm at fault. Am I the problem here?

This is basically "fishing for an apology", which is super passive-aggressive, and would fall into your mom's perception of her being a "shit-stirrer". In your mom's eyes she's just looking out for her son's best interests, so why should she recant what she's said or apologize to your GF?

I'm not saying your mom is right, but I can understand where her skewed thought process is coming from.

My gf has already tried to apologise for sending the message via texts, voicemails and handwritten letters as when she discussed it with her co-worker they brought up that very same thought.

So she tried to apologise if that was indeed the way that my mother had taken the message as it was not her intention.

No reply.

Yeah, you're gonna have to move out, that's really not the best for you. Especially since they've affected your past three relationships by doing this stuff.

It's unfortunate, but you will probably have to go a bit without seeing them, until they get a bit older. Your brothers will probably try to get in contact with you when they're able, though. I don't know how old your brothers are, though?

I know :/ it just feels like déjà vu all over again. No matter what I do it's as though I return to this same point every time.

My brothers are 10 and 12 and I love them to bits. It would break my heart if that happened and it would also make the situation completely unfixable in my eyes as I would never forgive my parents for using children as a pawn in their twisted game.

It was a rather odd mistake that your gf made in the first place. I can't imagine ever saying to a parent that i worry that your child will cheat on me.

But neither of you deserve this sort of reaction. Move into your new home and have a stable life and relationship and they'll come around. Just have to let them do it on their own though.

It was naive. I should have pre warned her but at the same time I thought my parents would be decent people as they were all for her being around.

Your parents are toxic. Get out of the house, either rent or live with your girlfriend. Best of luck!

Thank you :(

Do your parents bathe regularly? If so, then they aren't as awkward as that other Gaffer's.

I think I missed this thread, could do with a chuckle or two if it's still around!

Your mother seems afraid to lose you to another woman, thats why she's doing this.

I do have to say that giving a part of the house you're paying its a bad idea.

I can totally understand the control freak sentiment as that wouldn't be anything unexpected from her.

About the house, we would both be paying our fair share, although me more upfront, please see the start of this post.

Thanks for the advice.

yeah. jumping straight into full-on house purchasing with your girlfriend, one of 2 years, blows my mind. to each his/her own but god damn i would never set myself up for that big of a potential headache. many times you still barely know people after that short of time. there are exceptions where people stay together forever of course and get married after 1 year of dating and all that, but you start throwing contracts and finances and such into the mix after 2 years of dating and whelp. your mother, along with her other problems, probably sees this as a huge mistake. our parents tend to (though not always) have better perspectives on the passage of time, and your mother probably thinks 2 years isn't anything in the scheme of it all (it really isn't). my father who i love dearly and get along with great would try to kick my ass if i married or bought a house with a girl after that short of time. but everyone is truly different and i'm slightly off-topic. and good luck, there's some solid advice in this thread already

Thanks for the advice!

You choose you. Get out of there, don't look back, and help your brothers out when the time comes.

Also- you're young- going in on a house at 24-25 might lock you down a bit more than you want to be.

Thanks, yeah it is a massive deal! Fortunately I do have a good job and financially will have a nice amount leftover each month to do as I please.

I'm under no illusions how difficult it is going to be for the first couple of years though!

You are making a mistake joint purchasing that house no matter what legal agreements you have drawn up. If you are committed to this girl, marry her, and get the house. If not, buy a more modest house just on your own and make her pay rent.

You are not covered in case of the worst. If you break up, who decides to sell? Is it automatic? Is there a buyout clause? How is the price determined? Can she refuse to sell and refuse to move out and live there rent free? Is she obligated to pay a certain percent of the mortgage?

See the first part of this post.

There is a buyout clause, which will be for example, if we split up after 1 year, she is putting 400 p/m towards the house, so
400*12 = 4800.

She is obligated to pay her 400 per month.

Following the trend here, move out as soon as you can. Your parents disowning you is nothing, really. I've been there and done that, and got over it. Infact, my parents and I had a similar fallout - my dad had a heart attack, and him and my mother blame me to this day. I ain't even mad, though.

Thanks and I'm sorry you had to go through that :/

Agreed on all this. Seems to me that the parental drama is making him want to push forward with buying the house. Funny that the gf telling the mom that she thinks he may cheat on her has now turned into them getting a house together. Very interesting.

Not really, that was always the plan eventually anyway, it's just that with the current housing market and potential changes to help first time buyers buy a property ending soon it's a now or never kind of deal.

The gf was feeling insecure about that as in her previous relationship she was cheated on.

This is your only mistake. Do not put her name on anything unless she is your wife or maybe fiance. Seriously, I've seen it way too often where these situations don't end well. Not saying yours will end badly but giving her a smaller percentage isn't good enough. You need to have it all in your name and let her pay what she wants towards it until you reach the next level in your relationship.

Remember, sometimes the best advice is advice you don't wanna hear. Please don't set yourself up for heartache.

As for the rest of your situation... my parents are hardcore Christian and my dad is a minister. They didn't want me moving in with my gf (now my wife) at the time. I could understand that and I saved more money while I was living with them until we got married anyway.

But your parents are just being plain ol' controlling. Your mom is going to have to get over it. If not, live your life man. That's all you can do. Be happy and if they can't respect that you're happy with her then that's their problem and not yours.

Thanks for the advice, see the first part of this post about the house, I'm not sure if it's potentially different in the U.S.? I've heard horror stories from over there :o

Essentially, in Scotland you can choose to enforce a legally binding, written, signed by both parties 'cohabitant agreement'. It's essentially a pre-nup in regards to property if you like.

In this document it states what happens if we decide to split up, who owns what % of the house, gives the option to buy each other out of our ownership of the house, etc.

Also, the ownership % of the house can be dictated by the title deeds. We will be doing both to be 100% on who owns what.

My reasoning for not looking at getting married etc at the moment is that id like to see how it is living with her first before making that commitment. If after a year of staying together things are all still good then I'd definitely consider engagement.

Thank you for all the advice so far and I'm sorry if I didn't reply to your post!
 
So as an update to this thread from where it left off before, my parents have re-iterated that they no longer want anything to do with me.

I've tried to keep things civil in our household, my dad the same, my mother completely blanks me and ignores anything I say.

My gf and I sign on the dotted line for our house on Thursday and I'm under no illusions that there is going to be some sort of blow back from my parents.

I'm in a position now where a small part of me is worried about what the future holds if I follow through with this, the other 99% of me is like fuck it, it's what's best for you.

:I
 
Regardless of your GF (and I do hope it works out amazingly for you both) you need to get the hell out of there. I'm sorry to say, but your parents sound horrible. You've gone above and beyond to be patient and understanding with their bullshit.
 
Your parents have proved that they aren't mature enough to be involved with that part of your life. If you love your girlfriend and want a future with her you should protect her from them.
 
Not relating to whats going on with your parents, isn't getting a mortgage with a girl of 2 years a bit fast? At least move into an apartment and rent for a year if anything.
 
Your parents are bonkers.

This is easier to say than to accept. Your parents were the defining figures in your life for many years, and their word was gospel. It's not easy to say in your heart that "my parents are dead wrong." But in this case, they are acting strange, jumping to conclusions, and making you and your SO's life miserable.

I don't have any advice besides this: don't listen to your parents or let them get in the way of your relationship, and move out if you can.
 
Not relating to whats going on with your parents, isn't getting a mortgage with a girl of 2 years a bit fast? At least move into an apartment and rent for a year if anything.

2 years is a pretty long time and if they split it's not like she gets the house

Also OP when your parents will try to slime their way back in if/when you have children and to be honest I have to say dont let them even come close.

They are your parents but they are also people and some people are just not good people.
 
Obviously your parents are difficult people and they didn't act perfectly. However, here's where IMO you and your girlfriend went wrong:

At the start of our relationship, around 1 month in, I was out of the country for a week with my brother to visit our grandparents who live abroad. As my gf got on so well with my parents they invited her over for dinner and to stay the night when I wasn't there. On this night she spoke to my mother about her insecurities, that she had been cheated on in the past and was scared of me doing it to her, to which my mother said I'm not that type of person (which I'm not).

This is way too soon for your girlfriend to divulge something like that, especially if this is only the first/second time she's met your parents. No matter how welcome they made her feel (which is mostly out of politeness), there are certain boundaries. To your girlfriend: these are your potential future in-laws; you respect them and try to develop a relationship with them but do not go telling secrets like you're at a high school sleepover. Maybe a few years in and you are 100% confident in how they feel about you as a person, but certainly not one month in. You need to consider social boundaries, not just the words that come out of their mouths.

I also tell her that my mother thinks she's a shit stirrer/manipulator (I show her the text my mother sent me saying as such)

This was a horrible idea. There was no need to show your gf that text or tell her what your mother said. Should your mother have said that about your gf behind her back? Maybe not. But your mother confided in you, and you completely betrayed her trust and disrespected her, and took the side of some girl you've known for a year over your own mother of 25 years, who raised you.

Your mother at least had the social awareness to appear cordial to your girlfriend and keep her negative thoughts about her hidden; you clearly do not.

to which my gf messaged my mother saying that she's upset that she thinks that way of her as she's never done anything to make her think that.

Also a poor choice. Why did your girlfriend send her a message, instead of doing something like stopping by her house, or inviting her out for coffee or lunch, paying, and assuaging her fears in person? Maybe I'm old fashioned, but this is your future in-law, not some person you met at a party one time.

My mother a few weeks later has a heart attack. Which believe it or not,she says it was my fault. Yes she blamed me, her son, on her having a heart attack. Nothing to do with her poor health or game of thrones sized medical history.

Your situation probably added onto her stress, so it's not a huge stretch to say. But even if she was incorrect in blaming you, she just had a heart attack, which is a serious event. What she needed was her son's support and assurance that he will be there for her as she gets older and needs more help. Not for him to blame her back.

I make an attempt to fix the situation by speaking to my parents and telling them that the path that they are choosing to go down is destructive and it only leads one way which is to loose me as a son and in the future potentially have nothing to with my kids if I have any.

Here your only attempt to fix the situation is by blaming them, and threatening them.

My gf writes a letter to my parents which I read and seen her post, there's nothing bad in it, and the contents basically said that she doesn't want the situation to continue, that if she's done something wrong then she apologises for doing so, and even offering to meet up with the both of them with or without me there if they wish. No reply and my parents have never mentioned the letter.

Again, "post"? What is she writing this on, Facebook? Have your girlfriend talk to your parents in person, for Pete's sake.


Look, these people are your parents. You only get one of them. They raised you from birth (I'm presuming) which is unbelievably difficult. Can they be hard to handle sometimes? Sure. But you either find a way to build a good relationship with them, or you have no parents. Consider the following scenarios:

- What if you cut all contacts with your parents over this, move in with your girlfriend, things go sour and you two break up? And now you have no girlfriend and your parents are refusing to speak to you?

- What if your mom dies of a horrific accident tomorrow, or of another heart attack? How would you feel about how you left things?

- Imagine if you and your girlfriend had a son, raised him for 20+ years, then he runs off with some girl he's only known for a year, some girl you don't even like, and decides to buy a house with only his money and puts both of their names on there. When you bring up that it may not be a good idea, threaten to never talk to you again, lose him as a son, and never see your grandkids. Leave you to suffer alone in your old age even though you just had a heart attack. How would that make you feel?
 
I'm sick and tired of stories of children having to adapt to their parents as adults, because the parents can't act civil and reciprocate some respect.

Fuck em, they need you more than you need them and it's their loss in the end.
 
So as an update to this thread from where it left off before, my parents have re-iterated that they no longer want anything to do with me.

I've tried to keep things civil in our household, my dad the same, my mother completely blanks me and ignores anything I say.

My gf and I sign on the dotted line for our house on Thursday and I'm under no illusions that there is going to be some sort of blow back from my parents.

I'm in a position now where a small part of me is worried about what the future holds if I follow through with this, the other 99% of me is like fuck it, it's what's best for you.

:I

Missed this thread the first time around...sorry to hear it ended up this way, although it sounds like it might be for the best.

My wife and I still have problems with her parents (primarily her father, who tries his best to ignore/avoid us), so I know what you're going through. If you feel that she is the one, then you have to do what is best for both of you.

Obviously your parents are difficult people and they didn't act perfectly. However, here's where IMO you and your girlfriend went wrong:

While I agree that perhaps mistakes were made by the OP and his GF,



This is way too soon for your girlfriend to divulge something like that, especially if this is only the first/second time she's met your parents. No matter how welcome they made her feel (which is mostly out of politeness), there are certain boundaries. To your girlfriend: these are your potential future in-laws; you respect them and try to develop a relationship with them but do not go telling secrets like you're at a high school sleepover. Maybe a few years in and you are 100% confident in how they feel about you as a person, but certainly not one month in. You need to consider social boundaries, not just the words that come out of their mouths.



This was a horrible idea. There was no need to show your gf that text or tell her what your mother said. Should your mother have said that about your gf behind her back? Maybe not. But your mother confided in you, and you completely betrayed her trust and disrespected her, and took the side of some girl you've known for a year over your own mother of 25 years, who raised you.

Your mother at least had the social awareness to appear cordial to your girlfriend and keep her negative thoughts about her hidden; you clearly do not.



Also a poor choice. Why did your girlfriend send her a message, instead of doing something like stopping by her house, or inviting her out for coffee or lunch, paying, and assuaging her fears in person? Maybe I'm old fashioned, but this is your future in-law, not some person you met at a party one time.



Your situation probably added onto her stress, so it's not a huge stretch to say. But even if she was incorrect in blaming you, she just had a heart attack, which is a serious event. What she needed was her son's support and assurance that he will be there for her as she gets older and needs more help. Not for him to blame her back.



Here your only attempt to fix the situation is by blaming them, and threatening them.



Again, "post"? What is she writing this on, Facebook? Have your girlfriend talk to your parents in person, for Pete's sake.


Look, these people are your parents. You only get one of them. They raised you from birth (I'm presuming) which is unbelievably difficult. Can they be hard to handle sometimes? Sure. But you either find a way to build a good relationship with them, or you have no parents. Consider the following scenarios:

- What if you cut all contacts with your parents over this, move in with your girlfriend, things go sour and you two break up? And now you have no girlfriend and your parents are refusing to speak to you?

- What if your mom dies of a horrific accident tomorrow, or of another heart attack? How would you feel about how you left things?

- Imagine if you and your girlfriend had a son, raised him for 20+ years, then he runs off with some girl he's only known for a year, some girl you don't even like, and decides to buy a house with only his money and puts both of their names on there. When you bring up that it may not be a good idea, threaten to never talk to you again, lose him as a son, and never see your grandkids. Leave you to suffer alone in your old age even though you just had a heart attack. How would that make you feel?

I was going to type up a rebuttal point by point but I just wanted to say that this is a terrible post. From the information we have it seems that there's an established history with his parents breaking up his relationships and it's clear that if nothing else at least his mother is emotionally manipulative and seemingly toxic. Sometimes you need to cut these people loose, even if they are your parents.

(also "post" = "sent in the mail", and she called for an in-person meeting which they ignored)
 
I'd stop consulting your parents. Don't tell them of your plans with your girlfriend and just proceed. They don't seem interested in helping.

Also, you probably have learned by now but maybe it needs stating - you and your girlfriend should not confide in your parents about anything anymore.

I have the feeling that this is not new behavior for your mother so I'm not sure why you fell into her drama so easily (her telling you that your girlfriend is afraid she will cheat on you).
 
There are major differences but I'm in a position that is similar in a few ways. The overbearing parents acting like you never have the right to grow up and have your own life, acting like you're "fucking off" as you please and don't give a shit about them, blaming you for health things (well mine pretended that she was ill once, she says she didn't and never would and I never thought she would, but on that day which was my girlfriend's birthday she was so fucking selfish and irritating and I am positive she faked it and timed her lying on the floor with my entrance home the next day so all attention would be on her), the good relationship at first and then perhaps not-so-good afterwards and the girlfriend being blamed and the parents first acting like you're the perfect son and do no wrong and the girlfriend will destroy you and then later on speaking as if your leaving is you being a child that is walking away from everything important and acting like you can't leave, etc.

The only advice I'll give you is what I've given myself into believing: if they want to act that way, fuck them. My mother will ruin any relationship with her that I have ever had if she does anything similar again and acts like a spoiled brat when we go to leave, I'm done with her, and it will be all her fault and I don't give a single fuck what she thinks or says or what anyone else thinks or says. It's all on your parents. My mother doesn't realise that acting like this, even for a short period of time, is completely unnecessary considering the lives we've had, but even if it's for this short period of time before my girlfriend and I move in, it will mean the end of our relationship. Sounds like your own mother is the shit-stirrer (the classic attempt of placing things she's doing herself and acting like your girlfriend is the one doing it) quite honestly. Get out of there when you can and enjoy your life I'd say, they'll come crawling back, and if not, well who knows, it might be for the best. Good luck man.

I'd stop consulting your parents. Don't tell them of your plans with your girlfriend and just proceed. They don't seem interested in helping.

Also, you probably have learned by now but maybe it needs stating - you and your girlfriend should not confide in your parents about anything anymore.
Oh and this is a very valid point too. I don't and won't tell my mother anything unless she comes asking. She acts stroppy and moody whenever we say anything about moving in, so I just said that I won't say it any more to her. She wants to ignore it and act like I'll be here forever, fine for her. Makes it worse for her in the long run, we've both given her the other option but she won't take it, she can deal with the shitty end herself.
 
I was going to type up a rebuttal point by point but I just wanted to say that this is a terrible post. From the information we have it seems that there's an established history with his parents breaking up his relationships and it's clear that if nothing else at least his mother is emotionally manipulative and seemingly toxic. Sometimes you need to cut these people loose, even if they are your parents.

(also "post" = "sent in the mail", and she called for an in-person meeting which they ignored)

I actually agree with him, especially about confining her fears of being cheated on and communicating through messaging and the letter - that was poorly handled. None of this warrants the parents' behavior though, but maybe op knowing what his parents are like should have warned his GF preemptively to avoid drama like this. Nonetheless, research shows that when years and decades pass most people actually mellow and seek reconciliation in situations like this so I say to OP if you need to cut the ties to take control of your life than that's what you have to do.
 
I actually agree with him, especially about confining her fears of being cheated on and communicating through messaging and the letter - that was poorly handled. None of this warrants the parents' behavior though, but maybe op knowing what his parents are like should have warned his GF preemptively to avoid drama like this. Nonetheless, research shows that when years and decades pass most people actually mellow and seek reconciliation in situations like this so I say to OP if you need to cut the ties to take control of your life than that's what you have to do.

Perhaps the GF shouldn't have done those things, but IMHO when you're basically blaming the GF for making herself vulnerable, I'm not sure she's really the one at fault.

Arguing about the type of communication etc, when clearly at this point it is one hand clapping as they are ignoring everything she says seems like picking nits to me, too.
 
Your mom meeds to grow the fuck up. And maybe seek a little therapy for her control issues regarding you. You should go live your life, enjoy yourself, and leave the door open for your parents to get their shit together. That mens you invite them to the housewarming, even though you know they aren't going to come. It means you make the effort to stay connected, even if they're acting like jerks.

But it doesn't mean you let them control your life. Do what you're going to, and let them know that when they can manage to accept that you're an adult, they're welcome to be part of your life. That means allowing you to make mistakes on your own. Good parents, rational parents, don't threaten to disown their children because they don't like who they're dating.
 
Terrible, terrible post.

I honestly believe you are the Father/Mother.

I was going to type up a rebuttal point by point but I just wanted to say that this is a terrible post. From the information we have it seems that there's an established history with his parents breaking up his relationships and it's clear that if nothing else at least his mother is emotionally manipulative and seemingly toxic. Sometimes you need to cut these people loose, even if they are your parents.

(also "post" = "sent in the mail", and she called for an in-person meeting which they ignored)

Thanks for putting this into nicer words than I would have.
 
Perhaps the GF shouldn't have done those things, but IMHO when you're basically blaming the GF for making herself vulnerable, I'm not sure she's really the one at fault.

Arguing about the type of communication etc, when clearly at this point it is one hand clapping as they are ignoring everything she says seems like picking nits to me, too.

Sure arguing over what happened won't change the situation for op but it's interesting to think about why his mother reacted like that in the first place.

Well, making yourself vulnerable isn't always socially acceptable and is often a bad idea when you don't know the other person well.

I had something similar happen with a gf once and was writing a letter to her father when my gf stopped me and said I have to call, because calling takes balls and allows him to respond directly to me in person, things that were important to him. For the record she would have told me to visit in person if it weren't for the fact I was living abroad at that time. The point is sending a letter or even worse messaging would have caused him to lose all respect for me because in his world view that is not how you communicate important matters to people important to you(which I agree with). I didn't think about it from that perspective at the time so having my gf inform me of her fathers character greatly helped me keep good relations with him.

Many parents like this who are overprotective look for these flaws and once they sense one there is no turning back. I find it's particularly common when dating someone from another country/culture. OP you said your grandparents are living abroad, is it your mothers parents and was she brought up in a different culture? If that's the case maybe what is happening might not be that odd at all and maybe you should make an effort to understand her perspective based on that culture. Not saying that you should give in or not cut the ties, but it might help long-term.
 
Sure arguing over what happened won't change the situation for op but it's interesting to think about why his mother reacted like that in the first place.

Well, making yourself vulnerable isn't always socially acceptable and is often a bad idea when you don't know the other person well.

I had something similar happen with a gf once and was writing a letter to her father when my gf stopped me and said I have to call, because calling takes balls and allows him to respond directly to me in person, things that were important to him. For the record she would have told me to visit in person if it weren't for the fact I was living abroad at that time. The point is sending a letter or even worse messaging would have caused him to lose all respect for me because in his world view that is not how you communicate important matters to people important to you(which I agree with). I didn't think about it from that perspective at the time so having my gf inform me of her fathers character greatly helped me keep good relations with him.

Many parents like this who are overprotective look for these flaws and once they sense one there is no turning back. I find it's particularly common when dating someone from another country/culture. OP you said your grandparents are living abroad, is it your mothers parents and was she brought up in a different culture? If that's the case maybe what is happening might not be that odd at all and maybe you should make an effort to understand her perspective based on that culture. Not saying that you should give in or not cut the ties, but it might help long-term.

All of this is background noise IMHO compared to the real problem, which is if someone has made up their mind to find something wrong with you, they are pretty much guaranteed to find a reason to justify how they feel. Even if you handle something "correctly" there will always be a next time.
 
it's difficult to try to reconcile and have a civil relationship with your parents yet at the same time move on in this next phase of life with your gf. your parents may be exhibiting some reservations about you leaving - perhaps having you as a buffer there compensates for a distant marriage or other issues that may be going on? at any rate, they have to deal with and accept the fact that things are going to change.

still, i wouldn't sever all ties - perhaps back off for a bit to allow some time and space, but have to agree that your parents (i would presume) still love you and are doing what they think is best for you. hope you can manage to work that out, but it is never easy.
 
Your mom is the classic in-law from hell. Once she finds one thing wrong with her child's partner, she will never be good enough - mom will basically want her son to cut his losses and move on to find someone flawless. If it wasn't that conversation about trust problems, it would have been something else. OP's mom has come to the conclusion that the gf is unsatisfactory.

OP, don't bother dissuading mom. She will always find something to disapprove of eventually because she thinks you deserve the best. Unfortunately, your mom will never be okay with any partner you choose unless she never finds out anything about them. You will need to accept that and focus on the things you can control. People who are saying your mom needs to address issues of her own are right, but realistically this is not going to happen - you're going to have to find tactics to cope with it.

In this situation, if they don't have some distance separating them, the person in OP's position becomes a buffer. He will need to set boundaries (i.e. "I will leave any conversation that becomes shit-talk about my partner, or about my mom/dad") and silently absorb the drama from both sides (NEVER play the 'she said this about you' game). I've seen this kind of dynamic a few times. If the gf is not shielded from the negativity it can become a huge stressor on the relationship. It gets even worse once children are born, too, because there are always more faults to find with someone's parenting and at that point she will be impacting their perfect grandchildren in addition to their perfect son.

Good luck with this. It will get easier once you are out of the house and don't need to interact with them so much.
 
My brothers are too young to properly have a view on this. No doubt they will be told that I chose my gf over them if I were to leave.

They are only aged 10 and 12.

Brothers are 10 and 12 and I love them to bits. It would break my heart if that happened and it would also make the situation completely unfixable in my eyes as I would never forgive my parents for using children as a pawn in their twisted game.
No matter what happens, you should explain to your brothers that you love them and that this dispute with your parents has nothing to do with them. Tell them that you will still love them even if you can no longer come see them and that they are welcome to come visit you when they are older.
 
Your mom meeds to grow the fuck up. And maybe seek a little therapy for her control issues regarding you. You should go live your life, enjoy yourself, and leave the door open for your parents to get their shit together. That mens you invite them to the housewarming, even though you know they aren't going to come. It means you make the effort to stay connected, even if they're acting like jerks.

But it doesn't mean you let them control your life. Do what you're going to, and let them know that when they can manage to accept that you're an adult, they're welcome to be part of your life. That means allowing you to make mistakes on your own. Good parents, rational parents, don't threaten to disown their children because they don't like who they're dating.
This is a good piece of advice. Doing your own thing but not completely burning any bridges is, in my opinion, your best option. I feel for you OP as it seems like a horrible situation to be in but you need to live your life. If you keep letting your parent dictate things it'll never stop.
 
Your mom is the classic in-law from hell. Once she finds one thing wrong with her child's partner, she will never be good enough - mom will basically want her son to cut his losses and move on to find someone flawless. If it wasn't that conversation about trust problems, it would have been something else. OP's mom has come to the conclusion that the gf is unsatisfactory.
oh, theres an old joke my dad told me when i was young. i try to tranlate it roughly.

Steve to Joe:
Fuck, every time i bring a new girlfriend home, my mother hates them. whatever they do, nothing is good enough and they always have flaws for her...

than it came to joe
dude i have an idea. the next time you search for a girl, get one that resembles your mother, she can't complain than.

Steve answers dry:
I tried that. my father chased her out of the house...
 
So as an update to this thread from where it left off before, my parents have re-iterated that they no longer want anything to do with me.

I've tried to keep things civil in our household, my dad the same, my mother completely blanks me and ignores anything I say.

My gf and I sign on the dotted line for our house on Thursday and I'm under no illusions that there is going to be some sort of blow back from my parents.

I'm in a position now where a small part of me is worried about what the future holds if I follow through with this, the other 99% of me is like fuck it, it's what's best for you.

:I

Just out of sheer curiosity... Are you Asian? If so, that's another whole can of worms.

Unfortunately these kinds of situations happen regularly in the country I'm working at now. Parents often override kids decisions and constantly disrupt their life, paranoid that their golden child would get so much as a paper cut at any moment.

Your parents might have a point about your GF (mine were able to spot my ex's horrible side way before I did), but frankly that's your business and they should let you go through life and make mistakes. Not to say your current GF is a mistake; my main point is that they can't bubble wrap you forever and the choices you will need to make as an adult.

So yeah. Move out. Discover.
 
So as an update to this thread from where it left off before, my parents have re-iterated that they no longer want anything to do with me.

I've tried to keep things civil in our household, my dad the same, my mother completely blanks me and ignores anything I say.

My gf and I sign on the dotted line for our house on Thursday and I'm under no illusions that there is going to be some sort of blow back from my parents.

I'm in a position now where a small part of me is worried about what the future holds if I follow through with this, the other 99% of me is like fuck it, it's what's best for you.

:I

Move out, don't look back. They'll get over this shit eventually, or they won't. Either way, it is neither your fault nor your problem.
 
- Imagine if you and your girlfriend had a son, raised him for 20+ years, then he runs off with some girl he's only known for a year, some girl you don't even like, and decides to buy a house with only his money and puts both of their names on there. When you bring up that it may not be a good idea, threaten to never talk to you again, lose him as a son, and never see your grandkids. Leave you to suffer alone in your old age even though you just had a heart attack. How would that make you feel?

you sound like my mom
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom