My husband and I sold our home and bought my parent's house almost 2 years ago, my mother and I have had a rocky relationship my whole life I mainly did this for my dad, but my mother is mean and nasty to me constantly making life suck. I have no life outside of here have let all my friends go because of the guilt she puts on me if I mention spending time with them. My husband recently was diagnosed with Parkinson's and I'm running myself ragged let alone I'm disabled with a broken back, bad knees and lots of other stuff. I'm so depressed and getting verbally, emotionally abused by my mother and don't know what to do. My brother's want nothing to do with the care of my parents because of her! She's beyond mental and she is causing me to have a hardened heart towards her I feel numb when it comes to her! I don't know where to turn what to do. My oldest son lives with us and his 6 year old daughter and my mother is nasty to her a lot and it's a problem I don't know what to do. I was raised to respect my elders but how do you give it when you don't get it? I've cried all day because inside I feel hate and I don't want to but she makes me feel that way. My husband wants to sell the house and make them go to the nursing home because he's tired of watching it happen to me repeatedly and my dad lets her get away with it. My brother says stay away when she's acting like that, but if that's the case I'd never go in their part of the house! Just needed to vent need suggestions on what to do. Thank you.
the real issue is the exposure to the 6 yo. This is a toxic home for a developing child - she is taking it all in and it is all toxic for her - period.
your husband is right - you move out. Cut off care. Get them in a care facility.
Do you have POA over either or both? If not try to get it, if you do make your mom a ward of the state.
you already know she’s out to make you feel guilty, and your dad knows it too. He lets it happen for a lot of reasons, one of those is that he knows you’ll stay if you feel guilty and that is as bad as being a narcissist. He’s using you.
get out. Do this for the 6 yo child. It is honestly horrific to think of the psychological abuse. Set the example for her that you get mean nasty people out of your life because you deserve the best. That 6 yo’s future is being shaped with every interaction with your mom.
make calls - elder law, elder care, social workers. Learn your options and find out how to make it happen. Get everyone out of the house, sell the house and the bad memories along with it. Go get a new start.
you can do this!
Your husbands and your health are at risk. Your family MUST come first, time to move on. Your husbands health will get worse and you are in line for a nervous breakdown.
Stand up to your mother, stop the insanity, today.
Good Luck!
On just a smaller level, I went to moms 3 times this week. She is missurable and controlling, which very much upsetting me, even not having her live with me like yours does.
So how do I deal with it now, honestly I just stopped caring, put my big girl pants on, what she says and is to me is not who I am. My self esteem is way to high now, to let this little aging lady ruffle my father's anymore.
Doesn't really work in your case but thought it might help a little.
Secondly, get your life back. Go have lunch with your friends. If your mother starts to protest, put her @ss in her place. Take your granddaughter out for ice cream and have a girl's day out on a Saturday.
I would suggest listening to your husband. Mom and Dad can find a nice assisted living or some sort of independent living arrangements.
Keep in mind your health issues will never improve as long as you stay in this abuse. You will not recover mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically if you continue in this situation.
Your son and granddaughter should not be exposed to this type of meanness. Did you buy your parent's house because you wanted to, or did you do this for your parent's approval? Something to think about.
With a mother like this, you will never win her approval.
You do not need to live like this or further subject your family to this unnecessary bs. Either you sell the house and move or your parents can move out. However, in this case, your parents would be the ones that should leave.
Some depressive episodes can also be caused or become worse through inaction. It sounds like you have learned helplessness. There is a type of depression called situational depression. Your situation sounds a lot like this type of depression along with other issues being factored in. There are stages in recovery from depression. Like anything else, depression has to run its course. Get away from this toxic situation as fast as you can.
I wish you peace and a speedy solution to your situation.
- And this too shall pass.
Well said. I find when a parent was always "difficult" they become insufferable and impossible as they age. Living together is always a bad idea. Yet so many families decide to give it a shot and God bless them for trying.
There comes the time when it's time to make other arrangements and move on. Sort of like a divorce.
I like to say that I am divorced from caregiving for my mother. I communicate with my mother. I help her out when and how I choose to. When she starts up, I walk away or I end a phone call. She has homecare (not provided by me) and it's make that work or it's a care facility. She will never be living with us and neither will any other family members who may need a residence and/or caregiving. We are so serious about this that we have a legal contract that we will not move anyone into out home.
My mother was the same way. The older she got, the nastier she became. All I can say is it is not forever. Hopefully she goes first.
If you cannot get out yourself, I do think your son and granddaughter should move out. Your grandchild should not be subjected to her abuse. Make your son do that for the child’s sake.
What are the road-blocks to that?
Your mother will never change. She’s extremely mean to you and will continue to be mean to you. Most likely she’ll get meaner and meaner as the months, years go by.
Do you want permission to not care for your parents? Ok. You don’t have to take care of your parents.
Do you realize you very well could die before everyone else?
Why do you sit there and watch your granddaughter get abused by your mother? That is unreal to me.
What do you need from us?
Not a lets be mean to people group!
She wants to know her option!
She what's to not feel alone!
What you are putting up with and exposing your precious 6 year old granddaughter to is criminal. Just because you grew up with this abuse does not mean that this innocent child should be exposed to it.
I mean...what the h*ll were you thinking when you decided it was a good idea to buy your parents house and all live together, knowing full well what a mean and nasty woman your mother is? Did you honestly believe that your mother would suddenly turn into a mild manner saint who would love and adore you just because you said she could live with you?
Of course your brother wants nothing to do with your parents care. Who in their right mind would? At least your brother has some sense, and it's now time that you get some too. It's not too late.
Your living arrangement with your mother sounds like pure hell and no one should ever live like that nor allow other family members to be subjected to it.
If you don't feel like you deserve better (though you actually do) at least make the necessary changes by getting the parents out of the house or selling the house and placing parents in an assisted living facility for your innocent granddaughter who does deserve so much better.
I am sorry that you and your husband made such a horrible mistake by living with your parents, but only you can correct it, and I hope you will before it's too late.
It is progressive disease and decrease of dopamine and stress will make it worse. And you have your own health problems.
If your husband was diagnosed recently it is possible you have few years of relatively good time together.
I know because my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s almost ten years ago, however for over 5 years we had the best years living very normal lives.
Please get your toxic mother out, AL or other facility.
You and your husband deserve some peace.
Make an arrangement and tell her she's leaving by 'X' date and if she refuses, then you will legally evict her from your premesis. So her choices are take whatever place you find and help her move into, or a cardboard condo in the park it will be.
In the meantime, when she's being nasty to your daughter or anyone else give it right back to her. Tell her to shut the hell up. Then follow that with a period of excluding and ignoring her.
Believe me your 6 year-old granddaughter will benefit more in life from seeing you set an example of respecting yourself by not allowing the elder or anyone else to treat either of you abusively. Respecting your elders does not mean take abuse from them. It does not mean let them behave abusively to your child or your home. It does not mean you have to be slaves to them or play their abusive games. Respect is not any of these things.
So you lay down the ultimatum to your mother that her abuse will not be tolerated in your house anymore, and it is YOUR house. If you bought and paid for it, then it is yours.
She has to go though. You've got enough on your plate and don;t need more.
Your brother is sensible, you should be too. Your Father is part of the problem because he "lets her get away with it". Until you and your husband agree to act, F has no reason for objecting to M.
You are not doing the right thing by your son and his daughter, even if that is your justification for putting up with all this. Son needs to stand on his own feet in separate accommodation, or else live with you without this 'mean nasty' woman who is 'nasty a lot' to his child.
If you are acting like this because "my mother and I have had a rocky relationship my whole life", you have been groomed from birth. Counseling might help you to recognise it, and stop acting like everyone has to kow-tow to M. Everyone, as in you, DH, F, son and GD, tip-toeing around a 'mean nasty woman'.
Love this.
You all deserve PEACE. You need to find away to get her out. This will not get better, only worse.
I find it amazing how one senior can make such a havoc in so many lives, 3 generations here. Your not the first or the last .
Best of luck, keep us posted
If so, inform mom that you can no longer live with her and that this isn't up for argument. Let her know, as you have us, the reasons. Tell her that your own health can not be risked any more and give her a time during which she can arrange care given her assets from the sale of her home, which eventually she would have likely had to do in any case.
Good luck. Nothing but blunt honesty will work here.