I live long distance from my elderly parents. Dad slowing down, Mom picked up a lot of slack as a caregiver because Dad can't do as much now, but has always been an "overdoer" which is my nice way of saying she has a bit of a martyr complex. She is very stressed out, has lost some good friends in the past couple of years, complains about how tired she is, etc. She has been very short and I'll just say it - unkind - numerous times in the past year. I understand this is a really hard time for her. She has always been a bit of a control freak, but we got along and had fun together in the past. Childhood was a little rocky. I think she is unhappy about her marriage and this has affected her outlook on life. At this point in time, she is giving me the silent treatment and won't say why. I can guess - she's not happy that I willingly moved farther away from them due to my husband's job. But since she won't talk to me about it, I can only guess. This has been going on for close to a month. In the past 6 months she hasn't called me (though I talk to my dad every week). She doesn't want to get on the phone. When she does get on the phone, she is sullen and rude. When I tried to talk to her about coming out for a visit to help them with stuff, she gets very condescending and tells me how busy I am and they don't need my help. So I went and booked a flight anyway. I'm going to be there on Friday, fly back on Monday. She isn't talking to me, so her text response was "Your father will have a list for you." I can only assume that she will make the list, give it to my dad to give to me. Major passive aggression going on. FYI Dad and I have a good relationship. No issues there.
I have a sister who lives in their town, but she doesn't check in on them regularly and does her own thing. She'll come over and visit on a holiday but really isn't in the trenches when that's needed. Not trying to sound like the hero, but I'm basically the responsible kid and I'm trying to figure out why my mom is villainizing me at this point in time. What purpose does it serve for her?
Advice?
if your mother is mad enough at you
that she can’t have a normal conversation with you that’s her problem . Stop calling her for a change only call your dad , your mother will either get over her bad mood or she will only have her self to blame.
Good luck to you
its a shame family try to manipulate other family members to do what they want .
Your mom’s demeanor is telling…..she can’t deal with everything, she needs help! As you probably already know there’s not much in life that we can really control, parent’s included. Finally accepting this was very difficult for me.
Your mom needs a break for 2-4 hrs a day several times per week. Now she may balk at this idea but she needs it. If she doesn’t take care of her mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health and well being she too will need help. She needs to put on her oxygen mask before she can help your dad. There are companion aides that can come into the house for 3-4 hrs x 2/wk. In my area it costs $29/hr (Ithaca, NY). I recently changed from a companion aide for my 88 yo mom to a day program where she can interact with other seniors doing crafts, exercises, games, nostalgia, etc. This has changed her normally negative attitude. She’s there 5 days per wk for 5 hrs. Cost is markedly more manageable at $10/hr.
Remember this isn’t about you, it’s about you’re mom feeling vulnerable and probably scared. Anger is just noisy fear.
Perhaps a geriatric counselor may also be of value. Please remember you deserve to have a life, you can help your parents but you can’t change them.
I hope something I said is helpful!
When my mother was moved to assisted living (I say was moved, because she was living rent free but paying £100 a month towards all bills, in an annex attached to our house, but her rudeness, erratic behaviour, double incontinence, falls and the stress she was causing was making me ill so I told her she had to go somewhere to be properly "monitored" and helped.) She didn't talk to us for six months, sought legal advice on whether she could claim anything from us, changed banks, took out money from an investment (£5000) which to this day she cannot account for, and let a "friend" do what she wanted with her possessions etc.
She was very rude about us to anyone she spoke to - staff, visitors etc, and was very rude and aggressive to the staff and other residents.
This went on until she needed some help sorting out some financial issues which had arise because she had closed one bank account and opened another without dealing with any payments in or out.
Suddenly she found herself "dumped" by the so called friend and needing us.
Since this time things have improved and at the time of writing we can do no wrong.
Moral of rather long winded story - JUST IGNORE IT, until the day she realises she is being unreasonable. I would make the effort whilst she was being unreasonable to phone once a fortnight, and tell her I was hanging up now when she started to be rude, and we had very good communication with the facility manager and were kept fully up to date with any issues or things that arose - but it was something we just had to go through to get past her narcissism are unreasonableness.
Say what you want to say don't candy coat things when you are with them, and if necessary and friction persists arrange with your sister to phone you once a week or fortnight with a report, but don't let her stress you and make you ill, she has no right to do this, and you have no responsibility to take it. Mother's in particular can be very manipulative and guilt instilling - stand up for yourself as the adult you are, I know it is hard when you have always been the child and roles are reversing, but keep to the path you feel is right for YOU first and her IF she co-operates. Good luck.
Hearing your comments and how you sought help gives me two insights:
1. What my aging mom with health issues may be feeling ( she is divorced and living with me) because she seems unable / unwilling to articulate her feelings and instead is mean and critical
2. What I need to do for myself as a caregiver to stop the overwhelm and drain on my life.
My suggestion is to not play along with her passive aggressive control games. I suggest you and your hubby read any of the "boundary" books by Townsend and Cloud to learn strategies so you can deal with your mom's problem behavior.
Thank you for the encouragement.
* It seems to me that you need to deal with your guilt or unmet needs from what your expectations are from 'a mother figure.' I will presume that much was lacking as you were growing up - and/or
* Your mother may have some dementia - brain functioning triggering her. You cannot do anything about this IF she doesn't want you're support / assistance.
* DO NOT allow yourself to be a martyr. Deal with your own unfinished business, emotionally and psychologically.
* You are an exceptional daughter - dedicated, showing up, consistent, caring, compassionate.
* From the outside looking in, I would focus on your dad. He must experience a lot of his wife's (your mom's) frustration, resentment, anger. He will soak up your loving, compassionate support and caring.
* As many say here, you can't change your mother. Only she can. You can be available. Until then, if it was me, I would step back - WAY BACK - unless or until your mom reaches out to you.
* She is in a lot of pain and fear. She feels stuck and doesn't know how to get out of her internal hell. (I might be a bit dramatic here). You cannot fix her.
* She could benefit from therapy (as I believe you could - to learn to let go) and certainly a caregiver to help as needed.
YOU MUST take care of you/rself before you can be available for an/other. So glad you are visiting your Dad and seeing how it goes w/your mom. I know it is very difficult to create emotional/psychological safety barriers around your-self... I kept trying for three years w/a client full of rage with me being the target. (Yes, I stayed due to needing the work). In any case, give yourself plenty of TIME OUTS, regroup, refocus (your thoughts - to change your feelings).
- Try doing some visualizations and affirmations. IT WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY to visualize ahead of time a tranquil, calming, beautiful environment you've experienced (or perhaps a loving experience w a spouse or your own child) when you feel triggered. YOU NEED to learn to change the channel. As I learned in a counseling training program, visualize a TV station and then see yourself changing the channel. Learning to 'shift' out of a present, unhealthy situation is critical to your own well being.
- Give yourself a lot of applause and a self-hug, for being the outstanding, loving daughter you are. Gena.
Your sister gets off free and clear because with martyrs they pick a scapegoat they can passively-aggressively dump on. Unfortunately, it seems your number came up. Your mother will continue to lay one guilt-trip after another on you or keep up the silent cold shoulder towards you. She'll probably step up the skulking and rudeness too because what she wants from you is a fight when you're there in person. Don't give her one. This is what martyrs do. They need someone else to be just as miserable and unhappy as they are. They also love big blow-up fights too. It usually gets them the sympathy and pity they always crave.
That old saying "Misery loves company" is the God's honest truth.
I speak from experience. I've been the scapegoat of my mother's martyrdom since the age of six when our father moved out. He was no longer there for her to dump on so she found someone else to become a psychological and emotional landfill for her. Unfortunately for me, it was me.
Stop playing your mother's game. If she refuses to accept the kind of help you're willing and able to offer, there's nothing you can do about that. Don't beat yourself up with guilt and shame like you're doing something wrong because you're not.
Good for you going to see your father. When you get there throw her "list" in the garbage and ask your dad what he wants you to do to help out. Then in very plain English, tell your mom to climb down off her Cross and that if she's unwilling to accept outside help with the caregiving, there's nothing anyone can do. If she insists on doing it all herself, then put up and shut up.
This is what I finally had to do with my mother and her martyrdom. It took me almost 40 years to do it. Your relationship with her will improve when she finally knows that you are not her scapegoat anymore. You will even see some respect growing too.
I guess all I want to say is that we hear you.
Your mom is clearly stressed; let's hope she comes around during your visit.
I've only been dealing with this big-time since my dad died in September.
Before that, I was able to keep a hand in things from three hours away for the past decade with varying degrees of help from my siblings.
My sister and I are a good team now. My brother, zip. We stopped being passive-aggressive and told him a couple things we needed done...crickets.
I too am the responsible daughter and I feel for both your mom and you.
---I'm your daughter --I wish I could live closer, but I have to go where hubby's job goes -- It breaks my heart when you don't talk to me, especially when I don't know why you're mad. IF it's something I can fix, I will. If I said something to hurt you, I apologize --- I don't like our relationship being like this. What if something happened to one of us and we hadn't been talking or being friendly to each other? Wouldn't it hurt you to live like that? It would hurt me terribly --
keep going if you see you are getting a few tears because it means she still has emotion and cares about your feelings. Don't force words out of her right away, let her think about it.
It's very possible as your dad slowed down, you gave him a little more attention. There are lots of moms who are jealous of daughter/father relationship because mom sees them talking, laughing, enjoying each other while her relationship with dad is X number of years together that has all the ups/downs/arguments of the marriage.
If dad does try to relay msgs to you (from her), go directly to her and discuss. Make her explain what she wants. If she refuses to talk. Tell her when she is ready to talk - you'll be there until Monday to discuss and handle whatever it is she needs. Whatever she wants needs to come from her - don't tell dad to relay msgs. It is hurtful to you.
Stop asking her.
If she wants to tell you she will.
She be nice and let her act any way she wants.
Maybe if you ignore her she'll stop when not getting a reaction from you.
LIke you said, you're not their only child and they probably don't even ask the other for any help.
Your mom knows you moved for your husband's job.
Does she want to relocate to where you are?
You might ask them both if they would like to both go live in a Senior Apartment then go visit a couple.
Maybe they need to set up a Caregiver to come by a few hrs a day, maybe they could have groceries delivered, maybe your mom just needs a break for an outing out of the house.
Maybe you could take her to lunch or to get a manicure or hair done, while in town visiting.
Just being there and seeing what is going on should give you glues to what is needed.
Prayers
As long as mommy holds on to this anger / resentment - taking out her frustrations and FEARS on this daughter, I do not see any reason to continue to roll out the red carpet. It sounds to me like this daughter has already given 200% (to her mother) and continues to do what she can another 200% for her dad. And, this daughter could take her dad out to lunch and invite the mother, who likely will say "No Thanks" as she chooses to stay stuck in resentment.
Right now my goal is to let mom drive the train. I have prayed and prayed for grace to be a duck and let stuff roll off my back. That's if she's argumentative. If she's sulky, I'll let her know I'm ready to listen to whatever she has to say. If she remains silent I will silently remind myself there's no use in begging. If I use up my list of things to do, I have some suggestions on things I'm able to help with, if they are met with a negative response, I will let them go. I'm not sure what I'll be walking into today, I'm taking it one day at a time.
My sister and I are not close, not at odds either. She is a party girl, free spirit and does her own thing. Mom doesn't ask for any help from her. I will try and offer to take them out for a meal, but while I am perfectly capable of paying for it, it is usually a battle of wills and my mother is like a dog with a bone on paying for everything (or having my dad pay), so I usually give up to keep the peace.
I am bound and determined not to let her ruffle me this weekend, which is hard, but I have been a good student of what to do and not to do when passive-aggressive behavior is going on - I realize it's what I've learned from an early age, I don't anticipate Mom will stop, I recognize it in myself, and I don't want to do it anymore. All I can do is control my own attitude, and hope that any help I give this weekend makes life a little easier on them.
Have a great weekend and do what you feel like you need to and grey rock your momma if necessary.
You say that you have a good relationship with your father. That’s wonderful! Enjoy your time spent with him. It isn’t your fault that your mom isn’t communicating with you. You offered her a chance to speak and she declined. I realize that you would like a better relationship with her and of course it hurts that you don’t.
If you wish to look at the ‘the list’ made for you, agree to do whatever you want to do. If something isn’t agreeable to you, simply say that you aren’t going to do it.
Do your parents have money to pay for their needs? If they do, they don’t have to rely on you or your sister. They can hire someone to help with whatever is necessary.
My youngest daughter moved several states away from us shortly after graduation. She loves where she is living and has landed a great job. We. are very happy for her. My oldest daughter lives near us. We don’t expect either of them to do anything for us. We want them to live their own lives. They have busy lives and do not need to be concerned about our needs.
Love isn’t about expectations or controlling others actions. I wish that more people understood this. More people would be content in their lives. So much unhappiness is due to people being concerned over what others do.
There is a saying that I am very fond of, “Sweep your own porch first before telling others to sweep theirs.” So, sweep your porch and allow your mom to sweep hers, or NOT sweep it. It’s her porch.
Enjoy your life with your husband. Enjoy your time with your dad. If your mom has a history of being miserable, let her be miserable. If she refuses to speak to you, it’s her loss. I hope there never comes a day that I don’t speak to my daughters. The bottom line is, you can never make your mom be happy, nor can your dad or sister. Your sister has probably already figured that out which is why she keeps her distance.
Don’t rely on others for your happiness and don’t feel as if you have the power to make an unhappy person happy. You can’t!
All the best to you.
Agree. If Mom needs a bit of help or maybe a lot of help, with Dad, housework or just sick of cooking.. hopefully she can arrange what she needs, a house cleaner, meal delivery service etc. Or speak up to ask where to find help. It IS hard to ask for help I know! But it IS her porch after all.
Clear communication will help so much more that the silent treatment or passive aggressive behaviour.
It's not the OP's job to turn up to be the *Fixer*.
Your sister “really isn't in the trenches when that's needed”. Why not? Does she have a different take on from you what’s needed? Perhaps mother isn’t ‘villainizing’ you, perhaps she just doesn’t have the energy to say the things that would make you feel good. Perhaps you just don’t have much relevance in her life at the moment.
It might be helpful to make your short trip more about getting your sister’s view point, and a better understanding of your mother’s work load. And perhaps stay in a hotel, rather than leave mother with the bedding to deal with before and after you stay. It can be really hard to understand reality from a distance.