Reply to Need Advice About Dysfunctional Family

Forum Index » Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

Reply to "Need Advice About Dysfunctional Family"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]OP here. Thanks for your responses. To answer/respond to a few of your questions:

1) I found a therapist for my sister to go to, and she went once, but refuses to go back. She mentioned the therapist said she thinks she is bi-polar, and she is afraid of this and doesn't want to go back. My mother has taken her to a couple of therapists before but she has never kept up the visits and gone regularly. I invited her to come stay with me for the next week or so in the hopes that I can convince her to see a therapist regularly.

2) I agree my sister's life might be better off without her, however she and my mother have a strongly co-dependent relationship. My sister is financially and emotionally dependent on my mother, so no matter how tumultuous their relationship they always seem to make-up and repeat their same pattern. If my sister does in fact have some sort of disorder I think this contributes to the dynamic, as she has a very strong temper particularly when relating with my mother.

3) Yes, I have thought about family counseling. It was my intent to ask my mother and sister to go to a counselor with my husband and I when my sister comes to visit this weekend. I do not know how receptive my mother will be to this, she thinks everything is my sister's fault, and that therapists are for "crazy people". Should I still try and invite them? or just give up?

4) After speaking with a therapist on my own, I have limited contact with my mother. Our relationship is not very close, just sort of out of obligation largely. We went through a period of not speaking for two years, due to her mistreat me of me a few years ago. Now that I am pregnant she is always talking about all this time she plans to spend with my child, but honestly given all that goes on in my family I don't know if I am comfortable with leaving my kid alone with her. I do not want my child to get attached to my mother and then later on have to go no contact with her in the future. At the same time, other than the hitting incident with my sister she appears to treat my nephew very well, accept that she in my sister get into these heated arguments in front of him.

5) I have tried to stand up for my sister some, but my mother thinks their rocky relationship is entirely my sister's fault, and that my sister has some sort of illness. It may very well be the case that she does, but I feel my mother's behavior also contributes to the situation, but she is unwilling to acknowledge this, at least when she hears it from me.

In the end I just want to do what's best for my kid. My husband is frustrated with the situation and is ready to throw his hands up. I don't know if I should go no contact with them, low contact, or try one last time before baby is born to get them both in therapy?

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics