Not all parents might be as happy as their children on their wedding day. Our reader’s parents divorced, but later had to reconcile for at least one day for the sake of their daughter. However, not all things went according to the plan. The reader’s mom couldn’t forget her husband’s past mistakes.
One of our readers asked us for help.
Thank you for trusting us with your problem. We have some solutions that might help you resolve the issue.
Make things right with your mom.
Even though your mother shouldn’t have said such things about your father, you could have handled the situation better. You might want to apologize for kicking her out of the wedding. It won’t mean that you accept her behavior.
Let her know that you and your dad were hurt by her comments. Thank her for the gift and ask her to avoid making comments about your dad. If she doesn’t have anything good to say about him, better not say anything at all.
Try family counselling.
It’s clear that there are still some unresolved issues between your parents. It’s never too late to try doing family counselling together. You should also go with them because your parents will either argue and fall out again, barely reaching the counselling room, or will not go at all. Let them know that you love them both equally and want them to be happy.
Set some boundaries.
If your parents ever have to meet each other again, clearly state your expectations and boundaries to them. Tell your mother and father that you won’t tolerate any negativity or disrespectful behavior, especially during family events. If they have some unresolved conflicts, they should talk it out some other time. They are grown-ups and can easily stay civil for at least a few hours.
Support your father.
Let him know that you appreciate his thoughtful wedding gift and that you don’t share your mother’s negative comments. Let him feel valued and acknowledged. Tell him how important his role in your life is and that you still love and respect him. You can also spend some time together. It might be a shared hobby, a family outing, or a guitar lesson from your dad — all these moments can strengthen your bond.
Love often unfolds in the most unexpected ways. In this article, we reveal the story of our pregnant reader who was left behind in an emergency. She still doesn’t know why her husband chose to save his cat instead.