Hi °C | Lo °C My mum’s become a menace lately. She’s never been that close to her grandchildren. Recently, though, she’s been visiting more and has been really unpleasant to them.
On one occasion, she lashed out at my son when he said something she didn’t like — he’s seven years old and was left really shocked. She’s rude about my husband, too, and calls him a loser.
If if I tell her to stop being so nasty, she’ll stop coming over, and as I’m an only child, she’ll become very isolated and even more unpleasant.
I don’t know how much longer I can put up with her behaviour, though. CW
FIONA SAYS: TELL HER IT’S UNACCEPTABLE
Has something happened to make your mother an angry and bitter woman, or is this sort of behaviour relatively new?
If she's been this way for a while, then maybe she's jealous of your happy family, or perhaps she resents growing old.
Her behaviour is unacceptable and you must speak to her.
If this is a sudden change in behaviour, then I can't help but wonder about her mental health and whether this could be the onset of dementia.
If there is any possibility of that, then do talk to her doctor as soon as you can.
