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#1
12-26-2009, 03:04 PM
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looking for some advice on how to handle my parents
I have always been openly Poly,
My Mum and Step Dad know that i have other partners and so does Montianboy. Everyone in my life knows that I am poly I refuse to make it a secret or something taboo. I know that my Mum doesn't aprove of this lifestyle. It bothers her a lot and we end up often having the same debate over and over again, she does not let it drop. I try to answer all her questions openly and honestly, put any fears she has to rest. I've given her links to helpful rerources to help her understand polyamory. "I've explained it to her in the sense that this is how i am living my life i don't expect you to do the same but I want for you to accept that this is how we live" She has never met any of my other partners before because none of them have been serious enough that i felt they where going to work out long term however that has changed. With R things are more serious, this is something we are wanting to become long term. In a few months he is moving in with us and i feel that this would be the right time for my family to meet him. He is, and is going to remain a big part of my life it feels natural that my Mum especally should at the very least meet him. She has decided though that she won't meet him and infact would rather not aknowladge him at all except when debating the wrongs of polyamory with me  Long term i dont see this working, im not sure how she is going to deal with him living here, she could easily run into him if she visits, or comes to pick me up. When i plan events around my life, Christmas day, birthdays etc I will be having him around because i am not going to exclude him for her benifit and it feels like she is going to end up cutting herself out of a large part of my life. Im at the end of the road as far as explaining things to her in a way that doesn't frighten her or make her uncomfortable. I'm not sure where to go from here. Should i accept that she is not willing to meet him and just carry on living 2 seperate lifes? sorry for ranting Jools 
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#2
12-26-2009, 04:54 PM
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Stay strong Mono
__________________
 Playing the Game of Life with Monopoly rules. Monogamy might just be in my genes  Poly Events All Over
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#3
12-26-2009, 07:41 PM
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Oh jools, I feel for you. I totally get this.
I have decided that they are not my priority any more. My immediate family is and as Mono is my immediate family now then he takes priority. I have told my brother this and his girlfriend and they objected highly. I am sure my parents would too, but I see no other way. If they are choosing to judge and not accept my life and my families life then they will not be invited to be involved. If they want to accept then their involvement will be welcomed. As for them running into Mono, that's their problem. They have to deal with that. I had two birthdays, well four actually as a result of people around me not being able to accept each other... it made me sad on one account but I chose to look at it as a positive... I got more attention Sometimes Mono is hear when they come over, unannounced (!). He is always around us... that is what we want and what he wants. It's their problem how they are with that.... I have decided not to invite them to formal gatherings he is at, we do them separately. It works better like that. In time it has gotten easier and works better for all of us all around. I know they have huge expectations of what we do and how we do it and I am trying REALLY hard to not get stressed out about the fact that I disappoint them. It's their problem, I see that, it doesn't make it easy though.... I hate disappointing anyone, ESPECIALLY my parents. good luck my friend. I can image it would be MUCH harder having Mono live with us. I enjoy escaping to my Other Home (OH), where there is none of the bullshit... I miss him when he isn't here too though 
__________________
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#4
12-26-2009, 08:21 PM
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there are no children involved and i am willing to take that risk. After some thought, I won't give her an ultimatum i don't think it would work and would perhaps just push her away. I am going refuse however to exclude R from any event in my life that he should be a part off and so when it comes to birthdays, christmas, celebrations he will be included and my parents can ethier choose to be a part of that as well or they can choose not to be. I don't think i will be aranging seperate events one for them and one for him because i know with my parents this will just encorage them to keep there heads burried in the sand even longer, she rarley visits me at my house anyway, but when she comes to pick me up when we are going out etc I am not ever going to request that R stay out of the way because this will be his home too and he has every right to be comfortable here. I feel like i am going to have some difficult times on my hands she is going to crazy extreems saying that she thinks R must be some kind of predetor or criminal (due to him being 10 years older than me) Jools Last edited by NeonKaos; 12-26-2009 at 08:48 PM. Reason: quote formatting
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#5
12-27-2009, 10:26 AM
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I am glad you are looking after your own emotional needs and not acceding to your mother's disapproval. Its a pity she can't just 'agree to disagree'..after all you are an adult and have made adult choices,albeit outside the societal standard.
We all hate disappointing our families and right from when we were young we were all psychologically wired to please,but at some point we have to stand up and say "this is me,accept me as I am"..Mono is right,some will accept some won't,you just need the strength to accept that and still be able to live your life as you choose. I wish you all the best and hope you can find peace with your mother's disapproval,I know that is something I am going to have to deal with at some point myself.
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#6
12-27-2009, 02:46 PM
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i am far to ready to please other people but with this i just can't give up my life and the men that i love they are too important to me to allow one persons disaproval affect the rest of my life. I think anyone else and i tend not to give a dam but this is my Mum and all I've ever really wanted is for her to be proud of me and love me, for me not the me she would like me to be! We are currently still talking, she hasn't actually told me herself that she is going to refuse to meet R, she has only told montianboy. I am REALLY hoping she changes her mind. I had planned a birthday dinner for Feb and was going to invite her and my step dad, along with montianboy and R, i am going to go ahead with that plan and if she chooses not to come then that is her choice, i really love my mum though, this hurts Jools
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#7
12-27-2009, 03:24 PM
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Hi Jools,
Yes, it's hard when anyone WE love refuses to acknowledge the choices we make in our lives that we feel will lead to happiness and being the best we can be. But this seems to be part of the necessary break we all make with parents and start becoming our "selves". It happens in many small ways - not always a big & dramatic as this, but there's a host of other scenarios that are equally as big & dramatic that people seem to go through. To me it's seems the important point is to navigate this with love. Continue to express the same love to your Mum as you would otherwise - regardless of her approval or acceptance. Try to teach by example. Live genuinely & lovingly. In time she may see the results of what was initially beyond her comprehension. And her view may change. Seen this many times  If her love for you is genuine and she sees that your actions are bringing positive results in your life......well, you can't argue with facts.GS
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#8
12-27-2009, 07:55 PM
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No one person can control ANY other person. (period) So yes you need to let her do what she feels she needs to do and if that means SHE chooses to limit HER involvement in her life-that is her choice and that is her right. Should you pretend to be (or in this case NOT be) anything? No. Absolutely not, that would create a lie in you-a lie you are creating and sharing with her. That's not good for you or her or your relationships with ANYONE-because who can trust a liar? I suggest calmly telling her (one LAST time) something along these lines, "mom, I love you. I treasure our time together and want for you to be a major player in my adult life. I am always going to be your loving daughter. Your loving daughter chooses to share her love with more than one person. At this time in my life I am sharing my romantic life with Mountainboy and ____. I love you enough I am not willing to degrade our relationship by lying to you. Because I love myself and my beloveds I won't degrade myself or my relationships with them by lying ABOUT or to them either. I respect your right to do what you see fit for yourself. Therefore I am going to give you time to decide how much of my life you are willing to be involved in, I'll be waiting when you are ready to be a part of my life again." Then it's time for the proverbial step back. If she comes to your house-and you normally kiss the guys goodbye before leaving-then you do so. If you normally cuddle on the couch with them, you do so. Etc. I presume you wouldn't normally strip down and have sex with them with your parents standing there so don't. (that was just supposed to be a relax and smile once sentence by they way-not snarky!) It's not easy-I won't lie to you. It's hard-ESPECIALLY when you love someone and treasure them in your life-to let them choose to distance themself. But the saying "if you love someone set them free....." is very true. In order for your relationship (all of them really) to be real, true and whole, you must allow people the freedom to walk away if they so choose.
__________________
"Love As Thou Wilt"
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#9
12-27-2009, 08:00 PM
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Just FYI-I hadn't read any of the posts but your first one Jools when I replied.
Now I have-and I stand by what I said. I DO wish you the BEST and hope that at some point she can come to see that mature, rational adults recognize and accept that every single person is an individual FIRST and in their relationship SECOND (i.e. you are a person first and her daughter second). That in and of itself leads them to understanding that they have NO right to control ANY OTHER PERSON in life and in fact, in trying are actually lying to themself by creating the illusion in their mind that it's even POSSIBLE-when truthfully it is not possible. The more we fight to keep ourselves within the illusion of safety we've created in those little mental boxes, the more miserable we make ourselves. (slight hijack- RP-tell your hubby I don't know if Maca will ever finish this book, but it's doing wonderful things in me).
__________________
"Love As Thou Wilt"
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#10
12-27-2009, 08:49 PM
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__________________
“People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.” - Chinese Proverb -Imaginary Illusion How did I get here & Where am I going?
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