This is about the opposite side of the coin from the toxic parents and grandparents that many people have experienced.

One of the saddest cries for help I hear is from nice, kindly, well-meaning grandparents whose daughters have given in to their controlling husbands.Â  Their daughters donâ€™t come to visit and donâ€™t bring the grandchildren, they schedule visits and cancel at the last minute, the daughters and sons-in-law wonâ€™t allow the grandchildren to receive presents, the sons-in-law blame the grandparents because everything they do offends them and the daughters take his side and become verbally abusive in every attack.

The poor grandparents try everything, but no matter what they do theyâ€™re blamed.Â  When they try to point out whatâ€™s happening, their daughters attack them.Â  According to the daughters, the grandparents are completely at fault.Â  Their husbands are reasonable and correct.Â  The grandparents are blamed for what they do and blamed for what they donâ€™t do.

The grandparents see their daughters isolated from their former friends and families, not allowed access to computers and not allowed to have cars.Â  And yet, their daughters accept that treatment and defend their husbands.Â  They see their daughters harassed, bullied and abused but donâ€™t know what they can do to stop it.Â  The frustration and helplessness are agonizing.

What can you do for now?
Iâ€™m sorry, but there isnâ€™t much you can do.Â  If you ever see fresh and obvious evidence of battering or beating, or obvious evidence of child neglect or abandonment you can report that.Â  But be sure thatâ€™s what it is.Â  You donâ€™t want to get identified as a person who â€œcries wolf.â€Â  Of course youâ€™ll get blamed, but you get blamed for everything anyway.

You might offer to take the grandchildren on trips without their grandparents.Â  But beyond that, thereâ€™s not much you can do for now.Â  Since your daughters arenâ€™t minors, theyâ€™re entitled to live their own lives, no matter how horrible we think they are.

Stop self-bullying
Iâ€™m talking to grandparents who were decent parents.Â  Iâ€™m not talking to negative, controlling, toxic, abusive bullies.Â  Donâ€™t wallow in blaming yourself or trying to identify the specific incidents of bad parenting that led your daughters to accept their husbandâ€™s abuse and to hate you.Â  Itâ€™s not your fault.Â  Every one of us didnâ€™t like some of the things our parents did and most of us got over it.Â  Probably, your daughters were fine before they met the sons-in-law.Â  Your daughters have chosen a different path for now.

Stop the negativity and bullying self-talk.Â  It wonâ€™t make you behave good enough or the right way to finally please your daughters and their husbands.Â  Forgive yourself when youâ€™re provoked and lash back.

Plan for the future
Keep writing to your grandchildren, keep sending gifts to them and keep a record.Â  Someday, you may have an opportunity to show them the truth.Â  Try to hold your tongue quiet and donâ€™t engage in arguments about whoâ€™s right or how badly your daughters treat you.Â  You might say, â€œI know you look at it that way.Â  Thatâ€™s your privilege.Â  But thereâ€™s another side.â€Â  Donâ€™t explain the other side; simply state it.

Allow your daughters to create distance.Â  Accept the treatment for now and hope and pray for the future.Â  You donâ€™t want to push your daughters further into their husbandsâ€™ control because they donâ€™t want to face your, â€œI told you so.â€

Go have a wonderful life in all other areas.Â  Keep your focus on the rest of life as best you can.Â  I know thatâ€™s hard but thatâ€™s what youâ€™ve been given.Â  Itâ€™s like the weather; snow and sun, drought and hurricanes.Â  And you donâ€™t get to choose.


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