Diagnosis + Treatment
The Big Picture
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? [ Video ]
Five Dimensions of Human Personality
Think It's BPD but How Can I Know?
DSM Criteria for Personality Disorders
Treatment of BPD [ Video ]
Getting a Loved One Into Therapy
Top 50 Questions Members Ask
Home page
Forum
List of discussion groups
Making a first post
Find last post
Discussion group guidelines
Tips
Romantic relationship in or near breakup
Child (adult or adolescent) with BPD
Sibling or Parent with BPD
Boyfriend/Girlfriend with BPD
Partner or Spouse with BPD
Surviving a Failed Romantic Relationship
Tools
Wisemind
Ending conflict (3 minute lesson)
Listen with Empathy
Don't Be Invalidating
Setting boundaries
On-line CBT
Book reviews
Member workshops
About
Mission and Purpose
Website Policies
Membership Eligibility
Please Donate
April 22, 2025, 03:10:31 AM
Welcome,
Guest
. Please
login
or
register
.
1 Hour
5 Hours
1 Day
1 Week
Forever
Login with username, password and session length
Board Admins:
Kells76
,
Once Removed
,
Turkish
Senior Ambassadors:
EyesUp
,
SinisterComplex
Help!
Boards
Please Donate
Login to Post
New?--Click here to register
Books members most read
105
The High
Conflict Couple
Loving Someone with
Borderline Personality Disorder
Loving the
Self-Absorbed
Borderline Personality
Disorder Demystified
BPDFamily.com
>
Relationship Partner with BPD (Straight and LGBT+)
>
Romantic Relationship | Bettering a Relationship or Reversing a Breakup
> Topic:
suggested response to this?
Pages: [
1
]
Go Down
« previous
next »
Print
Author
Topic: suggested response to this? (Read 533 times)
malibu4x
Offline
Gender:
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 12yrs
Posts: 76
suggested response to this?
«
on:
December 02, 2016, 09:18:28 PM »
How would ya'll respond to this.
Wife is tired, decides to go to bed early because she was up at 5am for some reason.
I say I'm going to watch a movie with kids, she says "great, good night".
Son(10yr) goes upstairs about 45 mins later to go to bathroom. Decides to open door and see if mom wants to cuddle.
She says "No. Not now! I'm trying to sleep. Get out!"
He comes downstairs and says "mom hates me".
I tell him mom doesn't hate him, but she is exhausted and depressed and you just woke her up.
I tell him sorry forgot to tell you that mom was going to sleep and not to bother.
Do I say something in the AM to my wife about how she hurt her son with that reaction and rejection (even though he woke her)?
I'm just afraid that it will start the day off sour and with the weekend ahead... .need every chance I can get to make it smooth as possible. (I hate weekends)
Logged
Play the ball from where the monkey dropped it
<link>
PLEASE - NO RUN MESSAGES
This is a high level discussion board for solving ongoing, day-to-day relationship conflicts. Members may appear frustrated but they are here for constructive solutions to problems. This is not a place for relationship "stay" or "leave" discussions. Please read the specific guidelines for this group.
livednlearned
Retired Staff
Offline
Gender:
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Family other
Relationship status: Married
Posts: 12865
Re: suggested response to this?
«
Reply #1 on:
December 03, 2016, 08:23:58 AM »
I see a slightly different dynamic going. You have a lot of power -- it could really change things for your child to make a small adjustment.
Your son told you how he felt, in kid language (mom hates me). And your response amounted to, "Your feelings are wrong. And here's why." You had good intentions! We all do. The skills to address this kind of thing are non-intuitive.
Instead of telling BPDw, "Hey, that was mean last night what you did," which you know will end badly, and won't change anything, you can validate your child's feeling in the moment he feels hurt (or after). "Wow, that would hurt my feelings too if someone said that to me. I can see why you feel hurt. Let's snuggle here together for a few minutes."
When you give him your empathy and validation, it does not change how he feels about his mom, it validates that yes, when someone tells you to get out and go away, it hurts. He will be much more likely in his future intimate relationships to listen to those feelings, instead of pushing them down and making excuses for them, ignoring warning signs and red flags as he looks for a loving partner.
Basically, you help him feel less isolated in his emotions, which is a really tough place to be in (as many of us know)
Logged
Breathe.
malibu4x
Offline
Gender:
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 12yrs
Posts: 76
Re: suggested response to this?
«
Reply #2 on:
December 03, 2016, 08:35:00 AM »
Quote from: livednlearned on December 03, 2016, 08:23:58 AM
Instead of telling BPDw, "Hey, that was mean last night what you did," which you know will end badly, and won't change anything, you can validate your child's feeling in the moment he feels hurt (or after). "Wow, that would hurt my feelings too if someone said that to me. I can see why you feel hurt. Let's snuggle here together for a few minutes."
Thank you! Exactly what I needed to hear.
Logged
Play the ball from where the monkey dropped it
<link>
teapay
Offline
Gender:
What is your sexual orientation: Straight
Who in your life has "personality" issues: Romantic partner
Relationship status: Married 14 years
Posts: 294
Re: suggested response to this?
«
Reply #3 on:
December 03, 2016, 09:00:34 AM »
With 5 small kids in our house this is a common situation. I handle it the way you did because it accurately describes the reality of the situation, but I would add mom shouldn't have treated you in that way (by yelling), but also that they should respect mom's wishes to be alone and to sleep.
Logged
Can You Help Us Stay on the Air in 2024?
Pages: [
1
]
Go Up
Print
BPDFamily.com
>
Relationship Partner with BPD (Straight and LGBT+)
>
Romantic Relationship | Bettering a Relationship or Reversing a Breakup
> Topic:
suggested response to this?
« previous
next »
Jump to:
Please select a destination:
-----------------------------
Help Desk
-----------------------------
===> Open board
-----------------------------
Relationship Partner with BPD (Straight and LGBT+)
-----------------------------
=> Romantic Relationship | Bettering a Relationship or Reversing a Breakup
=> Romantic Relationship | Conflicted About Continuing, Divorcing/Custody, Co-parenting
=> Romantic Relationship | Detaching and Learning after a Failed Relationship
-----------------------------
Children, Parents, or Relatives with BPD
-----------------------------
=> Son, Daughter or Son/Daughter In-law with BPD
=> Parent, Sibling, or In-law Suffering from BPD
-----------------------------
Community Built Knowledge Base
-----------------------------
=> Library: Psychology questions and answers
=> Library: Tools and skills workshops
=> Library: Book Club, previews and discussions
=> Library: Video, audio, and pdfs
=> Library: Content to critique for possible feature articles
=> Library: BPDFamily research surveys
Our 2023 Financial Sponsors
We are all appreciative of the members who provide the funding to keep BPDFamily on the air.
12years
alterK
AskingWhy
At Bay
Cat Familiar
CoherentMoose
drained1996
EZEarache
Flora and Fauna
ForeverDad
Gemsforeyes
Goldcrest
Harri
healthfreedom4s
hope2727
khibomsis
Lemon Squeezy
Memorial Donation (4)
Methos
Methuen
Mommydoc
Mutt
P.F.Change
Penumbra66
Red22
Rev
SamwizeGamgee
Skip
Swimmy55
Tartan Pants
Turkish
whirlpoollife
Loading...