You sound bereft about this, writes Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Addressing the issue doesn’t need to alienate your son
My son and I are particularly close and have always enjoyed a loving friendship and understanding of each other, despite him living and working overseas for the past 13 years. We’ve always communicated regularly via various channels. After my father – his dear Opa – passed away in 2019, he partnered for the first time. We were overjoyed that he’d found love and while Covid restrictions kept us apart and communication became a little more intermittent, we remained connected.
Since travelling again and meeting his partner, things have drastically altered. His partner has taken quite an obvious dislike of my husband and me. We have tried everything we know in the playbook of respecting a new relationship, while maintaining our own, but nothing is working. He is perfectly fine with us without his partner, however we are all on eggshells when she is present. Cultural differences aside, we simply do not understand. I feel I should ask her if there’s anything specific I may have done to cause her disdain, however I am being dissuaded by those I love and trust. Mostly to “not make waves” or cause others’ social discomfort.
