“Shunned by Family: Heartbroken Woman Speaks Out After Being Left Out of Newborn Nephew’s Arrival”
Her younger sister had made it clear that only parents (hers and her husband’s) would be allowed at the hospital, and the first 24 hours at home would be visitor-free. The OP respected that. But when her mother video-called her to introduce her to the baby, she learned that her older sister Sally was at the hospital.
When she asked why she wasn’t invited to the hospital, her mom said that she assumed the OP wouldn’t be able to leave work. In reality, OP could have, though. Her manager was more than understanding. Feeling completely blindsided, OP hung up in tears and later confronted her mother, only to receive the dismissive response: “I’m sorry you feel that way”.
Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)
PsychCentral highlights various forms of exclusion in family, and one of them includes situations where a family member is consistently left out of activities, jokes, or stories. They go further to state that this kind of exclusion can set the stage for future struggles in relationships and self-worth, as individuals may begin to expect exclusion from people in their lives and feel inherently flawed.
The OP’s manager maintained that her mother’s response was a form of gaslighting, and Simply Psychology would agree. They explain that gaslighting is a manipulative tactic that makes someone doubt their own memories and perception of reality. They point out that this sort of behavior is particularly harmful in relationships, including one between parents and children.
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