I'm recently divorced from my husband, but this wasn't our first Christmas apart as we were separated for some time.
The problem is this... my 5-year-old daughter, since she is with me most of the time, spends more time with my family. And she's having some issues with her father's side. Let me be clear, they are wonderful to her and incredibly supportive. I do everything I can to foster those relationships.
But, for example, she said in front of his family at the dinner table on Christmas that she liked my family better and wished that she were with us. She was also fairly rude in other ways - said that one of the gifts her grandmother is "yucky" and told her aunt that she didn't even want the gift she tried to give her.
I did not raise my daughter to act this way. She is an angel and I can't even express how surprised I am to hear that this went on.
We've had other issues - she ignores his family when her dad is around, etc. And I know it stems from some anger and feelings of abandonment surrounding her dad. (Long story - he's left town a few times, doesn't always show up when he says he will, etc.)
Anyway, not sure what kind of advice anyone can give. But has anyone else experienced this? Her dad has made some mistakes, but his family has been nothing but wonderful to my daughter and I just want her to recognize that and appreciate it.
We WILL be talking this over tonight as I just found out about it today from my former mother-in-law. ↓
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