Rant: My ex turned my daughter against me

RyanRegular

May 2·1 min read

My 14yo daughter used to be so close to me but the last few months she's been distant and cold. Found out her mom has been making negative comments about me to her. Nothing major has changed on my end, I'm still showing up for pickup, still active in her life. But now she's pulling away. How do I handle this without badmouthing her mom back? This is killing me and I don't know if there's anything I can even do.

3 comments133 views

Comments(3)

PPedroRegularMay 4

Man, that's rough. My ex did some similar stuff when my son was around that age. The hardest part was not badmouthing her back to him even though I wanted to. Have you tried asking your daughter directly what's going on without putting her in the middle?

JJoeRegularMay 4

This is tough. Teenagers naturally pull away from parents anyway, but if your ex is actively turning her against you that's a different beast. Document everything she says to you about your daughter, seriously. You might need it later if this escalates. Also consider asking for family counseling.

MMiguelRegularMay 4

14 is such a weird age. They're not quite teenagers and not quite adults. I'd say keep the lines of communication open even if she's being cold. Don't get pulled into defending yourself about things your ex said. Just be consistent and available.