Are my boundaries with my mother too harsh?

Jess_D

I have posted here before about my difficult (i. e, nonexistent) relationship with my mother. In short she had an affair when I was a kid, left my father and ended up marrying the guy who was also her boss.

To say the least our relationship after this was not good. Both my brother and I struggled a lot with the fallout of our parent’s’ divorce. Eventually we both ended up almost full time with our dad for a lot of reasons. Neither of us liked or respected her new husband. It lead to a lot of drama between us.

In retrospect I realize that teenage me was just awful when it came to dealing with this. I know my mother was wrong and I still haven’t forgiven her. But I also realize that she has missed us. My dad had also said that while he’ll never want her involved in his life in any way that we can’t continue to punish our mom.

She actually reached out to us over the holidays. My brother never responded. But I did respond and told her that I still loved her but she needed to understand how hurtful her choices were to the both of us.

She and I met a few times since then. We had coffee, we’ve gone to dinner and shopping together. So while it was awkward at first we have started to patch things up. But then she asked me if my boyfriend and I would like to go to dinner with her and her husband.

This is where my boundaries come in. I told her that I really don’t want any type of relationship with that man. I don’t want to talk to him, hear about him or meet him. I dislike him intensely. I also won’t discuss my father with her as she’ll occasionally try to get details of what he’s up to. Who he’s dating, that sort of thing.

She said she thinks it’s a little hard and she doesn’t see how we can have a normal healthy relationship if her husband is a taboo subject and he’s a part of her life too. I don’t think I’m being hard at all but maybe I am?

Are my boundaries with my mother too harsh?
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