Blogger therapy

I just need to vent about Manchild's other "family". Manchild's father married a woman (who grew up on the same street as me - freaky small world) who is from a Baptist bible-thumping family - in fact, her father was a Baptist minister. Anyhow, Manchild came home from dinner last night and I saw a bible-thumping bogus comic book that he received from his "Aunt Mary". I said to him, "You've got to be kidding me" and he freaked.

I was accused of having no faith. I was accused of being mean. I was accused of being the devil pretty much. A very unusual reaction from Manchild. So I explained my position - I have faith, but I don't need to go to a church to celebrate it, and I certainly don't throw it in peoples' faces and tell them that they have to be just like me or they are sinners. And I explained my problem with religious fanatics - my experience has been that they are intolerant and judgmental, and express their distaste for all things "different" in very un-Christian ways. And I asked Manchild to take this wonderful piece of propaganda to his father's.

I was truly surprised at Manchild's outburst. And I'm pissed off. This is a "family" who has never bothered to get to know me - I get a forced "hello" if I'm lucky. I stood beside Manchild's other "grandfather" in the supermarket a couple of weeks ago, said hi, and he didn't even recognize me! I had to tell him who I was ..... um ..... Manchild's mother? You know, the fucking flesh and blood of that wonderful boy that you love so much? The one who has to put up with the bullshit that your daughter and her husband have doled out over the years? YES, THAT EVIL BITCH.

How do I get Manchild to understand? Tell him that his father refused to pay me a penny of child support for about ten years until I took him to court which turned into a 2-year battle to get money? Tell Manchild about the time that his father took him for his usual weekend, moved, and didn't tell me because it wasn't important that I know where he lived? And that the Bible-thumper family refused to tell me where he was? Tell him that his father and step"mom" told me that Manchild would have been better off being raised by them because, and I quote, they are "better role models" and "model the perfect marriage"? (Are you gagging yet?) Tell him that this perfect role model couple has consistently broken our court-ordered agreement over the years? Don't get me wrong - I do not have a problem with these people being in my child's life. The more people that love my children, the better. The bible-thumping present reminded me of what hypocrites these people are and that brought up painful past memories.

I guess that I just have to have faith (yes, there's that word) that I have raised my Manchild to be a responsible, empathetic person that will treat everybody with respect regardless of whether they have caused him hurt. That I have instilled in him some important values. And he will know the sacrifices I have made, and the battles that I have fought all in the name of doing the right thing.