Thirty-One-Year-Old Daughter of an NMom and NDad Religious-Cult Couple Spent a Week of January Barricading Her Door to Breastfeed Her 2-Month-Old in Peace — When Her Grandmother Died Her Dad Tried to Kiss Her at the Funeral, and Months Later He Texted Her “I Miss My Grandbaby, Asshole”

The story begins with a 31-year-old woman, who we’ll call Cleo, recently reflecting on her decision to spend time with her narcissistic mother (NMom) and narcissistic father (NDad) while her husband was away for work. Cleo, who had already been on a No Contact (NC) journey with her parents before, thought this visit might be different. After all, she had given birth just two months prior and wanted to give her parents a chance to meet their granddaughter.

However, what was intended to be a nurturing family visit quickly devolved into a nightmare. Cleo had always been clear about her discomfort with her parents’ involvement in a religious cult, yet they continued to push their beliefs onto her during her stay. Instead of support, Cleo was met with lectures, condescension, and dismissive comments. When she expressed her differing opinions, the response was always the same: “I don’t care about what you think. You think we care about what you think?” The constant undermining made the already challenging experience of new motherhood even worse.

To make matters worse, Cleo learned that her grandmother had been suffering from terminal cancer, something her parents had deliberately concealed from her. The betrayal left Cleo feeling isolated and betrayed, further exacerbating her distress. As the visit wore on, she found herself retreating to the guest room, barricading her door to avoid her mother’s incessant intrusions while she nursed her baby. Cleo helped herself by “gray rocking,” a technique used to discourage narcissistic behavior by becoming as uninteresting as possible. This meant minimal interaction and shutting down any attempts at manipulation.

When the time came for her to leave, Cleo’s mother remained in her bedroom, clearly avoiding any form of communication. Her father simply sat in the living room, and when it was time to say goodbye, Cleo opted for a handshake instead of a hug. His mockery of her choice to shake hands instead of embracing her felt like the final straw.

Shortly after returning home, Cleo’s grandmother passed away, and she attended the funeral with a heavy heart, deeply troubled by the previous visit and the way her parents had treated her. At the funeral, Cleo was wearing her baby in a carrier, still reeling from the whole experience. When her parents approached her as if nothing had happened, she felt her anger flare. They not only acted as if everything was normal, but her father made an inappropriate move to kiss her. Cleo firmly told him to stop, infuriated by their apparent oblivion to the tension between them.

After the funeral, Cleo had begun to seek therapy, working on ways to manage her interactions with her parents and establishing boundaries. Just as she started contemplating whether reaching out for a civil conversation could be beneficial, she received a text from her father that read, “I miss my grandbaby, asshole.”

This unexpected message felt like a slap in the face. Cleo had never insulted him or used profane words in return. Her response was clear and direct: she firmly stated that she would no longer entertain his immature behavior or disrespectful language. “You chose to send a disrespectful text instead of talking to me like a civil adult with mutual respect,” she wrote. “MY daughter will not be raised around people who speak to her mother like this.” Cleo ended the message expressing her hope that he might eventually grow up and take responsibility for their fractured relationship.

Since the reply, her father has left the message on read, leaving Cleo feeling a sense of closure. The text confirmed her decision to cut ties, solidifying her belief that a healthy relationship with her parents was impossible. Her parents seemed to believe that they could treat her poorly while still expecting access to her child. Cleo felt baffled and hurt by the entitlement.

As she continues to process her experience, she’s considering detailing her entire journey with them in more depth for anyone interested. For now, she finds solace in the distance she’s placed between her and her parents.