So long story short- My dad and I have had a bit of an argument. Background: My dad is a generous person but has difficulty communicating (he expect people to mind read and gets frustrated when they don’t) When he does communicate to tell a story or something it can be difficult to follow as he goes into microscopic details not essential to the story and off on tangents and loses this thread and spends long periods trying to think of what he was trying to say. (He’s 74 - but has always been like this although has got worse with age) He has difficulty managing his emotions which can make him quite a prickly person to be around let’s say. The argument: the last time I saw him, the last time I texted him and then the last time I rang him he has been angry and rude to me. For example I sent him a message asking if everything was ok and his reply was “No… leave me alone!” So when he was rude to me again on a second phone call… I asked what is wrong? Every time I speak to you, you speak to me like I’m a piece of sh*t?” He said “well you always ring me when I’m busy and when I want to talk to you, you ignore me!’ I found out that basically I interrupted him when we were out for a meal on my sons birthday (which I did… my mind wandered and I said something but realised apologised and listened to the end of his story) Anyway he put the phone down on me after I asked if he was Pissed with me and he replied yes I am. Now my instinct is to just avoid him now… I find communication with him hard anyway he has an explosive temper over minor things and it is easier for me not to. However I do realise he is a man struggling to communicate his needs… what he really needed was to feel heard and being a more healed person I really should be the one to repair… especially as he does feel I wronged him… even though his behaviour since has been far worse then me Interrupting him… he doesn’t know how to communicate in any other way. So how do I have a conversation with him to make things right?

What is one thing your partner does that annoys you that if you were honest you have a tendency to do too? I’ll go first (I haven’t got a partner but I’ll use my kids dad for the purpose of answering) When he doesn’t get the answer he wants he ghosts, blocks… verbally shuts down (sulks) When I get frustrated trying to communicate with him… I just stop responding (and think F**k You! - I won’t bother speaking then) Same thing basically 🤣 How about you?

Hello Ed, I’m really thankful that you have set this community up, good job! A little about me, I’m a semi retired NLP Coach who’s estranged from his family. That shouldn’t happen surely? Even so, I’ve tried eating mouthful’s of humble pie over the years to fix this horrible nasty problem for years, with no success. Of course, it’s all my fault as far as my family are concerned. And even if that were half true and I was to walk over broken glass on hands and knees, screaming “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” They might relinquish the emotional abandonment temporarily, but it would only be a matter of time before they would soon turn around and find something new to gaslight me for - simply breathing… it appears I can’t be right for being wrong and I’m left isolated from the Grandkids I love and bonded with… Master Practitioner be damned! 😑

What’s your challenge? For me it’s trusting that letting someone in is not going to shake the foundations of my inner peace,,, I’m a busy person so it’s easy to not make room to let someone in… it’s easier… anyone relate? Any other challenges? ❤️

I’m Carol Slack and I help burnout teachers reignite their passion for life and teaching again. And have been single for about 12 years 😳 So maybe nows the time I find the relationship I deserve 😜🤷‍♀️🤣