Over-sensitive parents fltmchz: So last week I finally told my parents about the impending divorce, nearly 2 months after my wife "officially" left me. Effectively she left me 6 months ago when I transferred to a new location for work (I didn't know she had no plans to join me, but that's another story).
Anyway, my parents freaked out, they've been calling every day at all hours, and they bought plane tickets immediately to come see me. All this is fine, and I appreciate their support, but my apparently my mom has gone into isolation. She won't talk to anyone, she can't work, and she only wants to sleep and cry all day long. She didn't even like the ex that much! Also, my dad has become Mr. Sensitive all the sudden.
Again, I really do appreciate how supportive they're being. But their behavior is just plain weird/out-of-the-blue/somewhat annoying. They've never shown any interest in my emotional well-being. And I mean never. It's always been strictly business with them. I'm not ready to spend 3 days explaining and re-hashing the whole thing with people I've never been that personal with. I'm finally starting to get out of the funk and get on with my life and I feel the best I felt in months.
Any tricks on showing appreciation and helping the parents cope, while not delving back into the "darkness" and not becoming annoyed at their well-intentioned concern? Maybe I'm just being insensitive and selfish and should just suck it up and be a good sport...
Re: Over-sensitive parents amess: I think you said it very well here, and you can say all of this to them. Tell them how YOU feel about their behaviour, that you appreciate their trying to help, but this is your divorce and they are not helping in this way. Draw some boundaries.
