I believe my husband’s ex-wife has golden uterus complex. Can you enlighten us a little more on this topic?
Thanks,
Plain Ol’ Uterus
Dear POU,
The word “golden” precedes many wonderful things, like retriever, spoon, ring, egg, etc. Unfortunately, uterus is not one of these wonderful things. (It’s wonderful all by itself, however.) Just another instance of when words can be deceiving. Kind of like, kumquat.
Women who suffer from golden uterus complex (GUC) are typically first wives with an overwhelming sense of entitlement and superiority, simply because they had children with said man – first. These women manipulate their children, ex’s, and ex’s partners, claiming it’s “for the sake of the children.” In a way, these women feel like royalty and snub other mothers and their children, especially if these other mothers are second wives.
You’d think a woman totting around a golden uterus (GU) would be mother of the year. Nope. Although GUs get the majority of their sense of self from being a mother, they’re actually quite poor parents. Women suffering from GUC tend to be highly confrontational, selfish, and abusive.
Women with GUC operate under a couple core beliefs. Firstly, that the child is a possession, her possession. When people view a person as an object, they don’t respect his/her boundaries, which is the case here. For example, if mommy hates daddy, then the child must hate daddy. GUs don’t allow their children to have feelings/thoughts of their own; these women think and feel for their children. They are one entity. GUs also believe they own the father of their children because of their “unique” ability to birth his children. They believe an episiotomy scar makes them the authority on anything and everything having to do with their children, and their parenting takes precedence over everything, including the father’s.
You say your husband’s ex-wife has GU, so I imagine you’re having a helluva time. You know she thinks of you as an intruder, right? And she thinks of her children and herself as a package. In other words, if your husband wants to have a relationship with his kid(s), Ms. GU, believes she’s part of that deal. In her mind, why wouldn’t she be? The kid(s) did come from her uterus after all. You don’t say if your man’s ex has a boyfriend or new husband. But, really, why would you? It’s none of your damn business. Well, that’s what she told you, right?
Besides staying out of a GUs personal life, you better not critique her either because anything you say will be viewed as an attack – either on her, her children, or her parenting. So, naturally, co-parenting is a complete nightmare. If you don’t parent in the exact same way as a GU, she perceives it as abuse. And, if you question something she implements, she’ll punish you with passive-aggressive behavior, like not letting you see the kids.
Some examples of tactics GUC sufferers use:
- A phone call in the middle of the night to work out the details of Sally’s ballet recital – that’s scheduled two months from now.
- Waking the kids up at night to talk or cuddle because, well, “It gets lonely.”
- Telling 10-year-old Jack, “Well, thanks to your dad, you’re the man of the house, now.”
- Saying, “My boyfriend knows, in the eyes of God, you and I will always be married.”
GUs are also known to commonly partake in a despicable act known as Mommy-blocking. This is when she attempts to keep the children from their father, either by criticizing how he cares for the children, or who he brings around the children (i.e. new wives).
In short, these women have traits of a personality disorder, want to alienate the other parent, and believe their needs come before anyone else’s, including their children’s.
So, what to do? Well, I find that when dealing with people with personality disorders or just those who are highly confrontational, setting boundaries is the most effective tool. So, learn to say no and mean it. Let her know what she can and can’t get away with. Also, have your husband do the majority of the dealings with her. And, if she ever disrespects you, he should aptly put her in her place. Because she is damaging the children as well, you and your husband, together, should work hard to instill self-esteem and values in them.
Also, make sure you and your husband take time to de-stress. Spend some quality time together and have fun! We have plenty of toys to help you!
Best,
Meg
Ask Meg is a series in which a reader/customer writes our love expert, Meg, with a relationship/sex question. Kind of like Dear Abby, but with more sex! Meg has her master’s in clinical psychology, works as a crisis counselor and has over 15 years of experience in behavioral health, specializing in relationships and sex. If you have a question, email Meg at mkrein@fascinations.net.
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