How do you deal with intrusive parents?
 
Andrew recently separated from his wife.
 
He says he is still close to his wife, who is suffering from depression. He says he's trying his best to save the marriage.
 
The separation was triggered by his wife having an argument with his mother, when they were forced to move in with his parents due to financial difficulties.
 
Andrew says he's finding it difficult to now work through his family's problems because his wife's parents keep interfering in their affairs.
 
He says this was the case the whole way throughout their marriage - he estimates his wife's parents lived with them on and off for almost 4 years in total over the course of their six year marriage.
 
He says they haven't let go of their daughter and haven't respected their space.
 
He also says the intrusion has meant they haven't been able to tackle family problems as a family.
 
He wants the marriage to continue - and says she is the only woman he wants to be with - but doesn't know how to deal with sorting through the marriage, without the interference of intrusive parents.
 
DISCUSSION POINTS:
• Negotiating a relationship during a time of separation is tricky enough in itself…but how do you manage it with interfering parents?
• How can both Andrew and his wife get on a level playing field…where it’s just the two of them, to discuss the future of their marriage?
• How can they deal with their in-laws respectfully? Should they tell them they need some space?