‘Mother’ Or ‘Smother’ ? Why A Man Says His Girlfriend’s Mom Hates The Word ‘Boundary’

Michael says his girlfriend, Stefanie, warned him from the start of their relationship that her mother, Cheryl, was “very invasive.” But he says at the time he thought, “Maybe she’s just a little bit of an overbearing mother.”

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“Then I realized that Cheryl thinks that she’s the one dating Stefanie, and that’s where the problem comes in. It’s completely unacceptable and unhealthy,” says Michael, who claims his girlfriend’s mother feels threatened by him.

Claiming that Cheryl “has no regard for Stefanie’s private time,” and “hates the word ‘boundary’,” Michael says Cheryl gets offended if Stefanie does anything without her, and “feels that she has to constantly be in control and involved with every aspect of Stefanie’s life.”

Stefanie also says her mother is trying to run her life and claims Cheryl doesn’t want her dating Michael.

“Cheryl is not a mother – she’s a ‘smother’,” says Michael, claiming he just wants Stefanie to be happy, and for Cheryl to “let her be.”

Cheryl says she thought Michael was “a very nice boy” when he first started dating her daughter. “And then, I saw all the alcohol that he’s drinking when he’s with her.” Cheryl says she’s worried about Stefanie, “and I feel like this is not something any mother wants for their child.”

What does Michael have to say about his alleged alcohol use, and how does Stefanie respond when Cheryl reveals she has listened in on the couple’s private conversations?

This episode of Dr. Phil airs Wednesday. Find out where you can watch here.

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