Dear Annie: I’m the mother of two grown sons. My youngest is married, but the marriage has strained our once-close relationship. He always dreamed of having children, but his wife changed her mind after they married. She seems to control every aspect of their life together -- social plans, family visits, even how often he calls me.

At first, I liked my daughter-in-law, but over time she has become distant and manipulative. She tells my son I’m a bad influence and even mocks our closeness by calling him a “mama’s boy.” He used to call me weekly, but now it’s down to once a month, even though we live only 30 minutes apart. If I try to say anything, she twists my words into something negative.

Recently, they joined a new church, and now my son lectures me about needing to change and “be the

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