CosmopolitanSplitting up with an ex is hard, but leaving his family might be harder. Here's how to cut the cord for good, without the hard feelings.
By Sofia Quintero
1. Cut the cord
"Cut all communication-calls, email, texting, everything!-for a few weeks," psychologist Dr. Melissa Laracuenta says. "You need time to determine what you want and need without them in your ear." But Lisa, an educator from Los Angeles, says giving family members a heads-up helps. "I disappeared from their lives totally for a couple of months," she says of leaving her beau- and his family-of four years. "This affected his mom, and him, pretty badly."
Related: Mayte Garcia on How to Get Over a Breakup
2. Unfollow them
Social media provides too much access to painful information, so remove the temptation. If his family takes offense, show compassion, but stand your ground. "All you can do is let them know that you care, but disengage," Dr. Laracuenta says.
3. Set boundaries
As you both move on,









