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AIBU?

Three sisters and a mother

39 replies

Paddie · 15/03/2014 09:56

Not quite four and a funeral. I don't know if I'm being silly but having spent the last couple of weeks randomly crying and thinking about it I thought I'd pose the question. It was triggered by my most recent sisters wedding where I had no involvement in the wedding. I wasn't asked to be a bridesmaid, say a reading, nothing...in fact I don't think my sister found time to speak to me the entire day. Given I had spent a considerable amount of money taking my family to her wedding in another country this hurt.

Casting my mind back I realised that both my other sisters also had weddings where I wasn't involved. All three were my bridesmaids when I married and all three of them have been each other's bridesmaids or have had a role in the wedding proceedings.

Combine that with the utter lack of interest my mother has in my life I feel really hurt, unwanted and like I'm the ugly ducking tagging along behind all the swans. I know I chose to live in a different country to the rest of my family but I have really tried to maintain links, taking my family back there regularly. I haven't got much money so trips there will be in place of taking my children away elsewhere not in addition. None of them bother to visit us here but yet frequently travel abroad on holidays. I've even found out retrospectively that they have had weekends in London but haven't wanted to see me or my family.

I don't know whether to confront them (suspect it will be denied and I'll be painted as being foolish for feeling this way) or to just gradually ease of contact with them as I don't think they want it.

Sorry for this being long and thanks for reading it. Am I bu to feel excluded

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BlackeyedSusan · 15/03/2014 09:59

yanbu to feel excluded and hurt. it is not nice to think they feel so little for you. would the bridesmaid thing be because you are not local?

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MoreSkyThanWeNeed · 15/03/2014 10:03

They sound horrible. No wonder you're upset.
If I were you, I would just stop making the effort. Not deliberately cutting them out, but stop being the one doing all the work. See if they notice and do anything.
Of course, they may not, so as sad as it is, I would prepare for that and just concentrate on my own life.

Just because they are family, it doesn't give them a free pass to treat you like shit.

Focus your energy on people who deserve it.

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Paddie · 15/03/2014 10:06

No, one of her other bridesmaids, a friend, also lived abroad. I'm not focused on being a bridesmaid, she can have whomever she chooses, what hurts was that each time all my other family members have either had a role or turned one down but I have never been asked.....

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RandomMess · 15/03/2014 10:06

Just Flowers because it is so hurtful to be excluded by your family.

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Uptheanty · 15/03/2014 10:12

I could've written your post op Sad

Try to think about the positive people in your life.
Unfortunately for some people out of sight out of mind.

I hope you feel better soon x

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dunsborough · 15/03/2014 10:18

From one black sheep to another... Wine

I know how much it hurts, but if your family is anything like mine, they will minimise and deny.
I recently saw pictures of my three siblings all at lunch together. How lovely.

The only way to get through is to EMBRACE being the black sheep. This is what I'm trying to do. It is hard.

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olbasoil · 15/03/2014 10:19

Time to concentrate on your own little family from now on. It will be hard and of course you will miss them, but let them do the contacting from now on. If they don't bother then they are just not worth it. I know how much this hurts.

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Paddie · 15/03/2014 10:28

From one black sheep to another...

I know how much it hurts, but if your family is anything like mine, they will minimise and deny.
I recently saw pictures of my three siblings all at lunch together. How lovely.

The only way to get through is to EMBRACE being the black sheep. This is what I'm trying to do. It is hard.

I get that....the other week when I was speaking to my mother about something I was pleased I had done well and she dismissed me. For once I decided to speak up for myself and she turned it around.....acting hurt, telling me to 'not be like that' and she actually said 'you know I'm not interested' as if that was a reasonable justification for shutting me off.....guess I'm a fool to have gone back each time to be kicked again.....

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DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 15/03/2014 10:31

Just an observation but it seems that your sisters and 'D'M might close ranks against you because they regard you as threatening them and their parochial view of the world. Moving away and starting your family might have been seen as you rejecting them, (I'm sure it wasn't the case). Their reluctance to visit you in spite of you making the effort to go back and see them is a slap in the face. The weddings were perhaps the clearest indication yet of them excluding you but I bet that wasn't the first.

I don't mean to be unkind but what's the point of raising this? It will only make them smug and pointedly punish you by further distancing themselves.

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dunsborough · 15/03/2014 10:41

Oh Paddle... Hugs and Thanks

I know it is hard. I work really hard on my friendships and relationship.
Sometimes (I'm a bit ashamed to admit this as it is ridiculously petty) I also post stuff on Facebook to irritate them. This is very easy as they are right-wing and I am extremely left-wing.

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dunsborough · 15/03/2014 10:42

To clarify: I post stuff that will irritate my siblings - not my friends.

I know this is crap.

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Paddie · 15/03/2014 10:44

Probably no point in raising it. They won't admit anything and I will just feel even worse. The most sensible thing to do is gradually cut contact down.....but it hurts to feel rejected, no one wants to be pushed away, whether by family, friends, colleagues, and it makes me feel somewhat worthless, like I am less than them and perhaps not deserving of being loved, wanted, included.....most likely a silly attitude but knowing that doesn't take the feelings away

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OneStepForwardTwoBack · 15/03/2014 10:46

Aw just ignore it. I have two sisters and I feel they are closer to each other and my mum. They also do nothing but slate each other lol. I keep as much distance as possible, though I'm a bit closer with them since our Dad died. I am younger and had my kids later, and one of my kids has a disability too so we just seem to have less and less in common. It is a bit of a shame but on the other hand, if you are in with them more you can get pulled into all kinds of crap. Enjoy the life you have, stay in contact with them and keep a bit of emotional distance.

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Preciousbane · 15/03/2014 11:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Paddie · 15/03/2014 12:26

I have three beautiful dcs who rock my world, a new partner who loves and supports me, anyone with an ounce of cop on would surely be more than content with that. Do we ever reach a point in our lives when we don't want/need the love and relationships that have should be there from birth

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BuggarMeGently · 15/03/2014 15:24

Another "Black Sheep" here... I have come to the conclusion that they are going to slate me no matter what, so it's not worth getting upset about. Fuckem.

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BuggarMeGently · 15/03/2014 15:27

And yes, I believe you do reach a point where you don't give a crunchy crap about being included. I have friends that I see as more as siblings than my real siblings.

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minouminou · 15/03/2014 15:32

Another black sheep here.

I have three brilliant relatives, my sister and two of her daughters. There are a few others who are OK but that I'm not close to.
The rest can GTF.
I cut them out, and I'm much happier.

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withextradinosaurs · 15/03/2014 17:48

Wine to all the black sheep!

I think we are always sad that the close family love and support that ohers seem to have isn't in our lives....but then, the downside of this is the mothers who "pop in" for hours at a time, the ones who try and raise your kids for you, the sisters who take your clothes....

Love your family of choice. That's what works for me.

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YouTheCat · 15/03/2014 17:54

Paddie, do you or your kids get anything out of visiting them? It sounds awful.

Take yourselves off for a nice proper holiday somewhere and sod the rest of them. Be polite. Send birthday/Christmas cards etc. But just don't engage with them.

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Topazandpearl · 15/03/2014 18:02

Hi Paddie, I'm guessing from your name and lingo (use of the term "cop on") that you are Irish and have moved to the UK? I think that some people in Ireland have a bit of the old inferiority/superiority complex about England in particular. If they feel that you have moved on, they can take it as an implicit criticism on their life at home. It doesn't excuse their hurtful behaviour in any way Thanks.

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getdownshep · 15/03/2014 18:15

Dh has this situation with his family since we got married.
When his df was dying dh promised him he would visit his dm regularly but once she has gone, that's it, no more family contact.
His ds's have driven past our road on their way to family parties, he's not asked. When family members have died he hasn't been told till the funeral is over, making it look like he doesn't care.
He wasn't even consulted about his own df's funeral, they just ignored his wishes.
Nasty bunch, we are all happier not having anything to do with them.

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dancingnancy · 15/03/2014 18:44

I know how you feel a bit OP. It hurts. I know I choose to live away and I accept that that means we have to make more effort and realise that when you leave often you get overlooked. It just makes you realise that they don't feel you are worth it when they make no effort to visit or when you do visit them, they just carry on as usual as though you are a nuisance in their routine. My friends have made much more effort than many if my family tbh.

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BikeRunSki · 15/03/2014 18:48

I wasn't at all involved in my sister's wedding either, nor can I remember the last time I spoke to her. My mother also recently told me that she doesn't particularly like me and finds me stressful to be with.

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BuggarMeGently · 15/03/2014 20:09

The black Sheep Brigade! To the person who suggested cutting contact to see if they notice...they probably won't. My "sister" has just texted to ask why I have unfriended her on facefook- I did this 2 YEARS AGO!- and to ask if OH will help her move...erm, off you fuck, then!

Baaaaa

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