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Daughter's friend's mum love bombing my daughter and it feels so uncomfortable

205 replies

Winterslopes · 06/12/2023 12:07

Has anyone else been in this situation? My older teenage daughter and the other girl have been friends for a few years. The mum of the friend has fostered a really close relationship with my daughter. She is overfamiliar with her, constantly hugs and compliments her almost like an older aunt or grandmother would do. She wants to have her over to stay all the time. It really makes me feel uncomfortable, especially because she doesn't seem to consider my feelings. She sort of railroads getting her own way.

OP posts:
clpsmum · 06/12/2023 16:06

@Winterslopes sorry if I've offended you. I didn't read the full thread and will do so before commenting in future, lesson learned. Hope situation is resolved with as little upset/stress as possible

Maray1967 · 06/12/2023 16:05

clpsmum · 06/12/2023 15:48

This

So odd you feel that your feelings should be considered tbh. You should be happy another person loves your daughter

That is a very thoughtless remark. This woman is deliberately pushing OP out of her daughter’s life.

oakleaffy · 06/12/2023 16:03

Winterslopes · 06/12/2023 12:23

My daughter doesn't feel unhappy about any of it. The feelings of being uncomfortable are all mine. I'm just trying to get to the point where I understand how and why I feel like this. Is it all me or partly the other parent being overbearing and positioning herself in my daughter's life. There was an occasion where she tried to get my daughter to confide in her about how far she'd taken things with a boyfriend and I just feel the other mum oversteps. I'm not an absent parent, I'm absolutely here and present and involved in my daughter's life.

Yes I have experienced this.
Are you on your own with your daughter?
I had someone just like this with my son and I definitely felt as you do.

So much so that it was like he was their son
It was inappropriate and boundary crossing. ( He was a teenager at the time).

clpsmum · 06/12/2023 16:03

@Darkdiamond haven't rtft so may well be me that's odd! Nothing invading privacy from original post sorry if I've missed anything else along the way

Ineedasitdown · 06/12/2023 16:02

I’ve only read your replies op but what stands out to me is how controlling the other mum is.
she wants to be fully in control of her dds life and your dd is collateral in this.

I would be having conversations with dd about this parent. It won’t be the last time she meets a controlling person. It absolutely is not normal for mum of older teenagers to be so involved in their teenagers life, they won’t learn resilience or have as much fun if their is an adult present at all times.

id also pass comment to dd on how the relationship is one sided. What happens when your dd has different ideas? Dds friends mum is hiding her control with generosity. Refusing such generous requests looks unreasonable. I’d probably be having debriefs with dd over whether she has been a ver ruled when she comes home. You have more power than you realise op- you may need to be underhanded in its use though. If it were mine I’d be getting right in the way of this one.

Greenpolkadot · 06/12/2023 15:59

Bombing???
What does that mean?

Runaway1 · 06/12/2023 15:59

I think she sounds weird and you should trust your instincts. If it was a man, you’d suspect grooming - it’s grooming behaviour so tread carefully. I’d start by setting more boundaries with her and asking your daughter how she feels about e.g. the mum going on holiday. To me, that is really quite creepy as no other parents are going. And as for the alcohol and the way it was presented…

Darkdiamond · 06/12/2023 15:58

clpsmum · 06/12/2023 15:48

This

So odd you feel that your feelings should be considered tbh. You should be happy another person loves your daughter

No you sound odd. Do you often tell people to ignore their instincts when they feel that an adult is encroaching on the boundaries of a minor?

Maray1967 · 06/12/2023 15:57

Arealnumber · 06/12/2023 14:40

Yes I for one, have experienced exactly this - love bombing with gushing over familiarity, always being there, available & desperate to spoil my daughter, seemingly oblivious to my preferences or the values and ethics of our family.. I gently, gradually expressed what I was feeling about it to my daughter. After not too long she started to understand where I was coming from and picked up on the extremity of this mother's need to be seen as amazing, super friendly, generous etc. My daughter has now subtly withdrawn somewhat to a position that I feel comfortable with and she has been able to grow up and develop in the meantime. I realised that as well as delighting in love bombing my daughter, this mother's headspace was also absolutely saturated with gender and self id ideology, holding herself up as a saintly "be kind" woman. Ignore the ignorant responses from women here of the "live & let live" ilk; you are right to be wary of this woman and her out of proportion, grating manner of relating to your daughter.

Great post - your daughter is clearly very thoughtful and intelligent. I hope OP can have that same kind of conversation with her daughter, and that she can see what is disturbing her mother. This woman’s behaviour is very inappropriate.

FreshWinterMorning · 06/12/2023 15:56

clpsmum · 06/12/2023 15:48

This

So odd you feel that your feelings should be considered tbh. You should be happy another person loves your daughter

Are you kidding? Hmm Why should no-one take the feelings of the girl's mother into account?! What a horrible thing to say. Sad

Abouttoblow · 06/12/2023 15:54

UrghAnotherOne · 06/12/2023 14:55

I could probably be accused of "stealing" my DD's best friend too. I'm really not, I'm just welcoming and have an open door, open dinner table, policy for my kids' friends.

.... Unlike her own mum who is very strict, reserved and doesn't welcome friends to the house. Unsurprisingly, she prefers to hang out here, as at home, she can't have even one friend over without a load of guilt tripping.

That's clearly not the same situation that the OP is in.

Laiste · 06/12/2023 15:52

I'm going to be blunt here - and say i think it's too late to do much now.

It's been going on since your DD was 12, she's now 17.

It's a bit too late because
a) your DD is nearly an adult so you can't really dictate the details of her social life (unless it's actually unsafe obvs)
b) it's not long until DD grows out of going to mates' houses and hanging round with their mums anyway - so it may not be worth rocking the boat with your DD.

Oh and c) DD is so used to the way it is it's going to be almost impossible to have your feelings respected now.

Anyone ringing up and begging when they've been told no, giving alcohol, changing details of playdates and arranging MY kids birthday parties and excluding me would get short shrift from me i'm afraid. At the time!

I feel for you, but this is one of those 'Shoulda coulda woulda' moments. A life lesson OP.

One thing: the mum who organised this latest trip which nightmare mum has invited herself on; do you know her well enough to ask if she's actually ok with NMmum gatecrashing? I'm just wondering if you're not the only one who's suffering?

Redpaisley · 06/12/2023 15:51

Winterslopes · 06/12/2023 13:23

With the alcohol, when I dropped them off, she had a bottle in her hand and said, in front of the girls, you don't mind if they have a little tiny drink do you? Had I said no, I'd be the strict unpopular parent. It was manipulative.

You should have talked to her separately later then.

C1N1C · 06/12/2023 15:50

Easy fix (not sugar coating it), grow a backbone :)

It sounds like there's nothing wrong, rather just a bit of friendly competition. You're both fighting over who is the favourite parent. Step it up a notch, do something awesome for both girls and insist it's at yours. Don't take no for an answer.

SoySaucePls · 06/12/2023 15:49

That sounds really stressful OP. No advice really but having read all your post, it's not you, it's her, definitely. You sounds like a lovely kind supportive Mum who has good boundaries and is grounded.

The suffocating social butterfly mum sounds weird and scary. Mums need to be Mums, not down with the kids...

clpsmum · 06/12/2023 15:48

EdinGirl · 06/12/2023 12:09

You sound a bit jealous. I would think it's lovely for her to have someone else who adores her. It's important for young people to have close adults outside of family

This

So odd you feel that your feelings should be considered tbh. You should be happy another person loves your daughter

Makethemostofit · 06/12/2023 15:47

Redpaisley · 06/12/2023 15:27

Not sure it's fair to say OP is the one with peoblem - insecure, triggering. She is right to be worried for this level of imbalance in the relationship. Also, as a mother she should not be waiting for her daughter falling in trouble to appreciate mum. This woman is creepy to want to know intimate details of Op's daughter's relationship with her bf. She is undermining Op's boundaries, insisting on having things ger way - joint birthday only allowed if her in place and op not welcome to stay for arrangements, not allowing sleepovers at Op's place, and Op is being told to remember she will always be the mum. Op, needs to insist on her boundaries or this crazy helicopter mother will keep overstepping them.

I think Ive been the only one mentioning insecurity and triggers. I am talking about it in the sense of “just because you’re paranoid, don’t mean they’re not after you”.

I think the OP’s insecurities from losing her own mum so early, means her emotions are being triggered in an exaggerated way, so it is not as clear as her hand in front of her, as it would be to most other people, that this woman is inappropriate, undermining and without boundaries.

I think most mum’s wouldn’t let it get to this stage and constantly criticise themselves for their own entirely reasonable discomfort. If your deepest insecurities are being triggered, it is harder to know “Is it me? Is it them? Is this normal?” Etc.

Redpaisley · 06/12/2023 15:46

UrghAnotherOne · 06/12/2023 14:55

I could probably be accused of "stealing" my DD's best friend too. I'm really not, I'm just welcoming and have an open door, open dinner table, policy for my kids' friends.

.... Unlike her own mum who is very strict, reserved and doesn't welcome friends to the house. Unsurprisingly, she prefers to hang out here, as at home, she can't have even one friend over without a load of guilt tripping.

Are you also insisting on having sleepovers in your place, not in friend's house, insisting on a joint birthday of your child and friend your way and rejecting any input from friend's mother? If yes then you deserve tje accusation, if not, then you are ok.

Darkdiamond · 06/12/2023 15:44

LadeOde · 06/12/2023 15:18

She is a dc and her parent will be able to see things she might not especially where mum has to say 'No' to some things and the other woman is love bombing. It a form of bribe to buy a younger person's feelings so @OP is right to be concerned, therefore her DD's feelings are not the main consideration when it comes to being manipulated, her DM has the final say.

I agree. When I was a teenager there was a local mum who let the local teens all drink, smoke and all the other stuff, as she preferred it to happen 'under her roof rather than on a park bench'. Of course everyone thought she was great!!! We have now discovered that she is a dangerous, calculating, narcissist who has gone on to wreak absolute havoc on the lives of many people.

I also had a friend's parent who would lie to my parents about where I had been, and I too thought she was great! Turns out she too was an incredibly unstable person. Teenagers are very impressionable and it doesn't take much to win their favour, which is a massive ego boost for many inadequate people.

FreshWinterMorning · 06/12/2023 15:41

Minime88888888 · 06/12/2023 14:18

This mum sounds like an absolute nut job. Gently take the piss out of her to your daughter, easy does it! Find out your daughter's opinion of this mum, your daughter's not stupid, if the mum's a weirdo she'll know. This woman is desperately insecure and wants to be the centre of everything. No one is going to take your daughter away from you. Don't let this women create a space between you and your daughter by making you feel that she's closer to your own child. As that's what she wants. Be open with your daughter, tell her this mum's well weird with you. Don't doubt yourself. X

This. ^ I am so sorry you feel triggered and bothered about this @Winterslopes and so very insecure and upset. You would not be human if you didn't feel insecure about this; I think any mum would.

For a very short spell my 2 daughters - 2 years apart - seem to prefer other mums to me and it was so upsetting. It made me feel insecure and weepy. They had better jobs than me - and higher pay, and bigger houses, and newer cars etc... They were both impressed by wealth and flash shit at the time. Lasted about 2 years (late teens!) Didn't last long, as they realised many of the parents were massively in debt, and the cars were on finance, and they had breathtakingly high mortgage, and very stressful and demanding jobs that took them away from their family a lot.

I am sure your daughter will come around @Winterslopes , and I hope it's soon. As a pp said, this woman sounds a little bit batshit tbh. Like the mother of Regina George in Mean Girls. Trying to be their mate, and trying to out-do the other mums and make herself more popular. Bleurgh! Confused As a pp said, she sounds immature and insecure, and slightly pathetic. Imagine trying to be mates with your child's teen friends!

Please try not to feel too blue about this OP, I am sure it will pass soon. And of course YANBU to be upset. Vent away! Flowers

pizzaHeart · 06/12/2023 15:41

it seems from your updates that there is a disparity socially so maybe that’s the reason ? This mum doesn’t want to socialise with you as you are lower socially but she can’t do anything about her daughter socializing with yours so just making sure to control it. Her daughter might be uncomfortable to go to your house as it’s smaller/ less comfortable etc etc .
Is this mum the same with other mums or only with you?

Darkdiamond · 06/12/2023 15:36

UrghAnotherOne · 06/12/2023 14:55

I could probably be accused of "stealing" my DD's best friend too. I'm really not, I'm just welcoming and have an open door, open dinner table, policy for my kids' friends.

.... Unlike her own mum who is very strict, reserved and doesn't welcome friends to the house. Unsurprisingly, she prefers to hang out here, as at home, she can't have even one friend over without a load of guilt tripping.

The other mum has told OP that she can't go tonher own daughter's birthday party. Is this the kind of thing you do?

MuddledMadge · 06/12/2023 15:32

I wouldn't like it either. I bet people wouldn't feel comfortable with this behaviour coming for a friend's dad.

Redpaisley · 06/12/2023 15:27

Not sure it's fair to say OP is the one with peoblem - insecure, triggering. She is right to be worried for this level of imbalance in the relationship. Also, as a mother she should not be waiting for her daughter falling in trouble to appreciate mum. This woman is creepy to want to know intimate details of Op's daughter's relationship with her bf. She is undermining Op's boundaries, insisting on having things ger way - joint birthday only allowed if her in place and op not welcome to stay for arrangements, not allowing sleepovers at Op's place, and Op is being told to remember she will always be the mum. Op, needs to insist on her boundaries or this crazy helicopter mother will keep overstepping them.

PandaChopChop · 06/12/2023 15:25

Armchair psychologist here thinking this other woman feels very insecure about being her daughter being a "separate" person and won't give her independence? I think I'd be bloody embarrassed if my mother invited herself on a friends holiday!
My mum always had an open house policy and my friends did used to rock up whenever they felt like it really but she never overstepped.
YANBU OP and I would feel really upset about this too.