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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Parents moaning their pensions are not enough!!

394 replies

Bluesky91 · 12/04/2024 22:04

My parents own a large 3 bed semi. They extended it to convert to a huge 5bed house. After I moved out, my brother stayed back. He is not a high earner (teacher). He got married a few years later. His wife works for minimum wage. On their salaries, they will struggle to live on their own - they will have nothing left to save/spend on lifestyle. They have a 4yr old child. They all live with my parents.

Earlier this evening, I was visiting my parents. My mom was out with her exercise group. Brother, SIL and DN went out for dinner. My dad ticked off all of a sudden saying they have no money by 20th of every month and it’s very unfair on pensioners. wtf. My parents have TWO pensions. Just that they chose to pay everything for the house, bills, food, cleaner, car, childcare, DNs activities, etc. DB/SIL spend their income on lifestyle and investments. it’s not NHS/ Govt’s problem. My dad got so mad a me for saying this, he shouted at me saying “do you want us to kick your brother out? How will he live?”

Within means? Like everyone else?

AIBU ?

OP posts:
MsRosley · 13/04/2024 10:06

mt9m · 13/04/2024 06:43

My parents also have these weird ideas about providing for sons. Can you explain it to me at all? I'm a daughter and have struggled to understand why they get to freeload and I get nothing but criticism and judgment, when I work hard and they don't.

The explanation is simple: misogyny.

Noicant · 13/04/2024 10:05

I would also gently point out that I wouldn’t be doing any caring work. the dynamic usually means the least favoured child is expected to step up and do the boring work even though they never received any help and are definitely not in the will.

I’m not saying that because of money but they have basically not bothered about whether you are doing ok or not. They don’t really care, so I’d be retuning the favour. Plus nothing in life is free, you dbro has to pay his dues somewhere.

Leave them to it and be glad you won’t be doing elder care, it’s hard.

wellthisislovely · 13/04/2024 10:04

OP, looking at this situation I wouldn't expect to inherit from them. They will leave your DB the house because it's his home and you already have one. You can see it a mile away.

Your parents do have enough money to live off. They have created this situation . They either make your brother pull his weight, or they put up and shut up.

TotalAbsenceOfImperialRaiment · 13/04/2024 10:02

Your brother is taking advantage, yes, but being a teacher is nothing like 'going to school'. You can resent him without disrespecting an entire profession.

serin · 13/04/2024 10:00

Nanny0gg · 13/04/2024 09:32

I am not suggesting that you are looking towards an inheritance but what is the likelihood of your brother getting the lot? Pretty high I assume?
Because they won't want him homeless or his cushtly life disrupted, will they?

Unless the parents need nursing care, in which case their assets (including the house) will go towards funding that. An inheritance is not guaranteed.

getsomehelp · 13/04/2024 10:00

You can't win.

You could drop the bomb at dinner one day.
Saying it was never a problem that you lived in a one bed flat, noone had ever subbed you.
That your father is complaining he us skint by the 20th.
That your db & co, are leeching cock lodging spongers, they dont help with chores & have free childcare.

But the whole pack will pull together & you will become the enemy..

Maybe text your B, & tell him your F is complaining he is broke, & his pension isn't covering the outgoing expenditures, They need to put their grubby hands in their pockets & pay some bills

Iwasafool · 13/04/2024 09:58

Bluesky91 · 12/04/2024 22:32

Property prices and rents are super expensive where we live.

Well one of my kids is a teacher, they live in the 2nd most expensive city in the country and they manage to have a lovely 3 bed house, one works part time but obviously pay for childcare. You are all infantalising your brother.

DisforDarkChocolate · 13/04/2024 09:57

Your parents may be banking on care from your brother, I can virtually guarantee as soon as this is a possibility he'll piss off with his massive savings and buy a house somewhere else.

This is like penis portions on steroids.

serin · 13/04/2024 09:55

It's almost financial abuse when you think about it.

serin · 13/04/2024 09:53

Bluesky91 · 12/04/2024 23:12

It’s 100% my parents fault. I think they are paying hoping they’ll be looked after when they need help.

Then they are mad. Carers are trained professionals. It's bloody hard work and these two freeloaders certainly don't sound like they would be up for it.

NOTANUM · 13/04/2024 09:52

Would I be right in guessing there is a cultural aspect at play here and that your family is from a culture where multi-generational living is quite normal? That would explain why they’ve favoured your son: it’s traditional for the son and his family to live with the parents and to care for them when they age.
Leaving affordability aside, there are pluses and minuses to this and but you must not step forward when they need help in later years. They’ve made their choice and (prepare yourself) your brother will get their house and assets when they pass on.
On the affordability side, I imagine this is frustrating: your DB’s kid is in private school and they live in a big house while having money to invest (bitcoin?) while that some of this is achieved with much more effort on your side. I would leave them to it and when your dad brings it up again, just say “you know my opinion” and leave it. There is nothing to be gained from getting involved in this family unit and its dynamics. But it’s hard..
If I’m wrong on the culture side, then please ignore the above!

Bearpawk · 13/04/2024 09:44

Their pensions aren't enough to support a whole extra family, no. Nor should they Bex

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 13/04/2024 09:43

buswankerz · 12/04/2024 22:37

I would stay out of it op and if they say again they've no money just mention last time you gave them solutions they didn't like it and leave it at that.

This.
If they really can’t see that allowing your DB + 2 to live with them, without expecting them to contribute a reasonable amount, is mad - when they say they’re short of money! - then I doubt that anything you say is going to influence them.

Some people do just moan endlessly, but refuse to take the obvious action.

IMO some do derive some sort of perverse satisfaction from being the ‘virtuous victim’. It gives them plenty to continually complain about!

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 13/04/2024 09:42

I think for your DF to bring it up when no one was around was a way of seeking help, but at the same time not wanting to be the bad guy.
He knows they're broke amd can't afford to sustain the living arrangements, especially with DN heading into teenage hood and the expense it brings.
He then gets defensive as he knows they've enabled it.

They won't want to risk seeing DN less so would rather trod along.

It is not 100% their fault as your DB & SIL wouldn't treat a friend or other relative this way.
They could have insisted on taking on some financial responsibilities, just as your parents did.
That would have been a way to show that he is a grown man who can look after his family and help break the current narrative.

There needs to be a family meeting or you talking to your brother and saying that he needs to pay.

It's quite grabby to be expecting your parents to subside three people.

Bet your SIL gets well with them, why wouldn't she, free everything. Great that she helps but don't see how 4 adults need a cleaner 3 times a week.

Your poor parents, once they're elderly and relying more on your DB, bet he'll taking more and more advantage of them.
He always has done.

Takeoutyourhen · 13/04/2024 09:40

This thread has been so therapeutic to read!
I have a very similar situation, but swap DB for a single DSis.
I agree with a PP that the more you try to suggest things, you’ll end up being in the wrong and the bad guy.
It’s emotionally draining listening to a parent vent about the situation whilst the other enables. Truth be told, they both enable. Advice falls on deaf ears.
Why would they want to move out when they have a live in chef, housekeeper, laundry maid, ironer, garden, etc.
Being equipped to fail is what happens.
Oh and they can’t possibly move out (SE England) because then they would not have the current standard of living.
Boils my blood!

Think I will have to use a stock line - what can you do, it is what she has chosen -is good. I’ve said it all before but do they listen? No. The Co-dependency between mum and daughter runs so deep, boundaries do not exist.

and breathe!

ViciousCurrentBun · 13/04/2024 09:40

What you have here is a strong preference for male children and grandchildren. Your brother and his DS are the favourites. They have made zero attempt to even hide it. My Mother had a clear favourite of her six children and my FIL very obviously favoured SIL. At least I had siblings to discuss this with and knew it wasn’t my imagination.

Roll on decades. Four of my siblings did a lot for our Mother as she became disabled. Myself and one other sister had moved many miles away. So we saw her a lot less. When she died she left her entire estate to her favourite child. Myself and other living far away sis had seen it coming many years before, it was no shock to us but the other three were really upset. To be honest two of them had done such a lot for her, one had her round their house for dinner every day for a decade, they lived a couple of doors away from each other.

FIL also left his entire estate to SIL, the most devastated was MIL, they were divorced many years previously. I mean I wasn’t as he was an obnoxious old git. DH and I joke how we were meant to be together as not the favourites. What’s funny is we were both boringly well behaved children that gave zero trouble, studious and bookish, our parents boasted of our academic achievements and the favoured sisters were difficult children.

Nothing you say or do will change this dynamic.

AtTheCopaTheyFellInLove · 13/04/2024 09:40

Your situation aside, the UK pension is not enough. It is really low compared to other EU countries, we have a later start date on it, and many of our pensioners have paid all their lives into it. I'm not a pensioner FYI.

That aside, your DB is a CF'er.

Epidote · 13/04/2024 09:37

No wonder why your dad is moaning if they are covering the living of five people. Once I've said that, he is the one that is being very unreasonable because they choose to cover their expenses and he is complaining to the wrong person. He should be complaining to your brother and SIL who have the face to go out for dinner and not cover anything in the house they live.
Leave it up to them. They want to cover their full board, fair enough, shut your dad mouth next time saying that is a conversation you need to have with DB.
Don't think they are going to take care of your parents if they need it, they sound very entitled to me.

Nanny0gg · 13/04/2024 09:32

Bluesky91 · 13/04/2024 09:26

I can be as certain as I can be, they won’t go into care. The house is worth a fortune, they will
manage something, they aren’t stupid to lose that house to care home fees !

I am not suggesting that you are looking towards an inheritance but what is the likelihood of your brother getting the lot? Pretty high I assume?
Because they won't want him homeless or his cushtly life disrupted, will they?

KanyeJohnWestTuna · 13/04/2024 09:28

This is a problem that your parents created. They enabled your DB and DSIL to sponge off them. Your parents need to sort it out with them, and not involve you.

Nanny0gg · 13/04/2024 09:28

Bluesky91 · 13/04/2024 07:59

DB and SIL don’t cry poverty at all. If anything, my DB thinks he is loaded! They are nice, esp SIL. She is a nice person and is quite tolerant of my parents and DB. In return, my parents gave her my place (which I have no problem with, it’s nice that they all get along well). She is a happy person, she pays for her own stuff etc.

if they were to move out, nothing would change for my Db, except the size of the house. He would 100% dump all chores and admin on SIL and continue to live an entitied life.

Edited

Is this a cultural thing, that your brother is treated as a prince?

Because it's bonkers

Bluesky91 · 13/04/2024 09:26

FlamingoQueen · 13/04/2024 09:19

What would happen if your parents needed to go into a home and needed the house money for care?
It is unfair - my sil has everything provided for her by mil. We are ignored. Families are weird!

I can be as certain as I can be, they won’t go into care. The house is worth a fortune, they will
manage something, they aren’t stupid to lose that house to care home fees !

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 13/04/2024 09:26

Bluesky91 · 13/04/2024 06:28

I think dad is too proud to tell my brother.

Your brother is a teacher. Presumably then, he's not that thick.

He's just a Not-Very-Nice user person

ssd · 13/04/2024 09:20

Bluesky91 · 13/04/2024 09:09

I am resentful, they never offered me any help !! They let me live in small flats, struggle with a full time stressful corporate job (so we could pay mortgage), take on a big mortgage, get a car on borrowed money, basically let me fly the nest, yet kept my DB, shielding him from normal struggles in life.

Why won’t I be resentful? Would you be delighted in my situation?

I get the resentment but more than that i get how well you have done and how proud you should be of yourself.
I dont think you'll change your folks or your brother.
Let them get on with it and try to keep a distance from it all, for your own sake.

FlamingoQueen · 13/04/2024 09:19

What would happen if your parents needed to go into a home and needed the house money for care?
It is unfair - my sil has everything provided for her by mil. We are ignored. Families are weird!