Dm took all the food for my kids!

But it doesn’t have to be exhausting. Just keep sending her the same message: please send me the £80 you took as I need to feed the kids. Don’t speak to her, or engage other than to keep sending that same message.

I would give a hand made card to your mum for Xmas/her birthday saying I had a 80 pounds worth present for you mummy but your dog had eaten it.

Yes. Admittedly I’ve been vegetarian since my teens, and haven’t ever owned a dog, but surely ‘meat for human consumption, to feed a family for a month’ looks very different to ‘treats for a dog”?

She does know the dog will die from organ failure because just meat alone isn't nutritionally balanced enough?

Your mum really took all the meats in the fridge for her dog ???

No one can be that mad surely ?

She needs to send you the money to replace

I can't understand how the idea of telling your bitch of a mother who stole a month's worth of food from her daughter and grandchildren to transfer the money so you can replace the food is more hassle than having to deal with no food and all the emotions that come with the fact that she stole from you?

I'm sorry you are newly separated but you need to stand up to that awful woman. She stole from you. Send her one text.

Mum, you stole from me and your grandchildren. You need to transfer the £80 to me NOW. You stole meat from my fridge which was meant for me and my DC to feed your DOG? Do you realise how that feels?

I wouldn't bother having her visit again.

Genuinely confused as to what OP has done to warrant being called that.

@Littlechesnuttree - I am sensing how frustrated you are by this whole situation that wasn't of your doing.
If it were me, I'd give my mother one final opportunity to right the wrong she has done to you and her grandkids.
It can't wait a month. It has to be sorted now as you have nothing to eat. How could she leave her daughter and grandkids without the fixings of their dinners? That's a whole other level of selfishness.

I'd contact her and tell her that she has 24 hours to transfer the money to you, or go online and replace each of the selections of meat and get them delivered to your home (at her expense, not yours). She can do an online shop of just meat (does your butcher have an online shop, or can you get the same types of meat from an online supermarket?) and cover the costs herself, but she does it now, or she can provide you with her debit/credit card number and the three digits on the back of the card along with the name on the card and the expiry date and you'll do an online shop but it gets sorted.

She is incredibly selfish and I'd actually tell her (once you get your meal fixings issue sorted) that she isn't to come up to visit as you can't believe she would do something like this to you.

Sending you lots of strength to get through this and the coming weeks!

How about:

"Okay, Mum, it was a mistake. However, I've got no food in for the kids now and that was my budget for the month. I know you don't want to see the kids go hungry so do you want to transfer me the money or arrange a delivery from the butcher? Either works for me."

Wonder how quickly I'd get banned if I gave this shit reply it deserves?

I'm so sorry for what you are going through atm but I'm with others who say you should ask your DM to transfer the money. It's an absolute disgrace that she did this to you and your DC.

Op, your mum is a selfish cow.
I could never imagine my mum taking food meant for my children and not giving me the money back when realising her mistake. Bloody hell.

My mum does stuff like this for her cat OP, you're not alone.

After 15 odd years off me saying 'what the eff did you do that for?!!!!'
She has finally started transfering me the money first.

Turns out, she hates going to the butchers, and she thought I was trying to surreptitiously help her 🤣

We got there eventually and noone starved. Life's not always as easy as people make it out to be.

I hope you get it sorted, I have no immediate advice, but I wish you luck!

Op I am sorry she has been so selfish. "Payment for looking after the kids"?!!

Can you tell her not to bother coming back in 4 weeks? The petrol money she'll save can be used to replace the meat now.

That sort of "help" you do not need.

I’m sorry but there’s no way that was a mistake. She’s punishing or sabotaging you for some reason? How is she usually?

You need to insist she transfers the money, now. Don’t listen to any nonsense.
What kind of a person leaves their grandchildren without food?

So she has no money worries then, and can pay you back easily.

This!! There’s not a chance this is a genuine mistake. She’s fucking unbelievable to have done this to you!!

If you’ve so recently lost your husband, surely you can take some more compassionate leave from work?

Did she honestly make it into petrol money and an hourly rate to look after children?

That makes her one of those people who are never wrong, and it's all turned into who's fault it is. So frustrating.

She stole it!!! What a disgrace she litterally took food from her grandchildrens mouths. I'd be demanding the money. I'd tell her shed been recorded stealing it and I was pressing charges if she didn't pay it back lol 😆 that should get your meat back