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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think DH is losing the plot re: DS’s new girlfriend??

489 replies

LittleMarmiteQueen · 13/07/2025 19:05

DS (17) has a new GF, been seeing her a few weeks. She seems nice enough, a bit quiet maybe, but polite, comes from the next town over. He’s been asking if she can stay over one weekend (they’ve been spending a lot of time here anyway, mostly watching films in his room, door open etc)

DH has suddenly decided he’s “getting bad vibes” off her. Couldn’t really explain what he meant, just that “something’s off” and “you never know these days” 🙄

He’s now saying he wants to hire a private investigator to do a background check before we let her stay the night. A PI!!! For a 17yo girl!!! He’s already been Googling local firms and tried to act like this is totally normal and responsible parenting.

I told him he was being ridiculous and over the top but he’s digging his heels in and going on about “protecting DS” and how “she could be hiding something” and we need to be “vigilant”. Honestly I’m half wondering if he’s watched too many Netflix docs lately.

FWIW we’ve met her twice, she’s been nothing but respectful, and DS is completely smitten. I think if he finds out we’re even considering this he’ll go nuclear.

AIBU to think this is a completely mad overreaction?? Or is this just modern parenting now and I’m the one who’s too relaxed?

OP posts:
ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 14:18

pinkdelight · 14/07/2025 14:02

Literally nothing about that indicates that she’s low income or not middle class. Just that she’s mixed race. Read it as many times as you required until you grasp that.

You're probably just gonna 'call me out' as racist too now, which I'm not, but it's weird that you can't see how this sentence reads like OP is presenting 'She' and one thing and 'we' as another:

She’s mixed race and we are very white middle class suburbia

That may not be the dominant reading for all but it's not a reach for PP to read that as 'she 'being the opposite of 'we' i.e. not middle class nor suburban as well as not 'very white'. Esp as the point the OP is making in that whole paragraph is that DH is reacting to her background that may have triggered unconscious bias. OP isn't including 'She' in the 'we', so it's reasonable to assume she's presenting the ways they are different. All of which to say, I think there's misunderstandings between you and PP but I don't think that makes them the racist one here - that would be the OP's DH and that should be the focus really. So I'll shut up now.

I’m not repeating myself. Feel free to read (and reread) my responses to PP. Or not.

ChloefromSundy · 14/07/2025 14:15

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:50

There is seriously something wrong with you.

Says the racist to the Black person who just called out their racism. Hmm.

I’m fairly confident that my day will continue to be pretty good. Let’s see how yours goes.

Pleeeease can you stop goading the other poster on this thread now, you're interrupting the flow of me reading responses with so much daft non-issue posts.

BeltaLodaLife · 14/07/2025 14:08

Petitchat · 14/07/2025 12:02

But wouldn't OP have noticed before of he IS a racist?
I would notice, if it was my DH.

If there entire circle of friends and family are white then no, she very well wouldn’t have noticed. A lot of racist people don’t exclaim it out loud and don’t show much of it when they onto encounter people of colour during shopping/out and about/work related. But when they have one suddenly in their home and dating a family member, that’s different and their attitude can’t be hidden.

pinkdelight · 14/07/2025 14:02

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:29

Nobody is assuming anything. They are offering up possible reasons for his lunacy. You just automatically assumed she was poor.

It’s great that you find your racism hilarious, though. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Literally nothing about that indicates that she’s low income or not middle class. Just that she’s mixed race. Read it as many times as you required until you grasp that.

You're probably just gonna 'call me out' as racist too now, which I'm not, but it's weird that you can't see how this sentence reads like OP is presenting 'She' and one thing and 'we' as another:

She’s mixed race and we are very white middle class suburbia

That may not be the dominant reading for all but it's not a reach for PP to read that as 'she 'being the opposite of 'we' i.e. not middle class nor suburban as well as not 'very white'. Esp as the point the OP is making in that whole paragraph is that DH is reacting to her background that may have triggered unconscious bias. OP isn't including 'She' in the 'we', so it's reasonable to assume she's presenting the ways they are different. All of which to say, I think there's misunderstandings between you and PP but I don't think that makes them the racist one here - that would be the OP's DH and that should be the focus really. So I'll shut up now.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:50

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:40

There is seriously something wrong with you.
Hope you have a shit day today.

There is seriously something wrong with you.

Says the racist to the Black person who just called out their racism. Hmm.

I’m fairly confident that my day will continue to be pretty good. Let’s see how yours goes.

Kissedbyfire1 · 14/07/2025 13:43

ThatCyanCat · 14/07/2025 11:02

"Certain types of people"? What does he mean by that?

He means non-white. He’s done the digging because he’s a racist who believes that people who are not white are inherently criminal. OP hasn’t given any details about the girl’s ethnic mix, but I’ll bet the house she’s white / Black Caribbean rather than white/ Black African, white/Asian or white/SE Asian. This is why he told OP she was being “naive”. What a c* he is.

comeandhaveteawithme · 14/07/2025 13:40

This is beyond weird. Please keep us updated!

I reckon it's racism, classism, or he knows the mum from somewhere.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:40

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:34

That’s probably best. Have the day you deserve. 😊

There is seriously something wrong with you.
Hope you have a shit day today.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 14/07/2025 13:37

He sounds an absolute lunatic!

I can’t think he found all that out about the Mum on the spur of the moment either. Perhaps he knows the Mum?

Absolutely bonkers and very sinister. I would be on my guard as you are OP, and preparing to tell all to DS and the girl’s family/ leave him.

It’s either racist or something equally sinister like he fancies this young girl or has had an affair with her Mum or something.

godmum56 · 14/07/2025 13:37

LlynTegid · 14/07/2025 13:23

If you asked me to guess I would say racism is the most likely explanation. If he had been in any kind of relationship with the mum (or aunt or other relative) and it was before you met, I think he would be more forthcoming. Or if say he had crossed swords with one of her parents.

I'd sympathise if he thought there should be more time before staying overnight, but I don't think that is the reason.

but if the children are around the same age it might not have been before they met.....

Piknik · 14/07/2025 13:36

I wonder if it's her. mum he already knows...?

He is planting seeds. There will be a 'Ta Da! Told you!' moment in the near future. It will be something trivial that he will try to amplify in order to perpetuate and justify this sinister and disgusting behaviour.

None of us know what his issue is - we can only speculate. But it isn't a 'hunch', it's personal.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:34

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:32

"It’s great that you find your racism hilarious, though."
No, I found your response hilarious.
I will not be responding to your paranoid posts again.

That’s probably best. Have the day you deserve. 😊

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:33

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:19

I think you should team up with OP's DH, grab yourself a coffee too.

I’m Black, so it seems unlikely he’d want me on his team.

Although, as I have the temerity to be Black AND not be from a low income background, it’s possible your head may implode. My apologies.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:32

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:29

Nobody is assuming anything. They are offering up possible reasons for his lunacy. You just automatically assumed she was poor.

It’s great that you find your racism hilarious, though. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

"It’s great that you find your racism hilarious, though."
No, I found your response hilarious.
I will not be responding to your paranoid posts again.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:29

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:26

It is hilarious that you're calling me racist for assuming this girl is working class because she is mixed race, yet there are pages of poster's assuming she is an on camera prostitute but that is fine.
There is nothing wrong with being WC.
I'm working class.

Nobody is assuming anything. They are offering up possible reasons for his lunacy. You just automatically assumed she was poor.

It’s great that you find your racism hilarious, though. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

It is hilarious that you're calling me racist for assuming this girl is working class because she is mixed race, yet there are pages of poster's assuming she is an on camera prostitute but that is fine.
There is nothing wrong with being WC.
I'm working class.

LlynTegid · 14/07/2025 13:23

If you asked me to guess I would say racism is the most likely explanation. If he had been in any kind of relationship with the mum (or aunt or other relative) and it was before you met, I think he would be more forthcoming. Or if say he had crossed swords with one of her parents.

I'd sympathise if he thought there should be more time before staying overnight, but I don't think that is the reason.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:19

This reply has been deleted

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I think you should team up with OP's DH, grab yourself a coffee too.

Scandinoirfan · 14/07/2025 13:17

The PI stuff is a red herring. There's no way he was intending to do this, he would simply reveal any information he has (Ta da!) as coming from a PI, therefore not implicating himself.
I do think this is rooted in racism and the Facebook stalking etc is him looking for anything to back up his racist views.

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:16

This reply has been deleted

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CreosoteGirl · 14/07/2025 13:16

OP, hire a PI to investigate your husband. You need to know the truth and he is clearly hiding something. I would also check your son's room, at least, for any recording devices. Awful.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:15

LittleMarmiteQueen · 14/07/2025 10:22

Morning all - thought I’d come back with a quick (ish) update. Thank you again to everyone who commented yesterday. It was overwhelming in the best way and really helped me feel less like I was being gaslit in my own house.

So. Last night didn’t end well. After I posted, DH basically sulked around all evening. Wouldn’t talk properly but kept making passive-aggressive comments like “I see you’ve made up your mind about me” and “guess I’m not allowed to trust my instincts anymore.” I didn’t rise to it.

Then around midnight - yes, midnight - he came into the bedroom and said he’d “done some digging” (his words) and found the girl’s mum on Facebook. Apparently he’d looked through her profile, gone through likes, friends, tagged pics, and somehow ended up looking at what school she went to. He said something about “certain types of people” all knowing each other. That was the moment I lost it.

I told him flat out that this was beyond weird and that if he made one more move to track this girl or anyone around her, I would not only tell DS but her parents as well. I also told him I’d start looking at legal advice if it came to that. He tried to act all hurt and “how dare you think I’d do something inappropriate” but honestly, it’s like talking to a completely different person.

This morning he’s pretending everything is fine and offering me tea like nothing happened. No apology. No acknowledgement of how invasive and borderline sinister this is. Just back to normal as if he didn’t spend half the night stalking a teenager’s family on social media.

DS has no idea still but I don’t know how long that’ll last. And honestly? I’m starting to wonder what else DH is capable of. Never thought I’d be in this situation over a teenage relationship but here we are.

Will update again if (when?) this blows up. For now I’m just keeping notes, and keeping calm. But I’m done playing along with this “concerned dad” act. It’s not concern - it’s control. And it’s not going to fly.

Are you going to elaborate more on "He said something about “certain types of people” all knowing each other. That was the moment I lost it."
You clearly know what his comment was aiming? Please share?? Is your DH a racist?

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:09

Alltheyellowbirds · 14/07/2025 13:05

But then what would getting a PI achieve? I could have bought that it was racism if he was just chuntering about her not being good enough for their boy or something.

The obsession with having her investigated doesn’t tie up with that.

Plus there’s his overreaction when OP asked if he’d recognised her from somewhere. That sounds like he’s hiding something.

Edited

So people assume she is an on camera prostitute or porn actress, terrible.

Alltheyellowbirds · 14/07/2025 13:09

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:00

Ffs now she is a porn actress. 🙄 Poor girl. Terrible speculation defending a snobby white man.

She most likely isn’t, but could look like someone he’s seen online.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 14/07/2025 13:08

ForZanyAquaViewer · 14/07/2025 13:02

Literally nothing about that indicates that she’s low income or not middle class. Just that she’s mixed race. Read it as many times as you required until you grasp that.

Again, you’re as racist as he is. And reacting precisely as one would expect.

My error doesn't make me a racist. OP mentioned White/MC. I made an error assuming her descriptions were the opposite of this girl. Class and colour, as OP mentioned.
That doesn't excuse you calling me a racist.
Your post undermines racism.