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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not give youngest daughter the same money as her sister

222 replies

SlothsRUs · 10/08/2025 13:20

I have a daughter from a previous relationship who is nearly 30 and is a single mother with two children.

My husband and I supported her through college and we subsidise her with stuff to this day. She does not ask and we do so willingly.

We topped up our middle daughter while she was at university and she never asked us for money but always seemed to have money to go out and on holiday. She is now doing an MA and she claims that she has had a loan for this. I have now found out that in fact her grandmother has been subsidising her at university and has paid for the Masters.

I often struggled to send her money.

I am now tempted not to do the same for my youngest daughter as I very much suspect that she also has this arrangement.

I can’t believe how underhand husband’s family are and how my younger daughters are complicit.

OP posts:
HonestBlueEagle · 11/08/2025 08:40

I find it more crazy your helping a 30 old woman who should be independent but refuse to help support a young woman in her studies regardless id her grandmother treats her

CunningPlanMaster · 11/08/2025 08:40

OP in years to come (if not already) you will realise you have fractured the relationship between your eldest and other daughters whilst also causing resentment and anger towards you.

Youll be the one who suffers most from your actions. Please take onboard the advice you’re being given on this thread

Dunnocantthinkofone · 11/08/2025 08:39

Internaut · 11/08/2025 08:34

A little matter of lying to her mother about having a loan?

Edited

Dad knew. Probably for very good reason, mum has been kept out of the loop!

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 11/08/2025 08:38

Internaut · 11/08/2025 08:34

A little matter of lying to her mother about having a loan?

Edited

You (and OP) don’t know that both things aren’t true or weren’t true at some point. She could’ve had a loan and the GP gave her money on top/paid fees and she kept the loan for expenses. Or had a loan and GP gave her the money to pay it back and fully funded her , or whatever other combination.

BIossomtoes · 11/08/2025 08:36

Internaut · 11/08/2025 08:34

A little matter of lying to her mother about having a loan?

Edited

Exactly. But the pile on is far too busy condemning OP to consider that dishonest behaviour.

Internaut · 11/08/2025 08:34

NewBlueNoteBook · 10/08/2025 13:55

I can’t believe how underhand husband’s family are and how my younger daughters are complicit.

Underhand by taking money kindly offered by their grandparents while they are students?

I don’t understand what you think they have done wrong?

A little matter of lying to her mother about having a loan?

beAsensible1 · 11/08/2025 08:30

Lifeinthepit · 11/08/2025 08:21

She will have probably done it all her life. And all the family will know. The grandparents will see it very clearly.

Tbf her DH should have clamped down on this year's ago.and controlled the OPs bad behaviour.

Yes her DH is as much at fault letting her cut off the relationship of his DD to their paternal family. He should’ve stood up for them years ago. and the sisters will never be able to be friends due to all the resentment built up from unfair treatment. Completely fractured the family.

Lifeinthepit · 11/08/2025 08:21

Harriethulas · 11/08/2025 08:18

Another poster who doesn’t listen to a word everybody says - may as well talk to a wall.

OP, simply put you are in the wrong with this one! Your family lied to you because you are so unreasonable and delusional that they cannot tell you the truth because of how you’ll react.

You will alienate both of your younger kids if you aren’t careful. Your eldest daughter has played you like a fiddle and I cannot believe she allows you to subsidise her at her age. I’m sure she turns the tears on and you are silly enough to fall for her manipulation at the expense of the entire rest of your family. Silly woman.

She will have probably done it all her life. And all the family will know. The grandparents will see it very clearly.

Tbf her DH should have clamped down on this year's ago.and controlled the OPs bad behaviour.

Lifeinthepit · 11/08/2025 08:19

This thread is so sad. I feel so sorry for the younger two.

Regarding your ILs Wills when the time comes. If they leave their grandchildren money (and step grandchildren in my experience are often not included in Wills) will you penalise your younger two by reducing their inheritance from you? So that your oldest child gets more from you in your own will? With your approach, logically that's what you should do. I mean, they will hate you for it like they probably do now of course. But you don't want them getting from their grandparents something your oldest didn't get from her own grandparents.

Harriethulas · 11/08/2025 08:18

Another poster who doesn’t listen to a word everybody says - may as well talk to a wall.

OP, simply put you are in the wrong with this one! Your family lied to you because you are so unreasonable and delusional that they cannot tell you the truth because of how you’ll react.

You will alienate both of your younger kids if you aren’t careful. Your eldest daughter has played you like a fiddle and I cannot believe she allows you to subsidise her at her age. I’m sure she turns the tears on and you are silly enough to fall for her manipulation at the expense of the entire rest of your family. Silly woman.

PolyVagalNerve · 11/08/2025 08:13

OP - your response to this issue is SO weird !!

beAsensible1 · 11/08/2025 08:10

SlothsRUs · 10/08/2025 14:25

I treat all of my children the same.

I have never favoured my eldest. I don’t subsidise a lifestyle I buy groceries for her and pay subs for my grandchildren.

I hoped my in-laws would have had compassion towards a child but NOT to the extent of subsidising university.

My AIBU relates to my husband, middle daughter and now younger one.

We top up from our joint account Middle daughter’s expenses plus 10% and no issues with this for younger daughter. However, I also sent her money for treats while I struggled a bit. Not once did she say that she had extra money. She blatantly lied to me about the MA. Husband is complicit in this.

I don’t want to send youngest daughter this treat money.

Stop buying groceries for the 30 year old and you’ll have spare money. She has to figure it out on her own. You are doing her no favours and frankly are part of the reason she is still
unable to stand on her own two feet.

SummerSalad · 11/08/2025 08:00

BIossomtoes · 11/08/2025 07:52

That would be a ridiculously expensive Masters! I know someone starting one in October; the fees are £5k. Student finance is £12k including fees.

When my son was looking masters, the decent ones at respected institutions were between 22 and £30,000. £5000 sounds like a bargain.

BIossomtoes · 11/08/2025 07:52

GRex · 11/08/2025 07:48

OP - have you considered the actual sums involved? Say middle DD is getting a Masters with fees of £11k/ year plus £15k living costs... if her grandparents subsidise a super generous £5k/ year to reduce her loan... she still debt each year of £21k which is an awful lot. If they are giving her £30k/year then sure, she's fully taken care of.

That would be a ridiculously expensive Masters! I know someone starting one in October; the fees are £5k. Student finance is £12k including fees.

GentleJadeOP · 11/08/2025 07:52

MidnightPatrol · 10/08/2025 13:25

Is it underhand for your husbands family to support their two grand-daughters and not their step-granddaughter? I think there are probably differences of opinion on this.

I also suspect the fact this arrangement is secretive is because they know what your response will be, so they keep it quiet to avoid drama.

I definitely agree

Washingupdone · 11/08/2025 07:50

The GP probably told them not to say anything to avoid you raising the roof because they didn’t give your daughter any money from them.

Look at the fuss you are making now, they all know now that you shouldn’t have found out. Your DH knew so why did you struggle to send money, didn’t you tell him you were sending money to your husband’s daughter ?

You, yourself, should treat all three of your daughters the same, regardless of what of what the GP have done for their flesh and blood.
Help your first DD get her life straightened out, Maybe she can advance her studies to support herself and her DC later in life.

GRex · 11/08/2025 07:48

OP - have you considered the actual sums involved? Say middle DD is getting a Masters with fees of £11k/ year plus £15k living costs... if her grandparents subsidise a super generous £5k/ year to reduce her loan... she still debt each year of £21k which is an awful lot. If they are giving her £30k/year then sure, she's fully taken care of.

Spindrifts · 11/08/2025 07:48

Oh, for goodness sake, leave things the way they are. Perhaps granny likes the idea of her doing a Masters and is happy to bank roll her. You are trying to take control of a situation which is already running itself quite smoothly. I would be furious if my mother poked her nose into my arrangement with granny. And, if I were granny, I would be furious if DD or DDIL poked her nose in. Let it be. Your youngest will present herself and her situation in all good time. What else would granny do with her money if she has some? My child was bank rolled by grandad and great uncle and she loved it and so did they.

user1492757084 · 11/08/2025 07:45

Just speak directly to both your younger daughters.
Explain that you find it hard to afford to give them treat money however you can help them out and they only need to ask if they are struggling..
Be pleased that their grandparents are being generous to them. Tell them that you are disappointed with the secrecy.

Do you always tell the others when you buy groceries for their older sister?
You are fine to treat your grandchildren but you need to make sure your oldest daughter is becoming as independent as she can.
Is she doing as much as she can to create wealth and provide for herself? Remember, she might not receive financial assistance from her father's family, nor from her step-father's family so she needs to work savvy and hard.

GRex · 11/08/2025 07:44

ThisHeartySloth · 11/08/2025 07:40

It's making me wonder what you'd do in this situation: your oldest daughter meets a new partner, who is not brilliantly well off and who has a child who wants to do activities. Will you pay for that child's subs as well, and possibly future education costs too? Or will you stop paying for your grandchildren's subs, so they miss out?

It's fairly obvious thar OP would cancel Christmas and Birthday presents to middle and youngest daughter in order to get extra treats for the eldest's step-kid.

ThisHeartySloth · 11/08/2025 07:40

It's making me wonder what you'd do in this situation: your oldest daughter meets a new partner, who is not brilliantly well off and who has a child who wants to do activities. Will you pay for that child's subs as well, and possibly future education costs too? Or will you stop paying for your grandchildren's subs, so they miss out?

lessglittermoremud · 11/08/2025 07:31

You are not being unreasonable by being hurt that you have been lied to about where the money has come from.
Your IL are not being unreasonable to give the money.
In an ideal world when the girls were all younger and getting pocket money to go on holiday, they would have given the same amount to all 3. Personally if I had 2 biological grandchildren and 1 step grandchildren and I was dispensing ice cream money, I would give them all £10 each, rather then just the biological ones £20 and the step one nothing but your in laws are obviously oblivious to the hurt it would cause.
I wouldn’t stop doing anything for the other children, continue as you always have but I would be making it clear that being lied to by everyone is hurtful.
They’ve lied because they feel like you would have caused a problem, whether or not you would have, only you know the answer.

OnceIn · 11/08/2025 07:31

I understand how it makes ‘you’ feel, as they are all YOUR children, but they aren’t all your DH’s families children, so they have a different view to you. They are supporting their grandchildren. The only thing I’d be upset about is that they haven’t told you, or your DH about the support.

But as you’ve pointedly that the dc should be treated the same with regards to your help, you should also support your youngest the same as you’ve done the other two.

Soontobe60 · 11/08/2025 07:30

Personally, I think it’s odd that you didn’t know about the financial arrangements between your DD and her GPs! How did you think she was funding the Masters? If you thought it was a loan, maybe her GPs are the people who gave her it and expect it repaying.
Maybe just ask them all!!!

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