Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To deeply dislike my grandmother (TW)

133 replies

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 16:40

NC as I’ve discussed things about her before. There’ll also be various triggering topics below.

i somehow feel an immense guilt writing this. I do believe she’s severely mentally ill and she’s had a very tough life but more recently I just feel myself not being able to tolerate her and I feel I might lose it on her (by this I mean really kick off and give her a piece of my mind, nothing physical obviously)

if she wasn’t my grandmother I’d think she was a disgusting human being (and I do now but won’t admit it). She says a lot of the way she acts is through love for her family what she sees as protecting.

examples;

she is incredibly racist towards certain (but not all) ethnic groups. She ostracises ethnic neighbours, will set prompts to make sure she can get to the door to glare at them during the school run, intimidates and insults given any opportunity. She treats shop workers as lesser if they are of certain ethnic groups.

she’s cruel to animals, regularly kills cats and birds that go in her garden with poison, she shoots at birds with my uncles airsoft BB gun type thing. she’s picked up dog mess from outside her house and rubbed it in the owners face (who was picking it up, but in her eyes she shouldn’t be doing it at all). Pours bleach over cats etc.

she’s homophobic and we have multiple gay people within the family, actively dislikes their partners and coins them as not being good enough the lace XYZ relatives boot. Makes no issue in pointing out she’s disappointed in them for being “queer”.

shes sexist and believes women have a place and so do men. She’ll actively hurl abuse at little boys who play with “girls toys” or “squeal” when playing near her bungalow. She will tell their parents to make them behave like proper boys and they should be ashamed. She doesn’t necessarily believe in ALL women’s rights and raises an eyebrow if mothers within the family leave their kids with their dads for a night out for example.

she has (and claims she would continue to do so) physically abused kids in her care. If they’ve been mean to one of her GC for example, she would slap them or not give them snacks but give them to the DC. She would make them feel bullied and excluded. All of this would happen after being the sweet caring GM inviting her DC friends around for a play date. She says she wanted them to feel as hurt as they’d made her GC feel.

We live in london, she is constantly comparing how many white people she’s saw to XYZ nationality. she has never worked and really excessively rages about “hand outs” foreigners are getting.

she doesn’t speak to a large portion of the family and has plotted the most evil things against her brother (who’s DC weren’t biologically his unbeknownst to him and she revealed the secret) she’s had his house smashed up and has said horrific things about her infertile sister and slept with her husband.

she is overbearing and over opinionated (obviously). On a personal level she is unbelievably over dramatic and protective of family, always plotting some sort of revenge on anyone we’ve had a run in with. Overly complimenting us always as if we are gods gift to earth and won’t have it said otherwise. I get this can be general biased grandparents but it’s to another level. She’s generally extremely difficult to be around.

of course on a family level she has some positives and I do think she’s sort of a victim of her own upbringing and/or mentally ill. But I really find myself not being able to tolerate her nastiness and evilness and I find it exhausting calling it out every single time. That said, she’s pushing 80 and her health is declining. Would you cut her off? Would you put up and shut up? Would you feel guilty if something happened to your GM and you’d cut her off? I don’t know what I’m gaining from this I suppose I’m just venting but what a mess.

OP posts:
Mealy82 · 20/10/2025 19:19

unmp · 20/10/2025 17:12

Strange how people will overlook the racism and discrimination of minorities but getting up in arms about the Cats! Will somebody think of the cats! This country is so upside down, it’s ok for her to set alarms to harass her neighbours and shopkeepers of different ethnicities but everyone is focused on reporting her to the police due to what she is doing to potential pets, shows the value that people place on others different to themselves 🙄

She TORTURES cats. That's proper Grade A psychopathic red flag serial killer territory.

That's a tinsy bit worse than making unpleasant comments to your family about foreigners

ShodAndShadySenators · 20/10/2025 19:18

If you can't obtain evidence of her killing cats and wild birds as well as the dealing, weapons and assault and racist abuse, then your course of action should have been to have removed yourself and your children from her sphere. I can't believe you actually allow this foul person access to your children! "Fun Nan", eh? What fun things will she be doing with them next, getting them to try shooting a blackbird or robin? Making traps for neighbours' pets? Getting the best deal for her diazapam with Steve over the road? Comparing the relative merits of knives versus knuckledusters, and whether they'd be good enough to use on that <insert expletive and offensive term of choice> next door? Taking them to the newsagents for sweets and the chance to hurl abuse at the shopkeepers? You are absolutely insane.

I struggle to believe there are parents who don't seem to understand what "in the best interests of their children" actually means, but the evidence seems stark...

Have your party somewhere else. Invite nice members of family, exclude the psychopath and followers. And hope the surgeon doing her op is of an ethnic minority she objects to

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 20/10/2025 19:14

She’s a truly toxic bitch.

Mealy82 · 20/10/2025 19:14

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 18:28

Thanks for the replies. She has no friends, historically has been a bully. She has a few neighbours who are her friends but they are as bad so a letter wouldn’t do much really. I just feel really sad about it all today.

her last visit to my house ended up in a huge row as she speaks to my pets awfully and expects me to put them out when she’s here (or in my car) I’ve told her this is their home and if she doesn’t like it don’t come. Queue all sorts of abuse at me how I’m unhinged etc. it was resolved a week later when she came back with her tail between her legs as always. She’s having surgery on her pancreas soon so I guess that’s what’s making me raise the question of cutting her off now (guilt). I’m also having a large gathering where I’d like to invite my (lovely) family who don’t speak to her, but I can’t as she’ll by default be there and I’d be ostracised by my close family who do speak to her if I didn’t invite her iyswim

Edited

Wait, what?!

She tortures her neighbours' animals and smears poo on her neighbour's face, but her neighbours are all the same as her? There's a whole street of animal killing, child abusing, weapons selling and drug dealing grannies?

And you let her visit you when you have pets and knows she poisons pets, pours bleach on pets and shoots birds?

Sounds like you both need therapy

ChoccieCornflake · 20/10/2025 19:11

This is either a wind up, or you are a terrible parent for letting this woman near your children and a terrible individual for condoning her actions by not reporting them.

TheGrimSmile · 20/10/2025 19:06

unmp · 20/10/2025 17:12

Strange how people will overlook the racism and discrimination of minorities but getting up in arms about the Cats! Will somebody think of the cats! This country is so upside down, it’s ok for her to set alarms to harass her neighbours and shopkeepers of different ethnicities but everyone is focused on reporting her to the police due to what she is doing to potential pets, shows the value that people place on others different to themselves 🙄

Yes, but she is actually killing (torturing) the cats. Racism is awful too but she's not poisoning and killing humans. I personally think that this othering of humans and other species is part of the same problem.

PeachyKoala · 20/10/2025 19:06

I hope the police get involved and raise safe guarding against you OP. You sound like you've got something wrong with you as well with all the justifying of her behaviour you're doing in this thread, not to mention the fact you leave your kids with her. I'm half tempted to contact 101 and see whether they're able to trace you via IP address as harming animals usually means there's more going on underneath the surface and I really wouldn't be surprised if they was the case here.

FlayOtters · 20/10/2025 18:59

she should be in prison and honestly you're fairly culpable for being aware of all of this and doing nothing about it.

SALaw · 20/10/2025 18:49

You have pets?! Where do they shit? What if she killed them?

coxesorangepippin · 20/10/2025 18:46

She's a nutter

Dymaxion · 20/10/2025 18:44

Is everyone a little bit scared of her ? wouldn't blame them if they were ! She sounds like a gangster with her dealing drugs and weapons, the indiscriminate violence to animals, fiercely protective of the 'family'.
What were her parents like I wonder ?

GelatoForMe · 20/10/2025 18:44

well, she is a criminal, been to prison and now in freedom but the evil heart is there. So....nothing else left to be done

popcornandpotatoes · 20/10/2025 18:44

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 17:20

Out of curiosity, it’s been long suspected that she has learning difficulties. Would this in any way change some of the views here if it were proven to be the case? It wouldn’t for me personally but I’m interested to know

No, learning difficulties don't make people nasty and racist

SALaw · 20/10/2025 18:44

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 16:58

The police wouldn’t do much I imagine however she’d go conspiring about who reported her and get very nasty I assume.

About her actually repeatedly killing animals?! Of course they would!!

SALaw · 20/10/2025 18:43

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 16:59

This is kind of what I’m doing now. They see her maybe once a fortnight if not less

Once a fortnight is extremely regular contact?!

TenGreatFatSquirrels · 20/10/2025 18:39

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 17:56

A lot of the crimes she’s committed are justified to her by her fierce protectiveness. Example killing the cats, DGC will step in their mess and it’ll harm them or they’ll be upset. therefore they must be taken out.

she’s dealt weapons in the past because my uncle “needed them or he wouldn’t be safe” that sort of thing.

If You’re arguing that this is her mindset because of the LD then she needs to be under adult social care because she is acting in unsafe ways.

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 18:28

Thanks for the replies. She has no friends, historically has been a bully. She has a few neighbours who are her friends but they are as bad so a letter wouldn’t do much really. I just feel really sad about it all today.

her last visit to my house ended up in a huge row as she speaks to my pets awfully and expects me to put them out when she’s here (or in my car) I’ve told her this is their home and if she doesn’t like it don’t come. Queue all sorts of abuse at me how I’m unhinged etc. it was resolved a week later when she came back with her tail between her legs as always. She’s having surgery on her pancreas soon so I guess that’s what’s making me raise the question of cutting her off now (guilt). I’m also having a large gathering where I’d like to invite my (lovely) family who don’t speak to her, but I can’t as she’ll by default be there and I’d be ostracised by my close family who do speak to her if I didn’t invite her iyswim

OP posts:
Dollymylove · 20/10/2025 18:27

Report her to the police. Racism, homophobia, child abuse, assault and animal cruelty.
I don't what the police would do, given her age, though im a little surprised nobody has issued some summary justice over the years!!

TorroFerney · 20/10/2025 18:27

Spokebefore · 20/10/2025 17:20

Out of curiosity, it’s been long suspected that she has learning difficulties. Would this in any way change some of the views here if it were proven to be the case? It wouldn’t for me personally but I’m interested to know

No.

Vaxtable · 20/10/2025 18:24

I would have gone NC years ago

she brings nothing to the table

just stop seeing her

Driftingawaynow · 20/10/2025 18:23

Let all the neighbours know by letter that there is someone killing cats in the area and at least give them the chance to catproof their gardens

i find it shocking you allow your DC near her

Gandalfsthong · 20/10/2025 18:23

ComfortFoodCafe · 20/10/2025 16:44

She kills peoples cats?! This cannot be real surely? Fucking report the bitch!

sorry but there is no positives in anyone who kills animals, thats pyshcopathic behaviour.

Edited

I didn’t need to read on after the cat revelation. It’s a big no from me and I’d report her/go non-contact. Reminders to hurl abuse at neighbours?? Wtf! If I saw it in a film I wouldn’t believe it

BlueandPinkSwan · 20/10/2025 18:21

I've been medically diagnosed with psychopathtic tendancies in my attitude towards people and am highly medicated for it. But I have never and would never hurt a defenceless animal.

CheeseWisely · 20/10/2025 18:19

JFC. I opened this post thinking I could identify as my Grandmother was a racist homophobic old bat (who certainly didn’t have the right to judge the indiscretions of others, given some of the things she’d done herself) but she wasn’t abusing children or harming animals!

I am flabbergasted that you allow your children within a mile of her, never mind fortnightly visits. I’d be telling them she’d died and never seeing her again.

I’d be reporting her too, because evil triumphs when good people do nothing. I’m afraid I do judge you for standing by and letting it continue. Not ‘as’ bad as the acts themselves but you’re certainly covered in glory.

80smonster · 20/10/2025 18:19

I’d definitely shop her for animal abuse. You seem worried that the bully will face consequences? How else do you suppose her behaviour will be moderated?