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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to sometimes, just sometimes, feel a bit f*cked off at the cliquey behaviour of this group of mums?

19 replies

TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:03

Long, sorry...

There's a group of mums at my dd's school, all of whom I get on well with - some a little more so than others, and with most of them I have developed quite good 'individual' relationships.

One of them is actually my closest friend round here - in the sense that our families get on really well, we are godparents to her children, we've been on short holidays together, and regularly hook up for Sunday lunch, coffees and chats.

Another is one who I get on well with, we have children who are close friends, am going to dinner at her house this weekend.

Another I go out with lots, email and text lots, we help each other out a lot, again - children very close.

The rest (about three or four others - it does vary as new people, again who I know - often quite well sometimes - seem to be invited especially when they have new babies) I get on fine with, children same ages, never had any great fall out or anything. There is one, who seems to be a bit of a queen bee, who I get on fine with on a superficial level, but sometimes I really wonder if she actually deeply dislikes me! Not sure why, I guess we kind of lock horns sometimes.

They all started to get together regularly for lunch about a year ago, which tailed the back of a class that they would take their children to. I've been asked along a couple of times, in unusual circumstances (too tedious to go into here) but have never been asked to regularly. It would make sense for me to be asked, because four of dd2's closest friends are there and I don't work on the day they get together. It MUST have passed their minds to ask me to 'join them', but they never have.

Anyway, I've had times of feeling a bit 'left out' before but have tried to just get over it. But today I walked up to them where they were assembled outside the school, made a bit of light banter, then it became apparent that they were all getting together at my 'best' friend's house. I just think it would have been nice to have been asked too FFS!

A bit about me - I'm a little, but only a little, younger than them, I work pt (all bar two are SAHMs so I don't think it's the fact I work), quite opinionated and tbh not massively into talking about children all the time (they all are) - but I try to nod along dutifully and be as agreeable as possible. I have a lot of friends from all kinds of different groups of mums and never seem to be short of invitations and things to do. In reality I probably wouldn't have time to meet with them on a regular basis, but I'd just like to know, have some insight perhaps, as to what it is that makes me 'unworthy' of being asked along to their get-togethers more often.

By the way, I don't smell. Smile I'm aware that I may come across as a bit arrogant here but I'm pissed off and actually feeling quite hurt!

OP posts:
MillyR · 03/09/2010 10:09

Can you just explain, because I am confused. Are the children there when they have this get together at people's houses, or are the children in school and it is just the mums who are getting together?

TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:12

Sorry, oldest children at school, younger children not yet. Mums and younger children get together.

OP posts:
cocobongo · 03/09/2010 10:12

Well, it sounds like you don't really want to go but want to be asked anyway! They can probably sense that. They have tried to include you by inviting you previously, and you have admitted that you aren't that interested in their chat and just nod along dutifully. So what are you adding to the group and why do you think they should invite you?

deakell · 03/09/2010 10:13

#Can you not directly ask your best friend why you're not being invited.

This is assuming she is your best friend and closer with you so she doesn't go back and bitch behind your back and call you needy?

If you've on hols with her, you must obviously be quite close.

YANBU by the way, I would also be a little Confused by this.

However, don't make a big deal out of it! It will give a good reason for the lack of invitation if you seem on edge about it (you don't from your OP by the way)

TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:17

coco, thanks for your input. Yes you're probably right. But I may be putting up defences by telling myself I don't want to go because I don't want to get hurt by the fact they seem to have made it clear I'm not going to be asked regularly.

Well, not sure what I'd add to the group - I'm just me really. Just as I guess everyone else is. What I find strange is that I'm clearly liked my most of them, because I have good individual relationships with them, but clearly don't seem right for their group.

OP posts:
TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:25

Thank you deakell, yes I have considered asking my est friend, but I'm worried I might come across as needy.

My friend is a very 'neutral' person so I get the feeling she would give a very neutral reply, something along the lines of, "well you always seem so busy." Busy I may seem but it would still be nice to be asked!

OP posts:
cocobongo · 03/09/2010 10:25

Well, maybe they enjoy their one-to-one time with you because they can talk about a range of subjects, but also enjoy having time in the group talking about the kids.

I think deakell's advice about asking your best friend is good. They may have just started going out as a group as a fairly casual thing that became a regular thing, and didn't really think about who the invite list should be- you may find they are more than happy for you to go.

GetThePartyStarted · 03/09/2010 10:25

TBH, I am in a situation like this but from the other side. Another mum had been invited along to meet-ups, but never actually came, so we stopped explicitly inviting her. We post all the details on a group though, so she could always have come anyway (as others do)

She is now upset at being left out Confused, but to be frank, there is only so many times people will extend an invitation before assuming you are not really interested.

I can see why you are feeling a bit cheesed off, but your OP reads as though they have invited you along several times, but you never went, and you aren't really interested in what they discuss. Why do you think they would keep on making the effort if you don't?

Morloth · 03/09/2010 10:26

Why don't you invite them over (as a group) for lunch or something? I bet they are each thinking of you as part of a different group.

MillyR · 03/09/2010 10:26

I am speculating (not knowing you) that you have lots of friends, and your best friend has lots of friends and you are both sociable people. Sometimes it is easier to maintain a close friendship without it becoming claustrophobic if you see different friends without the other person.

Maybe that is what your friend is thinking, and maybe backing off a bit will help keep the friendship great.

But I think it is a bit unfair that they did not ask you as you were standing there, and I think it is unfair on your child if the children were all going to be there without her.

Perhaps some of the mums also have good friends that they would like to invite, so they have decided not to increase numbers because it would get too big.

Morloth · 03/09/2010 10:28

We have had the same situation as Party as well. One Mum never came so after a while when getting a group together she got forgotten, no malice she just wasn't there to be asked along, but then her feelings were hurt.

TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:29

Thanks coco, maybe that's partly it. They do talk about kids a lot, and while I love mine dearly and can be very fond of other people's, it's not my favourite subject. Perhaps I give off that air.

Still find it hard to understand though, it almost seems as if there should be some kind of selection criteria - they all seem so easy going, not the types to 'hand pick' - apart from the queen bee of course, she seems the type. Perhaps they're a bit scared of initiating anyone without her approval... I'm over analysing I guess.

OP posts:
TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:31

Party - no that's not the case. I did go to the thing on both times that I was invited. I've just clearly never been given the opportunity to attend regularly, unlike your friend! If I had, and was in your friend's position, I wouldn't be so confused!

OP posts:
MaybeTheyHaveSeenUs · 03/09/2010 10:32

Count your blessings, seriously.

In a few years time you would be straining like a fly on the top of a Pritt stick to get away from this bunch if you get too far in with them now.

If all they talk about is their children and have time to meet everyday for coffee they're hardly going to be stimulating in 3 years time are they - or when your children are at secondary school.

There is no one of my DCs friends i could talk to about my personal interests (art, archaeology) or even technology / politics etc. Believe me i have tried.

Why else do you think i am here Grin

deakell · 03/09/2010 10:32

Gettheparty.

Same thing happened with me and my friends (pre-children). We used to meet up regularly with a group of friends, and those that repeatedly never made an effort, we stopped inviting eventually.

It wasn't malicious or anything, but why extend the invite if someone repeatedly says no.

Never thought of it like that.

Perhaps OP, you can make a little more effort to go, or even drop in for a short while for coffee whilst they have these little get-together so as to stay in touch but not have to suffer a few hours of chit-chat that bores you?

Just out of curiousity, if you aren't really that interested in their conversations, why do you want to go? If it's a case of being left out, I agree with whoever said, try to organise your own thing and invite them to come along (maybe a bite to eat of an evening, or a few drinks or something?)

MaybeTheyHaveSeenUs · 03/09/2010 10:34

'DCs friends parents' that was meant to say obv.

TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:35

MillyR, thank you for your insight it's very helpful, as are all these posts. Thanks everyone.

I have been in so many situations over the last year where I have been walking home with some of the mums who have said good bye see you later to each other, meaning their weekly get together, but apart from the two times I was asked, (the circs were: 1. the school closed due to snow, I phoned bf and asked her what she was doing. She said, regular lunch thing today with friends, why don;t you come too? and second time was when I was casually chatting to another of them abut our plans for the day and when I said I had nothing on she invited me along. I felt a bit embarrassed - cap in hand n that - but went anyway and thanked the host mum for letting me join them.

OP posts:
TheBolter · 03/09/2010 10:37

Deakell - oo I couldn't just drop in on them! Grin These lunch time dos seem to be quite sacred! Why do I want to go along? Good question - perhaps my ego just needs a massage by being asked!

Maybe - Grin OK, I feel better now.

OP posts:
Morloth · 03/09/2010 10:39

I would just invite myself along if it is regular thing and you want to go.

Perhaps they can tell that you really don't want to though and find it boring? You are being weird in not wanting to go but wanting to be invited.

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