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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I'm a horrid scrooge!!

19 replies

jallsort80 · 30/11/2010 22:14

I live in 1st floor flat, single parent not much spare cash.

Best friend lives in a nice 3 bed, her and DH have good jobs.

She has decided this year to go with the whole xmas outside lights, complete with santa etc. I love them but her rather spoilt DC's were boasting to mine about it, and about how he couldn't as lives in a flat and they cost a lot.

Mine good at ignoring etc and were happy tonight for a visit for grand unveiling of display, burgers etc.

So we wrap up, go outside, wait in snow for the beautiful switch on. and..................

bang!! It blows the fuses.

AIBU to be slightly amused, especially at her wailing dc's, 'who hate her apparently for getting rubbish lights' Hmm and for having a good giggle about it on the way home - after I've replaced her fuse. (an advantage of being a lone parent is the skills you learn!).

So AIBU. (probably!)

OP posts:
Frazzledmumwithsmudgedmascara · 30/11/2010 22:15

YANBU, I would have had a giggle too

Original poster
jallsort80 · 30/11/2010 22:23

Thanks, I felt awful that I let my little bit of Envy get the better of me - but you had to be there Grin

OP posts:
LaWeaselMys · 30/11/2010 22:37

I would definitely have had a giggle!

lovereading · 01/12/2010 01:35

I am glad you had a giggle and that it made you feel better.

darksideofthemooncup · 01/12/2010 01:52

I'm with you on the giggling too Grin

AnotherSingingMummy · 01/12/2010 02:56

she should maybe think that it is not the friends fault that their financial situation is different.

MadamDeathstare · 01/12/2010 04:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jumpty · 01/12/2010 04:45

teehee, YANBU

Original poster
jallsort80 · 01/12/2010 06:54

Oh yes, please don't get me wrong. Of course I'm slightly Sad I can't provide these delights for my DCs but realisitcally only a few people actually do the whole lights thing.

It was the boasting from the DC's and then the reaction when the fuse blew.

I just kept thinking how delighted mine had been with 15 minutes in the park playing in the snow, and it was a lovely reminder about how the simple things....

OP posts:
Mum2HarryandBen · 01/12/2010 10:58

uanbu, if she was doing it to gloat

MeowyChristmasEveryone · 01/12/2010 11:01

Those kids sound vile Angry - they need a slap for boasting to those that don't have the same advantages as them, and kudos to your kids for not GIVING them that slap!! Grin

Gotabookaboutit · 01/12/2010 11:07

I do understand but it does sound a bit of the pious poor and I and my kids would be nice even if we were rich. Also she had invited you and your kids and given you burgers etc - Thats sound like a nice thing to do - and kids brag dont make them horrid

MadamDeathstare · 01/12/2010 13:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gotabookaboutit · 01/12/2010 14:14

Depending on their age seams a pretty standard response esp if teens and not quite sure how the mother was horrid by inviting her supposed BF to a party - if the op thinks the mothers intent was to gloat why the hell is she her BF and why go??? and if the kids are so horrid why expose her children to that kind of behaviour? I think the fuse blowing was very funny in itself and would have probably taken the p* out of 90% of my friends,who would have thought it funny as well. But all the nice house/good jobs /spoilt kids overtones, along with the my kids would be happy with a crust means yes, I do think the op is BU and a bit jelouse which is a natural and quite healthy emotion if acknowledged for what it is, instead of being dressed up

Gotabookaboutit · 01/12/2010 14:17

I she was not a friend I would think not BU but she says this is her BF

DurhamDurham · 01/12/2010 14:21

Maybe her friend's children were just excited and they weren't boasting at all, just really happy to be getting some lights and a Santa outside. It was lovely to be invited for burgers. I can't imagine laughing at my friends when something they have planned goes a bit wrong. Nothing to feel 'amused' about. Maybe it't more about the way you feel because they have 'more' than you. It's hardly their fault.

abr1de · 01/12/2010 14:24

You should congratulate yourself on not having a lapse of taste.

Gotabookaboutit · 01/12/2010 14:35

DurhamDurham - exactly - I would laugh with my friends but not at them

Original poster
jallsort80 · 01/12/2010 18:37

Please can I clarify I was certainly not laughing at my friend, I didn't laugh at all when it happened.

It is certainly not a thing about how much we have, or don't in my case Wink. She is my best friend and always there for me and vice versa, it is a true friendship not a shallow materialistic one.

It was more that we went because we wanted too, because they are great friends. The Dc's are 5 and 8. The youngest one especially is spoilt and will often tell my friend she is going to do something asked not to, and is not stopped when she does. Not my concern or problem as not my child.

I'll admit to being slightly pleased with myself about being able to change a fuse.

Obviously I know the dc's very well and they are boastful children anyway. In fact when we arrived having had a quick snowball fight (was only about 1cm!) in the park there were tantrums about how they never got to go to the park, why hadn't they been to the park, its not fair etc etc. Shock

I honestly was not laughing at my friend, or at her DC's distress.

It was as someone said the whole build up to it and then .......well nothing.

I actually felt a bit guilty about finding it amusing and came for honest opinions about whether I was BU or not having a giggle.

Thankyou for the replies. Its nice to have a variety of responses and see some would have laughed too.

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