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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not give these women any more opportunities to exclude me?

324 replies

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 10:04

I have namechanged.

At my 8 year old DD's school there is a group of mums, 9 of them. I have known most of them for several years since DD was at nursery with their DC. A couple of them live in the same road as me. The ones that I haven't known since nursery have been added to their group along the way, one knows one of the mums from tennis club and another lives next door to another one. I have always liked them all and got on well with them all, but I always feel they have excluded me a bit.

For example, they will arrange nights out and not invite me, yet invite me to others. Last time I went on a night out with them they were all talking about their previous night out to X restaurant and it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't been invited on that one. I said "Oh, you didn't invite me on that one, girls" and one of them said "oooops probably shouldn't have mentioned that night out". They will invite me if they are having, say, a bodyshop party and want as many attendees as possible, but then other things they exclude me from.

I am probably the closest to one of them who lives a few doors down from me, we text each other occasionally and sometimes meet up for coffee, however for the past few months she has continually said about meeting up and then when I've suggested a day and time she has either been busy or forgotten or cancelled at very short notice. So I have now stopped suggesting meeting up with her, and am leaving the ball in her court.

The other thing they do is if one or two of them talk to me outside the school, they will be very vague with me and keep looking over my shoulder or behind them for other members of their group, and if they see one of them they will start smiling and waving at them and I feel they never listen to what I say, and sometimes are just waiting for me to go so that they can continue their conversation. One morning recently 3 were talking to me, they then all said they had to go, so I went off in my direction and they in theirs. A while later I went out in the car and saw them still talking in a group but they had moved round the corner to the other side of the school where they thought I wouldn't see when I'd gone. this morning two started talking to me and asking me about something that has happened to me recently, and I started talking too and next thing they were both looking over my head waving at someone wildly, totally ignoring what I said so I just said "Oh, bye then" and walked off.

I have decided I am not going to give them any more opportunities to exclude me. I am going to decline all invites out, and will say hello and be polite if I see them but it will be more of a "say hello and carry on walking with the buggy" than a hello and a chat. I am also not going to suggest any meet ups with any of them again. Another one of them and I went to an exercise class together once a week for a while but it dawned on me recently it was me making all the effort and so I stopped contacting her to see what would happen and she hasn't contacted me since. She always says she is busy yet has plenty of time for meet ups with the rest of them, but if I suggested meeting up in the day she would suggest a date in 2 or 3 months time because she's so busy, presumably hoping I would forget.

AIBU to think "stuff the lot of them"? I have other friends at the school, and other friend away from school btw. I don't think its me or anything I do/don't do, I think it's more that I'm not quite good enough for their clique.

OP posts:
PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:05

I was invited into the fold of the clique when the dcs started their new school, when people realised that whilst I dressed well I, nor DH, are academics or professionals we were dropped. Or I'm as awful in RL as I am on here!! Mummy and Daddy don't have money either, so I'm really not good for the ladder of social mobility.

bigmouthstrikesagain · 08/02/2012 17:06

Maybe I am a truly terrible person but I would not think that saying to someone 'see you later - I am off home now' then popping round the corner and halting getting embroiled in another (interesting or possibly quite mundane) conversation is the crime of the century but I can see if it was part of a pattern of dismissive behaviour towards you that it could be seen that way. Still I have probably, quite innocently, been guilty of that.

Do none of you have toddlers? - I spend all my time chasing dd2 around playground, stoping her running out the gates, picking her up when she falls over, stopping her poking babies (she loves them a bit overenthusiastically) and hauling her out of classrooms Blush so yes I am constantly looking over the shoulder of people and rushing off in the middle of conversations... never get the chance to bitch about people even if I had the mind too! I must be thought of as a right rude beeyatchSad

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 17:07

What effect, Hurricane? Posting on a forum about it? I'm hardly a weeping, hysterical mess over it.

OP posts:
HurricaneBawbag · 08/02/2012 17:07

Didn't watch the full clip but wasn't Muriel a bit weird and needy and trying to fit in with a group that didn't want her? Not a group of mutual friends excluding another, or did I miss something?

PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:07

Argh Mardy... Now I really want to watch Muriel's Wedding!!!

HurricaneBawbag · 08/02/2012 17:10

Momo you think they are actively trying to exclude you and trying to work out their behaviour rather than just thinking 'meh'

PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:10

back at ya Mardy

MardyBra · 08/02/2012 17:11

Hurricane - they were prize bitches. Muriel has issues, but went on to find her own good friend and snub them at the end of the film.

Wasn't trying to imply the OP was like Muriel, just how bitchy groups of women can be. Smile

MardyBra · 08/02/2012 17:12

had issues

cheekyseamonkey · 08/02/2012 17:12

History no bun fight can't be arsed. Going out with my friendsclique later & bitching about some of the MNers who've not left school behind.

PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:13

What is it with aptly named posters today???

I may change mine to 'justbeenthrownuponandnowsmellofsick'.

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 17:13

Well they are actively trying to exclude me, it seems. It doesn't mean I had a bad time at school though. Hmm

OP posts:
PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:15

Momo. They just sound awful and that they're doing it on purpose. I hate people that can only be arsed to invite me to their shitty pyramid sales nights or pampered shit cookware....

PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:17

And you're spot on about not giving them another chance! Although I would be tempted to cut them off a few times, in a 'I haven't listened to a word you've said' type way.

MardyBra · 08/02/2012 17:17

Ah it's a great film isn't it Posie. I remember laughing embarrassingly loudly when "I Do, I Do, I Do" struck up in the wedding scene (years before they copied the gag in Mamma Mia).

I'm with Momo!

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 17:18

Posie, I feel exactly the same way about pyramid sales nights and pampered shit parties (glad I'm not the only one who calls it pampered shits)! Next time any of them talk to me I'll say hello but carry on walking and be "in such a rush" to leave I won't possibly have any time to listen to any of them

OP posts:
MillontheFloss · 08/02/2012 17:18

Sod them. If you have other friends stick to them. A similar thing happened to me. I was part of a small group of friends, in fact I introduced one girl to the others. Then they started not inviting me to things including key events like 30th birthday gatherings. The worst thing was I introduced one of the girls to the others 'cos I felt bad as she had no other friends and wanted her to feel included. I do that kind of thing, I'm a nice person, you see. I am still friends with one of the clique as we have another separate group of friends and live in a different city now but I just think sod the rest of 'em. They are kind of like 13 years olds, it's all sleepovers and the like. We are all in our 30's- no babies yet though. It felt like being back at school.

PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 17:19

I am looking forward to it on your behalf OP, please come and tell us all how it feels!!!

And Mardy, one of my all time favourites!

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 17:23

I will indeed, Posie!

MillontheFloss, that was really mean of your friends to do that :(

OP posts:
MrsCampbellBlack · 08/02/2012 17:27

I suspect its the same people who think cliques that exclude other people are fine are also the ones who think its fine to leave one child out of a class party - because you know - you can't be invited to everything Hmm

Its just good manners really but some people seriously lack them. And looking over someone's shoulder to watch toddler very different to looking for someone more 'interesting' to talk to.

We teach our children about being inclusive and kind but how do some adults behave . . .

Anyway off to get a job now because apperently that solves all known problems because people are never horrid at work Wink

Coconutty · 08/02/2012 17:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsCampbellBlack · 08/02/2012 17:29

Oh and actually I think inviting to only some events is worse than inviting to none - smacks of the 'b list' really.

fuzzPigwickPapers · 08/02/2012 17:32

Especially as the inviting seemed to be due to wanting to make up the numbers at selling parties and suchlike.

TheCuntwormUnderfoot · 08/02/2012 17:36

God they sound grim!!! And dull as mince.

Good call OP. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

MissBeehivingUnderTheMistletoe · 08/02/2012 17:44

It sounds horrible tbh and very unreasonable.

I avoid the School Gate Clique by screaming up to the aforesaid gate in my car disgorging small boys without taking my foot off the accelerator and waving cheerily to anyone passing. I have no idea if there is a SGC or who is in it if there is one Grin