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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:
MillontheFloss · 08/02/2012 18:16

Momo it was mean of them but in a way I am very different to them so I think they feel secure with each other iykwim. Another friend suggested they might feel intimidated by me- I bought a house at 23, moved abroad at 27 on my own for a while, have travelled a lot and have always been independent and striven for things. One of these girls moved back in with her parents at 28 (still there at 32) and they are all either unhappily single or in quite damaging relationships. They have all had the same jobs for years yet are unhappy with them and do nothing about it. I did an MA, moved into a better job and am happily married since a few years ago. I change things if they make me unhappy and maybe they prefer the company of people who are like them and find comfort in that. I guess, we grew apart but they kind of made it happen. Probably for the best!

You don't need people in your life who make you feel bad.

HurricaneBawbag · 08/02/2012 18:18

Fuzz that's exactly why I don't understand op calling these people friends. I get called on to make up numbers for parties and things, by acquaintances I go to have a chat and a drink and have fun. I also get invited to birthday parties and girly nights... but not every one and certainly not by every person!

These people are/were not her friends, they are just people who happen to have kids the same age! You may have nothing else in common at all!

forehead · 08/02/2012 18:29

I am amazed by some of the posts on this threads. It's like being in Secondary school. I honestly couldn't give a fig what the other mothers at the school gate think about me. I am polite to people, if they ignore me or exclude me , that's their business. I seriously can't be arsed

valiumredhead · 08/02/2012 18:53

It sounds like you haven't ever been on the receiving end of such behaviour forehead

HurricaneBawbag · 08/02/2012 18:58

She probably has Valium just doesn't it let her bother her?

HurricaneBawbag · 08/02/2012 19:00

Ahem, doesn't let it bother her, oops!

valiumredhead · 08/02/2012 19:00

Well it doesn't sound like the OP is that bothered either really, just sounding off and deciding to take positive actin NOT to let it bother her.

It seems that it's a crime to let things piss you off or annoy you regarding friends/aquaintances at the school gate.

Oh dear, must get to work so it doesn't bother me! Wink

forehead · 08/02/2012 19:03

Valium... It honestly wouldn't bother me. I would see it as THEIR problem not mine.

valiumredhead · 08/02/2012 19:05

Well yes I would too BUT it wouldn't stop men using as to why they felt the need to behave in such manner and to be openly excluded is not nice and I think you'd have to be made of pretty stern stuff not to even give it a sec on thought.

MadameCastafiore · 08/02/2012 19:08

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cheekyseamonkey · 08/02/2012 19:14
forehead · 08/02/2012 19:15

My thing is that if you don't feed me, fuck me or facilitate my lifestyle in any way, i really don't care what you think about me. If the OP, had this attitude then she may find that she attracts more people to her.

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 19:18

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MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 19:18

Forehead I didn't say I had any problem in getting friends or attracting people to me, did I?

OP posts:
forehead · 08/02/2012 19:28

Momo.. So what's the problem.? They prefer to befriend other people.. So what

MadameCastafiore · 08/02/2012 19:33

Just pointing out I have a fab life, one that is not shallow and boring at all - prettty bloody perfect actually.

And it is pretty rideculous for you to get so worked up and post on the internet because grown up women don't want to be your friends and then you make shallow judgements saying they aren't as great as you - they may not be in terms of relationships and travelling and having an MA - but they don't deserve that high and mighty attitude after you were bleating on about them not liking you.

Am off to help DS with the learning of his times tables.

This won't bother me either - I will get on with my fab life and rock up at school tomorrow and speak to all of my lovely friends.

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 19:33

My problem was detailed in my OP. You said if I had the same attitude as you I would attract more people to me, but I haven't said anything to insinuate that I don't attract people to me.

OP posts:
BanditoShipman · 08/02/2012 19:42

i've got that blur song in my head now, thanks.

NewRowSees · 08/02/2012 19:44

None of you is exactly covering yourself in glory here, to be honest. Best agree to disagree.

Chandon · 08/02/2012 19:48

OP why bother with people you don't like, and who don't like you?

why why WHY?????

Life's too short

MomoandTeddington · 08/02/2012 19:50

Oh well, NewRowSees. I will not sit back and let Madame insult me and say very unkind things about me and not say something back.

OP posts:
runningwilde · 08/02/2012 19:51

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PosiePumblechook · 08/02/2012 19:52

I am astounded at the number of people who wouldn't be bothered if a large group out of a relatively small group made it clear that they were excluding them. They are certainly more resilient than I! Or they are part of the clique that do the excluding....

OrmIrian · 08/02/2012 19:57

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Portofino · 08/02/2012 20:04

I am truly Shock at some of the responses here! Yes, fair enough sometimes your face doesn.t fit with a certain group. As an expat I have found myself in that position many a time whilst trying to "make friends". That does not mean that I am horrible and noone WANTS to be friends with me though. Or that I am mean and paranoid. Jeez. Do men do stuff like this?