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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

EX's mum. That's right. EX's mum. It's LOOOONG

15 replies

Badgerina · 16/03/2012 20:40

AIBU to think that ex's mum is a complete fucking cow to be placing responsibility on me?

Ok so ex's mum is and always has been since I've known her, very manipulative, controlling and completely disrespectful of other peoples' boundaries. Since ex and I split up, I have had to work very hard to maintain my personal boundaries with her, as she has no respect for others' emotional needs, or of what is and isn't appropriate to say, or do to someone.

So, she's not well at the moment. Ex lives with her. Has done since we split 5 years ago. I rang him on Thursday morning to request a slight change in plans for the weekend. He sees DS every Saturday evening and all Sunday. Every weekend. I asked if we could change the plan, for this weekend, since it's Mother's Day. I completely forgot it is his birthday on Sunday. Instead of pointing this out to me rationally - to which I would have apologised and said "Ok of course you want to be with DS", - instead of doing that, he ABSOLUTELY lost it with me on the phone. He usually does if I say something he doesn't agree with. He's a complete bully, has anger issues and can be violent, aggressive, controlling. He shouts, calls me names: bitch, cow, fucking bitch, fucking cow, he also insults my mental health. This happens a lot, regularly, but without discernible pattern. Needless to say, I ended the conversation.

This evening, I receive a phone call from ex's mum requesting that I "try to avoid those sorts of conversations with him because it isn't good for her health to have him shouting like that in her house". I explain that I am not responsible for ex's anger or the way he chooses to express himself. She says "but I think for my sake you should try and avoid it" I tell her that for MY SAKE, I do indeed to avoid those types of confrontation with him (y'know because I don't particularly enjoy being called a simple minded bitch, or being told I'm fucking mentally insane). I point out that she is talking to the WRONG person. I let her know that I am aware how difficult it must be for her to hear him losing it like that, especially since she's so unwell, but that there is nothing I can do, short of never phoning him again, or only communicating through a solicitor, she really ought to talk to HER SON.

Quite how she imagines I will AVOID conversations like that is beyond me, since they come OUT OF KNOW WHERE. If I knew the conversation was going to go that way, I wouldn't phone him!!!!!

Ex's mum acted all "hurt" and as if I was somehow being callous by not saying "Yes, you're quite right, I should be doing more to stop him from acting in that way, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have phoned him, mea culpa". She actually said: "oh, well I just thought, that since I'm ill..." I said, "Respectfully, speak to your son." so she quickly ended the conversation and we hung up.

WTF??????

OP posts:
BupcakesandCunting · 16/03/2012 20:44

Oh FGS. She is a twat. I'd bake her some biscuits spelling out "T-W-A-T" and hand them to her with an angelic smile on my face. Then I'd draw a hand doing the birdie in the bottom of the box so when she's troffed them all (because she WOULD) she'll get the birdie.

squeakytoy · 16/03/2012 20:44

I think you are taking your anger out on the wrong person really.

The arsehole is your ex, and I feel sorry for his mum actually.

Its very likely that he has told her a completely different version of the conversation.

BupcakesandCunting · 16/03/2012 20:47

No, Squeaky. The ex is abusive verbally and by pinning the responsibility on OP she is absolving her son of his duty to speak to the mother of his child in a respectful manner.

iscream · 16/03/2012 20:47

I guess he upset her and she may have just called you without thinking really? It must be horrible having someone like him living with her, especially if she is unwell. But she probably feels helpless in the face of his anger and called you more out of desperate reaction?

iscream · 16/03/2012 20:48

She should kick his sorry butt out.

SoftKittyWarmKitty · 16/03/2012 20:50

I think you did/said the right thing tbh. You're not responsible for what he says or how he says it. If his language/behaviour bothers her so much, she could always ask him to move out.

Bit off tangent but why does your ex have your DS every weekend? Wouldn't it be fairer (to you) to do every other weekend?

BupcakesandCunting · 16/03/2012 20:50

She needs to teach him some lessons on how to talk to women. I suspect that she is the reason he behaves the way he does if mummy wipes his arse for him every time he drops a cack ball.

Badgerina · 16/03/2012 20:53

squeaky yes I have been thinking along those lines too. I am REALLY angry with ex. I just find it hard to be sorry for her because she is really quite toxic.

Only 4 days ago, she rang me to say that she wants us all (DH, DS, me, her, her husband and ex) to have a lovely, happy family Sunday lunch together! She's in cloud cuckoo land! We simply do not have this kind of relationship. Ex is horrible to me, has caused untold issues over the past 5 years, and what's more, HER relationship with him is really bad too! I just feel like she's deliberately ignoring the facts of our lives. She made the suggestion, she says, because she wants to be involved in my new baby's life. I don't want that. I need the emotional distance.

OP posts:
OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 16/03/2012 20:53

She knows that if she says anything to him he is likely to direct anger at her too, and she actually has to live with him. She called you because you are clearly more reasonable and open to rational discussion than he is.

I feel sorry for her.

iscream · 16/03/2012 20:54

Yes, she needs to learn some tough love, a bit late, but better late than never.

Badgerina · 16/03/2012 20:55

Bupcakes He's 46. Is there anything that a mother can teach her son at that age?????? Surely the time for that has loooong past!

OP posts:
Hassled · 16/03/2012 20:55

I feel a bit sorry for her as well. He sounds like a complete nightmare (for whatever reasons, none of which are necessarily her fault - what was his father like?) to live with (well done, Badgerina, for not living with him anymore) but he's her son and she loves him and she has to deal with the shit too and so she's lashing out in exasperation and stress.

BupcakesandCunting · 16/03/2012 20:56

Good grief. What a loser. I was imagining him to be very young, although that is quite a slur on young men!

Badgerina · 16/03/2012 20:58

Thanks guys, this is all really helping Smile. I've talked it through with my DH, but that can be tricky as he has his own very strong feelings about ex. I think it's hard for him to be objective!

OP posts:
ABatInBunkFive · 16/03/2012 21:00

I feel sorry for her but it still has nothing to do with you and everythingto do with her stupid son.

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