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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect my Mother to be civil to stbXh for DS's sake?

94 replies

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 16:42

H and I separated in early December after he had a text-fling-type-of-thing when DS was 4 months old. Obviously the whole family was very upset as they got on wonderfully with H and felt very betrayed by the whole thing.

My mother is known for being a giant drama queen, always has been always will be. Unfortunately her histrionics have made the whole situation way way more difficult for me than it already was as instead of her being there for me and letting me take the lead it has, from day 1, been all about her and how distraught she is.

She still refuses to even say his name and pulls a proper cat's bum mouth at the mere mention of him or his family.

Now I've ignored this up to now, pulled her up on it if she's being too obvious and basically made it clear from day one that H is and always will be a huge part of DS's life. It has become truly exhausting.

It's DS's birthday in August so obviously I want to have a little party, nothing fancy just family and friends at my house. She has know this was my intention for over a month.

Today she asks "how are we going to stagger the arrival times?" My answer was that I wasn't intending to, it's nothing formal so was planning on just having an open door from 2ish onwards and people can come and go as they please. That way once DS goes to bed I can have a few drinks with my fiends as it's my birthday the day before his.

Turns out she is refusing to come if stbXh is going to be there.

I tried to explain that although I understand that she may find this difficult DS is more important than how any of us feel. I am not prepared for him to have to go through his whole life never having his Grandmother and Father in the same room. We are the adults and need to behave as such.

I'm not asking her to be his best friend or welcome him back into the family fold with open arms. Just be in the same room for a couple of hours and be civil for DS's sake.

Am I really being unreasonable?

OP posts:
glenthebattleostrich · 30/06/2012 16:51

YANBU. I think you need to nip this in the bud now though. If she refuses to come that is her problem, it is far more important to your DS has 2 parents who can make an effort than his drama queen grandmother is there.

Say to her you are sorry she doesn't feel able to support you and her grandchild but you understand and you'll save her some cake.

Kerryblue · 30/06/2012 16:54

YANBU.

DC should ALWAYS come first in situations like this, not drama queen grannies!

My ex dh left me when I was pregnant with dc2. My parents are absolutely civil to him because the dc love and adore him and would hate it if they were anything but.

Tell you dm to get a grip, if you can do it, so can she ffs

ReallyTired · 30/06/2012 16:57

I am sorry that your marriage has broken up. It must have been horrendous for you and I admire your bravery in being friends with your X for your son's sake.

I feel you need to ask your mother to support you and remind her that it was you who has suffered the most. It is you who was cheated on and the pain of adultary is still very raw for you.

However you want your son to have a relationship with his father and are making difficult sacrifices. Tell her that you could do with her emotional support and that you feel she could hel you best by "Just be in the same room for a couple of hours and be civil for DS's sake."

SofaKing · 30/06/2012 17:15

Yanbu. My dsis split from her partner and hasn't come to any of my dc's birthdays in case her ex is there. Her ex is my dh's best friend and very involved with our kids, much more than my dsis. Four years on, I'm glad I stuck to my guns and didn't ban ex bil from attending any family gatherings, as he is by far a better uncle than she is an aunt. Banning him was all about power and politics for her, but my children's birthdays are about them, and this is how it should be for your ds too. His need to see his dad trumps your mum's hurt feelings without a doubt.

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 17:33

Thank you so much, I was starting to think I was being a total cowbag!

I basically tried to reason that DS is what's important, that it is his birthday not hers. Why on earth should he have to have 2 bloody birthdays?

I just can't cope with the drama of it all. The keening and wailing and histrionics.

She actually said, whilst keening and wailing, "how can you expect me to do this? I just don't understand, how can you expect me to look him in the face after what he did?".

I replied "because he (DS) is more important".

Seriously, how do you deal with drama queens? I've been trying and failing my whole life. I've tried ignoring, I've tried arguing, I've tried reasoning. Nothing works.

OP posts:
MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 17:44

Also, why the bloody fuck should I?!

Why the hell should I have to bend over backwards to accommodate what she wants?

Am I not doing enough already? I'm coping with the split, being a lone parent, looking after a house, 2 cats and a dog, a job and paying all the bills. (H is out of work at the moment but my parents don't know that).

I want my son to have a party for his first birthday. It's not exactly how I imagined it would be either but it's hard enough without her making it worse.

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 30/06/2012 17:45

I would just say to her "he did this to ME, not YOU, so if I can cope with it, so can you, or you can come separately on your own".

You have a great attitude and you are right. It cant be easy and it sounds like you are coping with it brilliantly and your mum needs to take her lead from you.

MillieMummy · 30/06/2012 17:51

I agree that you should nip this in the bud and start now with how you would like things to be in the future.

When my DD was approaching her 1st birthday my step MIL said that she would not come to her party and would come and have a party another day as MIL would be at the party. I said no straight away; she came to the party and to later birthday parties and it was never mentioned again.

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 17:52

The thing is I have tried so many times to say exactly that.

The "it happened to me not you" argument is apparently not a relevant one. She has just as much of a right to be upset as I do.

It is completely unreasonable of me to expect her to ever see him again.

OP posts:
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 30/06/2012 17:55

You could try just saying, very calmly, "oh well, DS will miss his nanna at his party, but if you feel that strongly ok" and then not mention it again. Presumably she's all about the attention and the reaction and the drahmah so just ignore her. I bet if you do, she'll turn up.
That said, might it be better if she doesn't come, would she cause a scene and upset your DS?

WhereYouLeftIt · 30/06/2012 17:59

"Seriously, how do you deal with drama queens? I've been trying and failing my whole life. I've tried ignoring, I've tried arguing, I've tried reasoning. Nothing works."
Have you tried being a great big hissy-fitting drama queen back to her? Or can your dad intervene too, back you up and isolate her?

TidyDancer · 30/06/2012 18:05

Well she's being unreasonable in her reaction, but not so much her feeling. She is affronted that someone has hurt her baby. That is understandable IMO. I think you need to keep hammering home the point, that while you understand how she feels and why she feels like it, that DS must come first and you won't move on that point.

If she doesn't mellow on anything, tell her you won't be swayed on the party and that if she chooses not to attend that is her decision.

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 18:12

You're right, I know you are. You all are.

It would be far better if she didn't come and yes the drama is what she lives for, but if I let this one go what next?

I won't let her make DS revolve every significant event in his life around her. That is what she expects, she thinks it's totally reasonable.

I can't bear the though of hearing him say "oh I can't do that though, Grandma won't come if Dad's there". I won't let her make him chose between them all the time. Why should he?

She did this with her MIL. They didn't get on (admittedly my DGM was an awful MIL) but she eventually stopped speaking to her completely. DSis and I had to go and see her separately with DF. I tried using this as an example and she still wouldn't listen, maintained that it was by far the best for everyone that they didn't see each other rather than cause an atmosphere or scene.

I disagreed and said that actually it wasn't "better", DSis and I hated it. What would have been "better" would have been for them to suck it up and pretend for our sakes.

Her argument is that she "can't lie", she "must be true to herself" that she "has to be able to look herself in the eye". That's the kind of melodramatic crap I'm trying to reason with.

When I asked why her feelings are more important than DS she just burst into more tears of devastation that I could say such a thing.

(I did warn you it was exhausting!)

OP posts:
TidyDancer · 30/06/2012 18:14

Well she doesn't actually have to talk to him, does she? They just need to be in the same room together without killing each other.

Although admittedly, that may solve the problem....

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 18:15

(I have to say the suggestion of "being a great big hissy-fitting drama queen back to her" made me actually lol!)

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 30/06/2012 19:50

It was a semi-serious suggestion Grin. You seem to have tried everything else, and I tend to think that if you can catch people by surprise (and since you've never done it, it should come as a huge surprise!) they flounder for a bit and you can get in there in that gap IYSWIM. Plus, what's the worse that can happen? She's already as big a narcissistic pain in the arse as it is possible to be.

But remember, you would have to give it your all GrinWink.

Xales · 30/06/2012 19:56

Well done for standing your ground and for being the better person for your DS.

If she brings it up again I would point out to her that it will be a shameand you are going to be really really sad that she is going to miss out on your and his DC's school plays, assemblies, sports days, birthdays, graduation, wedding or any other event that both parents would attend. But that you understand she has to be true to herself and cannot expect her to come to them. Then end the conversation.

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 20:28

Again, you're right, I know it.

I just hate that I have to give in to her again. Same as always, everyone has to give in to her.

This is so so important to me, why does that not matter? Why is it only her feelings that matter? It makes me so bloody angry Angry

If I give in and say fine, don't come, don't come to any of it, she gets to play the bloody martyr yet again. There is nothing I hate more than her bloody martyrdom.

She won't just quietly not come, it will be a giant bollocking drama every bollocking time. It will be a massive statement that we all have to hear about.

Also it's not me it affects (well it is but I'm an adult) it's DS. An innocent little boy who is going to have to endure her angst ridden crap every frigging time. Who every birthday is going to have to have 2 parties, every school play is going to have to choose who comes, who is never going to be able to talk about his daddy in front of his granny.

I can't let her win on this one, I just can't. What kind of mother would that make me? DS has to be my priority. I can't let her dominate his life like that. I have to find a way to get through to her. A sledgehammer might do the trick!

OP posts:
toomuchmonthatendofthemoney · 30/06/2012 20:39

You could print off this thread, sit her down, tell her not to say a word until she has finished reading it, then insist again that DS is the priority NOT HER.

MDSM mum, if you read this, please don't be an utter bitch and I stead try HELPING your dd and gds. cheers.

ICutMyFootOnOccamsRazor · 30/06/2012 20:44

She sounds like a total pain in the neck.

I don't think you're giving in to her by not pandering to her. After all, you're not going to uninvite stbxh and you're not going to have another party for her comfort.

As others have said, don't tell her not to come. Tell her it's her choice, and although you'd like her to be there, it's entirely up to her whether she comes or not. You're that both sorry she and your Ds will both miss out if she doesn't go, but that's up to her.

ICutMyFootOnOccamsRazor · 30/06/2012 20:45

You're sorry that both she and your Ds...

Argh.

MyDogShitsMoney · 30/06/2012 20:48

Sorry, a bit of a drama llama meself there Blush

It's just so fucking frustrating Angry

OP posts:
ajaj · 30/06/2012 20:51

I think you are being unreasonable! (sorry to buck the trend but there IS another side to this) your mother, as you say ,loved your stbxh she must have been very very shocked at what he did. very shocked indeed and understandably very hurt , she trusted him to love and take care of you.Now you say you want her to be civil to him ? she is your mother, her child has been badly hurt and she can do nothing about it, just watch you cope and help where you will let her( which I am guessing is not much!) If I were your mother I am not sure I could do this. Innocents DO suffer in situations like this that is why divorce is so very tragic when children are involved,your ex should have thought about that before doing what HE did. Quite seriously what DO you expect your mother COULD say to him socially? you can't just be expecting her to make "small talk" as though this is a normal situation ? and cold silence would be worse, there are worse things she could be than "true to herself" and no doubt she is feeling pretty sad now I'm sure she would love to be at his party but please try to remember she is your mum! she is hurt FOR you! and it is not her who has left you,

ivykaty44 · 30/06/2012 20:52

I think you have to explain to your mum that if your grandparent had:

pulled a cats bum face every time her name was mentioned

had slagged her off within ear shot

had made an atmosphere every time her name was mentioned

then you would have grown up hating that grandparent

this will bite her on the bum and put a large great wedge between your dc and her if she continues in this vien and that will mean she will have let bitterness and hatred ruin her grandchilds love for her

invicta · 30/06/2012 20:52

I can't add anything more except good luck and let us know how you get on.