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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would I BU not to lend DBro this money?

24 replies

BrotherWorries · 24/07/2012 22:27

Namechanger.
I have a younger (21-y-o) brother and an older sister. My father is kind but has a new family, we lost our mother when we were quite young. Because of this, DBro has always been a bit spoilt as we all (me included) tried to make up for the sadness he'd experienced. He is a lovely guy that is easy to talk to, very charming, we are all quite close.
About 3 years ago, we discovered that he had been routinely stealing from my father. A few quid here and there turned into raiding the savings box for alcohol and cigarette, and possibly cocaine money. We were told he always bought rounds of drinks for his mates (he found it difficult socially, and I think he was trying to buy friends.) The amount he stole is in the thousands, over a two-year period.
We were devastated, because this seemed completely out of character for the personable young man we knew. But his reaction was even worse. He ran away to friends' houses, posted on facebook about how his family were treating him like shit, ignored calls by us. He made it as though it was our fault for finding out. He has never really, properly apologized- He said sorry under duress but it was so we'd leave him alone.
He then went to uni. Seemed to be getting better- We started building bridges. Then, on a trip home, he stole £200 from my father's new GF. :(
He said sorry for this too, but again, acted as if it was outrageous that he was being forced to apologize.
He dropped out of uni, got 2 jobs. Goes out a lot, has a very active social life. We have made up, but have never talked about his stealing. I thought, what with the two jobs, he was doing well and being self sufficient.

This morning, I got an email from my father, who is on holiday abroad. He was asking me or my sister to transfer £100 to DBro's bank account because he couldn't do it from abroad- DBro needs it by tomorrow morning for rent. Turns out this is a regular occurance- Dad lends him money and he pays it back little by little in installments (he now owes my father quite a lot). The money, apparently, will be paid back in August. DSis has a foreign account and cannot transfer.

I have just been paid and have the money. But I don't know if I should bail him out. A part of me thinks he shouldn't expect, after everything, that his family will save him every time. He smokes, he drinks, he spends a fortune on himself... And I don;t know if it's really doing him any favours to make him so dependent. OTOH, Dfather and DSis will think I'm a total bitch if I don't. And a part of me feels so sad for the shitty childhood he had.

What should I do?

OP posts:
squeakytoy · 24/07/2012 22:29

I can see your point, but you would be helping your dad out here, rather than your brother.

foodtech · 24/07/2012 22:31

Don't do it. He's 21 not a child and has to take responsibility for his actions. He will never do this if people keep on bailing him out. Even without the stealing I wouldn't do it. Harsh but true. FT

BrotherWorries · 24/07/2012 22:31

That's a good point.
I just spoke to DH who was once in this situation with his sister. Things did not end well.

OP posts:
Merlotmonster · 24/07/2012 22:32

no way would I lend him the money....it will reward him for his awful behaviour..

MushroomSoup · 24/07/2012 22:34

I love love love my brothers - but there is no way I'd lend them money under these circumstances.

parakeet · 24/07/2012 22:39

Don't do it. You know you shouldn't.

However sorry you may feel about his childhood, it is not helping him to facilitate this kind of behaviour. Tell your dad you want no part in it.

BrotherWorries · 24/07/2012 22:43

You're all saying what I know in my heart. :(
My Dad and Sis are going to hate me.

OP posts:
mantlepiece · 24/07/2012 22:44

I would not speak to your DB about this,
I would tell your DF that you feel you cannot get involved in the situation, it does not sit right with you.
Leave things at that.

chunkyjojo · 24/07/2012 22:44

Nope, wouldn't lend it. We had similar situations with my younger DBro years ago and you are right, it does him no favours in the long run. You don't have to get into a discussion/row about the merits of doing it or not. Lie if needs be, tell them you don't have it. Doing it this time will just give him the impression you're "good for it" next time his Dad can't cough up...

Adversecamber · 24/07/2012 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JumpingThroughHoops · 24/07/2012 22:47

You arent lending DB the money - you are completing a financial transaction on behalf of your father, who I assume will reimburse you?

If you really dont want to get involved, then simply white lie and say you have difficulty making ends meet and cannot complete the transaction.

I seriously would not get involved with your fathers financial affairs. You are all culpable and excused your brothers behaviour over the years. You don;t have to get involved you know.

BrotherWorries · 24/07/2012 22:48

That's a good idea jojo- That way I'm no part of it but I'm not causing a bloody huge family rift either...

OP posts:
maytheoddsbeeverinyourfavour · 24/07/2012 22:48

Don't do it, I've been there and it doesn't help if anything it makes it worse Sad

holyfishnets · 24/07/2012 22:54

Don't respond to the email? In fact act like you haven't received it - 'what email?. must have over looked it.

chunkyjojo · 24/07/2012 22:57

It gets you off the hook this time BW but if you really think an outright refusal would cause a family rift maybe you need to anticipate that this may not be the last time you're asked. I know if it came up again you could just give same answer - no, sorry haven't got it, but poss should consider talking to your DF on his return from hols and explaining you're uncomfortable getting involved and would prefer not to be asked in the future?

Obviously I don't know whether it could poss turn into a regular occurance I suppose I'm just thinking of my own experience!

G1nger · 24/07/2012 23:21

Do it this once for your father. But make it clear to him that you disapprove and that he's not to ask you again,

Collaborate · 25/07/2012 00:35

OP - I wouldn't do it. And if your Dad and Sis hate you for it, shame on them.

LeB0F · 25/07/2012 00:37

You haven't got it and can't lend it. Stay out of it, dysfunctional mess that it is.

MrsTerryPratchett · 25/07/2012 00:48

Sorry BrotherWorries but didn't you have a shitty childhood too? You lost your mother too. Who is making it up to you?

ravenAK · 25/07/2012 01:05

I think I'd say:

'I'm not happy with doing it, because db needs to stand on his own two feeet at some point, & scrounging off his father & sisters isn't helping.

'I'll do it this once for df's sake, & db can pay ME back, not df - but once he's paid df back all the money he already owes him.

'Please don't ask me again, because it's just digging him a deeper hole, & I can't afford it on a regular basis anyway'.

StrawberryMojito · 25/07/2012 01:06

You've all got to stop using the childhood as an excuse. Plenty of people have a tough childhood, they don't become thieves.

About the money, if, due to poor money management, he really is short of hs rent money, then pay and get reimbursed by your father on his return. If you think there will be no problem paying any bills and it really is just fag money then tell your father that you don't have the money yourself.

ENormaSnob · 25/07/2012 08:27

I wouldn't.

Bil is a bit like this, always has been. He's mid thirties now and still expects to be spoon fed.

Can't be doing with people like this tbh.

lovebunny · 25/07/2012 08:29

tell them both you will do it this one time as your dad is away, but that you will never do it again, no matter how dire the circumstances.
use it as an opportunity to talk to your brother.

droppedscones · 25/07/2012 09:05

I totally agree with chunkyjojo. Just say you don't have the money/didn't see the email this time and in the future. Don't be confontational about it, just say that you can't do it without putting your own finances on the line. Has he ever had budgeting/debt advice? Perhaps offer him some practical help rather than giving money may be better from all of you. Though you all need to be on board with this approach really as if he is getting money from somewhere then he will just take that option as it's enabling him to ignore what the real problems are. My own brother would never take advice and just took it as further evidence of how we were all vile to him. We had to let him dig himself in and let him find his own way out, which he appreciates after 10 years. Your brother needs to start taking responsibility for himself regardless of his childhood. Alot of people have shit childhoods and don't do the same so although sad it isn't an excuse. You can all help him without enabling his behaviour by giving him money which is just a short term fix. I wish you luck.

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