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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to have ended this friendship. In this awful way?

78 replies

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 10:32

I think I may be ripped apart here. But theres always the hide thread option I suppose.

To start, Im having the lowest time of my whole life. I have a child with serious health problems, and my DH has just left. This was amicable though, he hasn't just ditched us.

Im dragging myself out of a depression, Im really alone where I am, I get very very little sleep because of DC's health issues, I cant work for the same reason, I have no family near by to help.

Generally life is a really, really massive ball ache and Im just about keeping my head above water.

I have a close friend who I have known for some years. We both had one child each at one point and we'd meet up regularly with and without the children. We then got pregnant at the same time, we were happily pregnant together, had the tiny babies, she struggled a lot and we used to meet up a lot. She said herself more than once that she really relied on our meets in the early days for keeping her sane.

We are nearly 3 years on and her life is dandy now which is great, eldest at school, little one at nursery, she works a couple of evenings a week, so is around for the kids in the day, but generally gets to put her feet up when the kids are at school/nursery, or catch up on house work etc. (her words not my assumption).

Because Im pretty much on my own all of the time, when things are really bad with the youngest, I sometimes use fb to vent. It doesnt happen often, but things have been very very tough the last two weeks with my youngest and its clear to see that Im on my knees.

Said friend has no text, not called, nothing.

Prior to this Ive suggested meet ups several times which she can never do.

She will never initiate a meet up or text/call to see how we are, its just me that initiates anything.

Anyway, last night we had a monumental fall out.
She fb PM'd me and simply said 'you havent posted on fb for 9 ours, are you ok?????'

I said ' are you taking the mick'

She said 'yup'

Im afraid I went postal. I was so mad, I said its clear to see Im having a shit time, that Im using fb as a crutch and she is mocking me.

I told her to fuck off. Twice.

I have apologised for swearing at her, for this I was totally unreasonable.
My emotions are like a rollacoaster at the moment but this is no excuse.
But I said Im not sorry for being angry.

I cannot seem to see anything clearly at the moment. Im lost between trying to get my children and I through a very very recent break up, trying to stay sane between my poor childs health problems.

Was I BU for being pissed off? I have effectively ended the friendship.

I know I was being childish telling her to eff off, I totally lost control of my emotions for a minute. That I know.

OP posts:
BrokenSunglasses · 06/09/2013 11:11

I think if a friend said something like that to me, I'd probably take it as a joke.

Did she mean it in a nasty way?

In my experience, friendships that come as a result of having babies and toddlers at the same time are not always friendships that are designed to last the distance, they are friendships that are there because of the phase of life that you're going through at the time. There's nothing wrong with that, and I don't think it makes someone a bad person because they have let a 'season or a reason' friendship drift.

A lot of people find negative venty type Facebook statuses irritating, I know I do, so perhaps that is part of the reason she hasn't been as keen to meet up.

It might be better to concentrate on finding support from people who are in a similar situation to you, who can understand what you are going through.

NoelHeadbands · 06/09/2013 11:15

Best to just park it now, you don't want her friendship and she no longer wants yours.

No point pulling your hair out over the whys and wherefores.

MrsCosmopilite · 06/09/2013 11:18

She doesn't sound like a terribly supportive person, tbh.

You've apologised for swearing at her which is fine. You are quite within your rights to be angry and hurt. Even if she meant the comment in a light-hearted way, common sense should have told her it was inappropriate.

As others have said, no point stressing over this one now. Just let it be and move on.

There are many kind, helpful and supportive people on MN, and there is always someone online, at any time of the day or night. Why not check out some of the more specialised boards that relate to some of the issues you're having? I'm sure you'll find a wealth of information and backing here.

PTFO · 06/09/2013 11:18

YANBU.
Ditch the mate, delete yourself off facebook and work on RL solutions.
There must be some home help you could have? Worth some phonecalls, can your ex share the overnight load? I hope things improve for you soon.

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:18

There's no one in even a similar situation to me in the south of England.

My DC's health ishoo's, to the extent that they are, are very unusual. Common problem, rare severity.

OP posts:
QuintessentialOldDear · 06/09/2013 11:18

Yanbu to be upset. You seem to have a really tough time, and I am sorry.

But if you are posting several times a night it just looks like you are showing off how BAD your life is. People have very little to say to that. They are waking up to their Facebook feed and see verbal steam letting from you daily. Be careful, for all you know people cant deal with that, and has chosen to not see feeds from you for this reason.
If you post so much negativity, nobody is really going to want to meet up with you. For you it is letting off steam, but most people do in fact distance themselves from people who post and post and post. It is tiresome. I know because friends have commented to me about the inane ramblings of other friends saying stuff like "Geez, you'd think Paula was the only one with a sickly baby in the world." etc. People can be nasty.

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:22

"Work on RL solutions."

What makes you think I dont? Genuine question.
Because I post on facebook at 2am that Ive had 30 minutes sleep in 48 hours?

Can I just explain for clarity, I spend most of my life caring for my DC and trying to get through each hour. Theres no 'cure' theres not exactly anything I can 'work on' and the break up, well thats just healing and I havent mentioned even a hint of that on facebook.

OP posts:
BrokenSunglasses · 06/09/2013 11:23

It wouldn't have to be people with exactly the same problem, and I'm sure you're not the only person in the south of England who has a dc with severe health problems that keeps them awake at night.

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:23

Quint I think you are very right there. Sad

Arse. Confused

OP posts:
ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:24

brokenglass no, of course not.

See? I feel like Im stuck in this whole of woe. Its ridiculous.

OP posts:
IslaValargeone · 06/09/2013 11:34

I do agree do a certain extent with much of what Quint's post. That being said, in light of the tough time you are having, I think for her to have not sent a text, made a call in order to offer some support to you, even just a cup of tea is pretty crap. Then to respond to your lack of FB activity with her comment, is at best very misguided and at worst really shitty.
I'm not quite sure why you would want to maintain a relationship with someone like that anyway?
I think you did the right thing by apologising for the swearing etc, but I think the friendship has probably run its course tbh.
I do hope you start to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

IslaValargeone · 06/09/2013 11:34

*much of Quint's post

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:35

Thanks Isla.

We have all the same mutual friends, friends we have had fore years and years way before children and marriages.

So we will inevitably end up in the same place at least a few times a year.
Awkward.

OP posts:
QuintessentialOldDear · 06/09/2013 11:36

I did not really comment much on friends behavior. I would probably had the same reaction as the OP in her shoes!

ChasedByBees · 06/09/2013 11:41

I think you just have to forget about that friendship and who was right or wrong (although IMO, she sounds really unsupportive).

I'm sorry you're having a tough time and I agree that you would probably find more support here than on FB.

peachesandpickles · 06/09/2013 11:48

If your break up with DH was amicable and he is the father of the child why has he left you in a situation where you get 30 mins sleep in 48 hours?

mumofweeboys · 06/09/2013 11:48

I would forget her, stop posting on fb. Find a online group or groups where u can vent. There has to be a place for single parents coping with special needs children

QuintessentialOldDear · 06/09/2013 11:50

Yes, should not your childs father step up a bit?

peachesandpickles · 06/09/2013 11:50

Sorry, my question sounded a bit sarky - it wasn't meant to be.

Just wondering where your ex is in all this. No one can survive on that little sleep.

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 11:54

Peaches I typed out the reason a few times but it would out me big time which has probably already happened enough as it us. But its not because hes an arsehole or anything. Its complex. Confused

OP posts:
peachesandpickles · 06/09/2013 11:56

I'll take your word for that but realistically how long can you carry on as you are before there are serious repercussions for your health?

ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 12:00

Yes, this I agree with. For this reason, I have made an appointment with a nursery, im not sure if that will work out but I need to try something.

OP posts:
ItsAllOverTheFrontPage · 06/09/2013 12:00

Just to go for a couple of hours 1-2 mornings a week so I can crash at home and catch up on sleep.

OP posts:
OctopusPete8 · 06/09/2013 12:08

Do u want to be her friend?

I think the fact she has not text you to be a considerate friend but has enough time to inbox you to mock you, that would be enough for me.

Rosesarebeautiful · 06/09/2013 12:24

I'm sorry this has happened. It sounds like you should just let everything cool for a while. You weren't getting support from her anyway, and you're not going to get it now

Two of mine have a chronic illness, my DD started first & it was out of the blue and severe. We're doing ok now

I have been amazed at the lack of support from friends in real life. I think especially when I was in emotional turmoil at the beginning it was as though they all ran on the opposite direction, and that includes family. I don't think that was my fault, I think people are just do busy these days and have their own things to deal with and they just don't want to get involved.

In the early days I just wanted to talk and talk and get my head straight. One of the useful conversations I did have was with a mum of a child with a different chronic illness. It just helped to identify some of the same feelings. I hardly even know that mum.

Otherwise I tried to spread my emotions around a bit. Rather than offload everything on one person I might chat for 10 minutes to different people, but make sure to ask about their issues too. I just find company helps

Can you phone any helpline overnight? I appreciate you must be lonely and stressed. I didn't want anyone to sort it out for me - just tell me I was doing ok.

Sometimes I look online at the relevant support group too. It's a bit depressing, but at least it helps put some things in perspective.