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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be an adult but still feel sad about my relationship with my dad.

6 replies

Allinson2014 · 09/04/2014 13:25

Hi, first post here, please be gentle with me! I'm married with 2 DC and pregnant with number 3. The DC have birthdays close together and are still young so I've booked them a joint party. The party is a weeknight after school and I know most people will be at work but I invited my parents and siblings anyway (not expecting any of them to be able to make it). All but my dad have replied saying sorry they will be working and we have arranged another night for them to see the DC. My dad has not replied whatsoever and to be honest I feel a bit sad about it. I am seven months pregnant though so this might be why it's affecting me so much! I don't understand why he can't just spend two minutes to text a reply, even to say he can't make it? A bit of background, my parents divorced almost 20 years ago. I was quite close to my dad until about 7 or 8 years ago when he stopped contacting us and would change arrangements. He has poor health and is more interested in going out drinking than seeing myself or my sister on his days off. He does see quite a lot of my brother but they work together anyway. I found that he did a bit of a disappearing act during my last two pregnancies too. He is very tight with money, and I think that he's keeping his distance in case I ask for something for the baby (I wouldn't, we are fairly well off, and being a third child we have plenty of stuff anyway!). I realise that he didn't chose to become a grandparent and I'm not trying to force him into even seeing the children I just wish he'd have the decency to reply and feel a bit sad that he seems to be ignoring me. Oh also I should add his 60th birthday is the same day as one of the DC and my siblings and I are going to organise doing something for him, but I just feel a bit awkward that he's ignoring my DC birthdays.

Sorry if it's long and rambling, didn't want to drip feed.

OP posts:
Calloh · 09/04/2014 13:44

YANBU to be upset, you can't help it and to be honest he does sound like a bit of a selfish idiot. But try to not let it become too much of a rejection in your head. He may have thought that he'd replied or even it didn't get through but either way you and your DCs will have a great time.

And no he didn't ask to be a grandparent but I've never heard it put like that before. Presumably he was involved in the decision to become a parent, the rest is beyond his control. Even if he doesn't want to be hands on if would be kind to you and his grandchildren to text back. However my dad loves me and my children so much but he would consider their birthday parties the worst form of torture - so not wanting to or bring able to attend is not indicative of love.

Calloh · 09/04/2014 13:45

Sorry for typos it is it not if and being not bring.

Allinson2014 · 09/04/2014 13:53

Thanks for your reply. I agree about parties being the worst form of torture actually, especially as the DC will be 6 and 4 and it's at the local soft play centre. Still a text to say he can't make it would have been nice. I suppose I should accept that I've done my bit by inviting him, it's up to him what he does about that invite. I'll be going to his birthday and trying not to think about his selfishness. Thanks again.

OP posts:
rabbitlady · 09/04/2014 15:53

i don't know what to say, except to share my experience (ie, to talk about myself, as usual). my current counsellor is pretty good, but she said to me that i seemed to have 'got over' having a poor relationship with my mum. it isn't true. you never get over your mum not loving you, no matter what age you are. and the same for dads.

so there are you, making a party and wanting it to be nice, trying to include everyone, and he doesn't love you and your beautiful, precious children enough to reply to his invitation. that's how it feels to you, i'm guessing.

he should reply. he might not have the same social expectations as you - having been invited he might think all he has to do is turn up.

oh, and when my daughter had a baby, i was in a state of terror throughout. before, terror that she wouldn't get chance to try for a baby, wouldn't be able to conceive, would split up with her husband, would die in a car accident or of the chest and kidney complaints she couldn't shake off; during, that the dreadful sickness would harm her or the baby, or because she can't swallow properly that she'd be sick in the night and choke to death, or that she would lose the baby, or that she would die in childbirth. terror. i couldn't make her safe. in the end, she survived, but it was a close thing - if the ambulance hadn't moved so fast, or if there hadn't been a full team already assembled at the hospital, she would have died. i'm not saying he feels that but he might be really uncomfortable with you being pregnant.

your children love you. if you can love them and show them how things should be done, you will break the cycle and no-one else will have to feel as you did when you posted. good luck.

Allinson2014 · 09/04/2014 16:17

I hadn't considered that. I suppose it is possible that he's worried about the baby. I don't have particularly difficult pregnancies but I do have enormous babies (DS1 10lb12 and DS 2 11lb 13) so I do have regular hospital monitoring. Who knows. Maybe he's forgotten and will be in touch soon, for all I know he could have a lot going on too.

OP posts:
Calloh · 09/04/2014 18:12

You sound so lovely try so hard to not let this get you down. Hopefully it'll all come good and there'll be a reason

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