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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To just ignore him

7 replies

Alwayscommuting · 27/07/2017 18:16

First time poster long time lurker so please be gentle.

There's quite a backstory but I'll try and give you the short version. I am an adult daughter to an unreliable father and an amazing mum(separated, never married). He's done a number of things throughout the years. Didn't turn up to collect us when he said he would as kids. Was angry and nasty when we were there. Tried to talk me out of marrying my AMAZING DH. Called me 3 weeks before our wedding and said he wouldn't give me away. The list goes on. He's so bad my sister completely refuses to have anything to do with him.

So I've recently moved back near my family and I make time to go to his for dinner after work every couple of weeks. Sometimes with DH but some evenings he's working. Whenever he gets me alone for he always brings up old tales, most of them made up. Last night he was giving me a lift home (I was more than happy to get a bus but he insisted) and he started being really horrible about my mum. Saying there's a lot I don't know about her and how manipulative she is. I know they don't get along but my mum has never bad mouthed him in front of us. I became upset and defended her. That made him more angry. He makes up a story about him my mum promised she would ruin our relationships with him. He starts to shout and drive angrily so I told him to stop the car and I would get a bus. He told me not to be so ridiculous and how obvious it is that I've been turned against him. I got out the car and called my sister. She came to get me and we went for a coffee, she cheered me right up.

My question is AIBU to ignore him unless he makes the first move and apologies. I'm pretty confident he won't and probably doesn't think he's done anything wrong, he has form for this.
I'm thinking this might be the straw that breaks the camels back and I might stop putting the effort into our relationship. It's clearly not good enough for him as he keeps harking back to the past.

OP posts:
Eebahgum · 27/07/2017 18:39

I think I'd be ignoring him if I were in your situation.

Timefortea99 · 27/07/2017 18:43

Blood is not thicker than water. Reduce contact or stop seeing him completely.

kittymamma · 27/07/2017 18:45

You have a great sister and an amazing mum, as you said... I wouldn't give it much thought. Get on with your life and if he wants to he can get in touch and you can take it from there. You could tell him then that you are happy to still visit him but he is not to bad mouth your mum, she doesn't do it about him and it's not fair on you. Demanding an apology is probably a waste of time. Good luck!

pocketsaviour · 27/07/2017 18:46

I make time to go to his for dinner after work every couple of weeks

Why? When you get right down to it, what benefit does it bring YOU by regularly giving him space and time to relieve his own unhappiness with his life by taking it out on you?

You're not his whipping boy.

crazyhorses3 · 27/07/2017 18:46

Why do you bother with him at all?

KimmySchmidt1 · 27/07/2017 18:58

it seems to me that he has been reflecting on the past and that it is too painful for him to admit that he was a crap dad, so he has convinced himself you were "turned against him" even though the things you describe are patently things he has chosen to do. So he has rather deludedly decided, instead of being mature and apologising for his past crapness, to try and convince you and himself that it was all a mirage concocted by your mother.

This tells me that he feels remorse about his behaviour and that he is rather unrealistic and a bit silly.

I think its a really big decision to write off a parent, but I think you should let him stew for a bit and see what he does.

Alwayscommuting · 27/07/2017 19:10

Thanks everyone. I guess I spend time with him because he's my dad and I feel like I should but you're right pocket I don't actually get value from it. It'll be interesting to see what he does next.

OP posts:
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