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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My mum refusing to talk to me because she lost my son

524 replies

FindingEmo · 24/02/2018 17:44

I've gone to visit my parents this week (although they only live 30 mins away but our house is being renovated so they thought it might be nice).. We are staying in their spare room. I have 3 ds aged 4, 2 & 6months. My dh had to head home today as he has to work tomorrow. My dad likes things orderly and with 3 young children around things have been a bit chaotic. Anyway my dm said she would take 2 older dc to the park to burn off some energy, there's a footpath that runs along side it then up over a hill so df said he'd walk with them and the take the dogs over the hill. When they reached the park ds1 (4) tried to carry on with df. He followed quite far until df said no go back to your nan. He the went off on his walk. Ds didn't go back to his nan he waited for a bit then tried to follow df. Apparently ds was 'missing' for about 20 mins until dm found him. She bought him back to her house in tears, refused to tell me what happened and went to bed. I finally got the story out of her but she's refused to come downstairs. I'm now cooking tea and trying to juggle 3 tired dc as DF is still out. I feel like I'm being punished for my parents losing my son. (for balance I normally get on really well with my parents, I speak to them most days, always go to them for advise, they baby sit a lot for us etc). AIBU to be pissed off.

OP posts:
aaarrrggghhhh · 24/02/2018 21:25

Cripes and they obviously freaked out and responded by having a go at your son.

Its as much your mums fault as your dads fault.

fucks sake. Neither of them get a cup of tea or a hug. They get a calm but firm and open discussion about whether or not they are capable of supervising your son AND how to manage their response to your son when THEY fuck up.

Imagine if he was still missing on the fields somewhere. Would you be expected to be boiling up brews for your mum as she felt so bad about losing your son.

God almighty. Massive childcare fuck up and massive response to childcare fuck up fuck up.

Terftastic · 24/02/2018 21:25

IMO your mum is at fault too. If you offer to take your gc to the park, you bloody well make sure you have your eye on them all the time.

Your dad should never have just told him to go back to your mum - he's at fault too. When you're looking after a 2 & 4yr old - you need to do just that. Look after them. Keep your eyes on them.

The people not at fault: the OP and her 4yr old.

user1474652148 · 24/02/2018 21:26

I wonder if they had a row and ds followed df? Something about this is off if he usually is a wondeful gp. I would bet on a row and that would answer why she is in her room.

Butterymuffin · 24/02/2018 21:27

Aren't you going to ask your dad to explain what he did, OP? I bloody would.

Feeling most sorry for DS here. He seems to have taken the blame and lost out the most - I agree totally.

user1474652148 · 24/02/2018 21:28

Sorry I missed the post about them punishing ds. Not acceptable at all. No hugs for anyone if this happened

theWarOnPeace · 24/02/2018 21:29

They’ve made a massive mistake, put your child at risk and now in order to deflect it, are treating you like you’ve done something wrong? I’d be explaining to your DS that he’s been a super good boy and going home! Poor thing, he must have been terrified

OutyMcOutface · 24/02/2018 21:30

YWNBU to be the one not talking.

CotswoldStrife · 24/02/2018 21:36

Have you asked your father directly what happened OP?

NameWithChange · 24/02/2018 21:48

I think you need to ask your DF straight out if you are BU, not Mumsnet. You need an explanation from him.

bastardkitty · 24/02/2018 21:48

Please go home. Tuck your babies into their own beds, have a hug with your husband and give your parents some space to reflect on their actions. I'm really sorry you've had to read some of the ridiculous crap people wrote on your thread.

MotherofaSurvivor · 24/02/2018 21:51

OP why are you not flying off the handle at your Dad and reading him the riot act?

I'm not being mean, but I honestly don't get why people are such walkovers on here? Maybe I'm just a live wire?! My Dad is sadly no longer with us and he wouldn't ever have such disregard for his grandkid's safety but if he did something like this ohhhhhhh my.... The air would be BLUE. He would be the one needing a lie down

InsomniacAnonymous · 24/02/2018 21:52

"Knock and give her a hug."

I'm so sick of seeing this advice on this thread.

halfwitpicker · 24/02/2018 21:52

Is this an Edwardian drama?

Get the smelling salts out and take to bed?

WTAF

FindingEmo · 24/02/2018 21:53

I have asked df what happened and he's told me the same thing as dm told me. When I asked why he said he thought ds would be fine going back by himself as its a straight walk down the path back to the park. I said he's 4 he shouldn't have been left and df just kept saying I thought he would be fine. It wont say any more.

OP posts:
Awwlookatmybabyspider · 24/02/2018 21:55

"I'm sick of seeing this advice on her".

I know. What's she supposed to say. I'm.sorry that my ds was lost for 20 Minutes while in your care and now you're blaming him.

mikeyssister · 24/02/2018 21:58

Did it dawn on DF that DS may not have been able to see his gran and in that case he would go looking for DF again??????????

It won't say any more do you mean him or you?

Ohwelljusttoday · 24/02/2018 21:58

Your Dad is the one that is at fault here.

mommy2018 · 24/02/2018 22:02

These posts and both the reactions of op and her mother are very odd to me.
"Ds has been very naughty",
"Ds has been badly behaved",
"Ds needs to apologise", why is the blame being put on a 4 year old and why is HE now being punished??
Dm & df lost ur son for 20 mins, sounds like she then told him he was naughty, as soon as they get in the door she leaves ds (that she has just lost and is devesated about that fact) to go to bed instead of making sure he was OK emotionally, you then make him apologise to dm (which apparently isn't good enough as she's still hiding away), hes not having a promised movie night and now he's gone to bed thinking he's a naughty boy? When all he's actually done wrong is to not do good listening?

The only person I feel sorry for is your ds. Being on his own, lost for 20mins would be very scary, (my dd would be petrified if she was on her own for half that time) if not traumatic. I could understand more if ur dm had grabbed ur ds on first finding him and shouting "don't u ever do that again" but then it should be dropped, end of, move on a little bit wiser (and feeling a hell of alot older)

Im not being unsympathetic either, I 'lost' my dd wen she was 2. We were on holiday and I was putting something away wen dd decided 2 sneak out of the caravan. It must have been 15 mins between realising she was gone, searching the caravan (in case this was some not so funny game of hide & seek) and then eventually finding her sobbing her heart out 3 rows of caravans away with a group of teenage girls who had thankfully grabbed hold of her and were trying to contact an adult for help. In the time it took me to admit to myself she wasnt in the caravan and finding her I was imagining the worst things ever and trying 2 remember wot she was wearing because I was just about to phone the police. So I am well aware how upsetting & scary it is however, its not about ur feelings as an adult its about looking after and reassuring ur little 1 who has no capacity 2 think rationally even after the danger has passed. ie an adult may think 'he could have been hit by a car, no that's silly there are no cars in the park where as a child may be thinking "omg that noise was a big bear in the bushes and it was going to growl at me and scratch me and eat me and and and"

Your dm needs to get over it and think how she will stop this from happening again (if there is an again), u need 2 calm down, relax and stop thinking ur being punished (ur not) and some1 needs to slap ur df (verbally) for letting a 4yo out of his sight wen df couldn't see the other responsible adult.
Leave 2morrow if u wish but do be aware that if ur dm is assuming u r pissed at her this will only cement that thought in her mind and it would probably be better to sort all this out and not let it fester
X

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 24/02/2018 22:05

I dont understand why a tearful 4 year old has to apologise to adults who lost him whilst he was in their care. Your Dad's behaviour is inexplicable.

InsomniacAnonymous · 24/02/2018 22:14

It seems to me that the ones deserving a hug are the OP and her son.

timeisnotaline · 24/02/2018 22:15

Your poor ds , I would be so nice to him for a little while! I wouldn’t focus too much on your mum in your case because she must have had an awful awful shock and people can be so irrational after that kind of thing plus there’s probably ingrained loyalty that means she feels terrible her husband did that and also terrible she feels that way about him... but I would be mega pissed with your dad.

YouOKHun · 24/02/2018 22:16

I could see this happening a few years ago with my DF and DM when my children were small. They were always dying to see the children and look after them but we had a couple of scares and I realised that they couldn’t cope as well as they thought they could. My father was in his mid seventies and had been an old fashion loving but hands off dad - he actually just didn’t think things through. He’d been a father back when we were all given much more freedom and this is the sort of thing he’d have done. He was a paediatrician too Confused so great for illnesses but still a rubbish nanny.

You might have to review unsupervised GP time as I did. They still enjoyed their time with their GC just without total responsibility for them for a whole day while out and about - too knackering for them.

AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight · 24/02/2018 22:21

Just read your update. Oh, your poor poor ds. Sad How dare they blame him?

OP, I'd be leaving first thing in the morning.

NameWithChange · 24/02/2018 22:23

So what is your DF's opinion on your DMs behaviour? Does he think she is upset with him? Is there something else going on between them? If she doesn't normally behave like this you really need an explanation as to what is going on or breakfast is going to be a bit uncomfortable for all concerned!

CherryMaDeary · 24/02/2018 22:23

It's difficult to understand if your mum is ignoring you due to a sense of guilt (perhaps on behalf of DF) or whether she is trying to turn around the guilt on to you. You say DF is a wonderful grandfather but don't mention your mum?

Has your DF apologised for not taking DS back to your DM?