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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Conversation hogger!

817 replies

Banoffeematernity · 18/04/2018 20:29

A month ago I started a new baby group and the majority of mums are lovely but one mum in particular is an expert at hogging conversations. I happily listen to her stories but I can never get more than two sentences out before she talks right over me with the next thing in her head.

She does it so effortlessly and without raising her voice, and I feel like it's a contant battle to have any kind of input. I find it exhausting and end up giving up.

Anyway today she asked me if I fancied going for a coffee next week. I was exhausted again as the LO has been crabby for a few days. I politely told her that I'd rather not as I feel she talks at me rather than being interested in what I had to say and I find conversations with her a battle that leave me exhausted. I honestly think if she subs me for a traffic cone she'll have just as good a time! (I never said that though).

Was that rude of me? I honestly had no energy to think up a decent excuse. Does anyone have any self defence tips for counteracting conversation hoggers... short of screaming 'let me finish one f'ing sentence FFS!' lol

OP posts:
Pinga · 20/04/2018 13:51

What does PP mean?

Banoffeematernity · 20/04/2018 13:52

*never once

OP posts:
Banoffeematernity · 20/04/2018 13:52

Pinga Previous Posters

OP posts:
frogsoup · 20/04/2018 13:54

I'd wondered autism as well. I know someone a bit like this and would put money on her being on the spectrum. I do find her company exhausting and when she has suggested coffee I've mostly made excuses, but it is very distressing to think of someone being as rude as the op to her. She is hugely well-meaning and clearly has no idea how uninterested in others she appears.

Teateaandmoretea · 20/04/2018 14:00

Banoffee That was one of my points but apparently quiet people are arrogant arseholes that think too much of themselves to waste breath on others!

Er no, I said it was one possibility not that all quiet people are like that. Just like it's possible a hogger is an arrogant arsehole. Or they may be insecure, or they may struggle socially.

KnitFastDieWarm · 20/04/2018 14:02

My uncle does this. He is desperately anxious and has Asperger’s syndrome. He is a lovely, gentle, sensitive man who would be utterly crushed by a remark like the OPs. You know that scene in emma when she humiliates Miss Bates? It’s a shitty thing to do to someone - if you dont want to meet again just say no politely, don’t assassinate someone’s character!

Witchend · 20/04/2018 14:07

I am looking for civil feedback and there's a difference between being blunt and being intentionally offensive and nasty towards me because you think that's what I deserve.

I totally agree there's a difference between the two.
So I politely tell you that your Op shows your interaction towards this woman was intentionally offensive and nasty towards her because you thought that's what she deserved.

Namechange128 · 20/04/2018 14:13

@KnitFastDieWarm - yes, that is such a great point about the bit in Emma. Completely agree. Poor woman won't feel able to go back to her baby group, at that time soon after birth when so many of us (quiet or not) are desperate for support and acceptance.

puglife15 · 20/04/2018 14:26

Interesting you focused o on that part of my post Banoffee

You do seem awfully invested in the tiny proportion of pp who have called you a test. Why not focus instead on the majority who have said what you did was wrong, hold your hands up and admit it was?

puglife15 · 20/04/2018 14:27

Twat not test.

Clearly I don't write twat enough.

Twat twat twat

ReanimatedSGB · 20/04/2018 14:33

On the 'banter' thread, though, the OP made a rude reply to someone who barged in to a conversation she was having and said something crass and unpleasant and unnecessary, so that OP shot back at him.

OP in this thread responded to a friendly invitation with brutal personal criticism of a near stranger when a polite 'Not this time, thanks' would have been perfectly acceptable.

MoltenLasagne · 20/04/2018 14:35

I only hope nobody else was around when you lost your temper OP because you'll have further humiliated this woman, and made yourself look bad too.

rOsie80 · 20/04/2018 14:39

Let us know how the apology goes OP...

Olddear · 20/04/2018 14:49

You don't like people hating you? Jeez, can't imagine that's ever happened, you sound so lovely......

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 20/04/2018 15:00

Erm I did not call you a cunt OP.

And when referring to rude people I was blatantly referring to people who butt in not to people like you who are unnecessarily mean and spiteful.

Hope that clears things up for you OP.

puffyisgood · 20/04/2018 15:34

i know people like this, of course [one friend in particular is just terrible at 'pleasant conversation', always trying to turn the discussion round to making plans for the future, her own (mostly petty) problems, etc (my amateur diagnosis here is of a mild anxiety disorder) ], but the measures i've taken to avoid them tend to be of the variety of saying i'm busy, letting them get the message slowly. who knows maybe i'd be doing them a favour by spelling out a few home truths, though i'd likely be too gutless. a lot depends on whether any mutual friendships might be endangered.

LimonViola · 20/04/2018 15:43

Only up to page eleven, but pretty much every point I wanted to make has already been made beautifully by AlmostAJillSandwich, AnxiousPeg and hipsterumlaut!

Am flabbergasted at all of the PP chastising OP for speaking the truth about how someone else's very rude behaviour, to OP and to other Mums, affects others. She didn't 'have a go': she responded to an invitation with an honest reason why she didn't want to accept it. PP trying to find ways for OP to have met with chatterbox and broached it more delicately are really reaching to try and dim OP's right to assertively and honestly state how chatterbox's rude behaviour was affecting her, and honestly I can't help but think if this was a forum full of men, few guys would be trying to suggest ways for a man to meet another guy he felt was rude and self absorbed, to even more gently and politely raise an issue that was quickly dealt with over text. And why should OP want to meet with the chatterbox!? I'm sure she has many better uses for her time and doesn't fancy playing cautious benevolent secret therapist to this woman, when she could be spending time with friends who actually listen to her as well as talk at her. It strikes me as an example of how women are socialised to avoid being honest about their feelings and the impact of someone's actions on them at all costs.

In the past year I've had to give and take quite direct criticism about interpersonal skills between a couple of close friends and I. It's not always easy to hear, no. But when you're being obnoxious and it's hurting others as well as your own chance to make friends, I firmly believe it's always better to find that out than be oblivious. If I was doing something rude I wasn't aware of and it was bad enough for someone to decline meeting me for coffee because it'd be unpleasant for them, damn right I'd want to know! If it was only affecting OP then sure, she could have just lied to her about why she was declining. But given they all socialise in a group and she does it to other women too, far better to be direct with her for the benefit of her and the group.

The people getting super defensive on here are perhaps people who are terrified that they display these behaviours and are projecting how they'd feel if someone called them out on it.

OP, you did the right thing. Lying would also have been fine. But you're within your rights to tell somebody how their behaviour is affecting you, I'd actually prefer social groups where people were honest with individuals bringing the group down and being rude to others so it can be identified and rectified, to groups where people are able to blunder on unaware while everyone else takes the brunt of their behaviour.

As PP have pointed out, the chatterbox may have reasons for acting this way, we can't know what they are, so all we can go on is the way it's affecting others. We don't give bullies a pass because they thought it was just lighthearted 'banter'!

minniebirdy · 20/04/2018 17:33

You are absolutely right to tell her. People like this never listen to what you’re saying, they’re just thinking of the next thing to say to monopolise the conversation. They need to be told or they will never change. She can take on board what you say or end up having no friends. Her choice.

Tessabelle1 · 20/04/2018 17:40

Maybe the poor woman doesn't see an adult all day and just gets excited at human contact or she's shy? Strange as it sounds, I'm shy and I tend to talk too much to counter that. I think you were quite rude tbh and I'd be mortified and upset if I was talked to like that 😔

Pliudev · 20/04/2018 17:42

In a group situation where people don't know each other there will always be some who talk more than others. As someone who has been guilty of that, all I can say is that it's usually because of insecurity. It would have been kinder to have put this coffee date off and waited a little longer to see if this person calmed down a bit. And as someone else suggested, in a one to one situation things might have been different. I can't imagine how this person must have felt and wonder if she will dare to come to your group again. If not, and I'm sorry to say this, you may have, however unintentionally, caused harm.

KM99 · 20/04/2018 17:54

So I'm aware that hogging conversations and over talking others is something I am prone to do. After serious self-reflection (and therapy for other issues) I realise mine comes from an overwhelming need to be liked and amuse people. I used to think all my value lay in others validation. Thankfully I don't as much now. I've learnt to dial it back, listen more and try to be more considerate.

I think you were perfectly polite. I'm sure it hurt her feelings but maybe a little painful honesty in the short term might be good for her?

peachdribble · 20/04/2018 17:56

Your response was harsh but true - it’s not easy to get everything right when we’ve not had much sleep! I was often in group situations as a new mum where I felt I couldn’t get a word in, and for a long time found one-to-one meets much easier to cope with. But I’ve been learning, over time, to interrupt politely 😏 and be heard!

Jeepy · 20/04/2018 18:02

Wow, you were blunt, but give her a bit of time to let it sink in, then apologise and offer to meet up. She was reaching out to you on some level, there may be the possibility of a friendship.

I think what is happening is that the person is so caught up in themselves they forget to read everyone else for signs of interest/boredom/horror/interest etc. Once the penny drops, she will have improved relationships for ever...

Scotland32 · 20/04/2018 18:02

I feel for you a bit OP. There are so many people in this world who need a bit of straight talking.
I do think that you were a bit premature in what you said to her though. You haven’t known her long enough to know her true character. As others said, she might be nervous and chats to compensate.
By contrast, I had a ‘friend’ for over 15 years who dominated every 1:1 and group conversation. Eventually another friend plucked up courage to tell her and she didn’t even have the self awareness to consider that we might be right and she might be wrong. We are no longer friends! Life is too short to spend time with ‘friends’ who don’t enrich your life (and you theirs).
I haven’t read all the thread but if you think as you got to know her that she could be a good friend, and you to her, then I would apologise. If not, I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over it.
I think too many people in this world pussyfoot around issues because they are afraid to be honest and whilst I think you could have been more tactful (I suspect your tiredness didn’t help) I think you were right to be honest.
What really riled me about this thread though is the people who have told you you were nasty whilst actually being quite nasty to you - what hypocrites!

Jessikita · 20/04/2018 18:14

I’m going against the grain here, but I think although you were direct and rude, you may have done her a massive favour long term.

I have a few friends and a MIL like this. You cannot get a word in edge ways, and when you begin talking, you get cut off and they talk about their experience or worse, tell you all about a random stranger you’ve never met or will meet, or because they’re so self involved, tell you the same 5 stories you’ve heard a million times.

Either she genuinely doesn’t realise she’s doing it and now she will, so will hopefully change her ways and she’ll find it easier to make friends long term - or if she is just so self involved and genuinely isn’t interested in anything you or others have to say, and just wants to talk about herself all the time, then we’ll done - you’ve got rid of her!

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