Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to involve dad's girlfriend in birth of my first child?

95 replies

Tillyfloss1 · 30/04/2018 15:50

During my parents marriage my dad had an affair that lasted some years. It caused my mum huge amounts of distress and ultimately after suffering a nervous breakdown she died by suicide. My mum had her demons but she was a truly amazing and selfless mother and her death was extremely traumatic. My siblings and I were in our early 20s. My mum told us and I was made aware by other family members that this woman tormented my mum at her lowest ebb. My dad never actually left my mum and refers to himself as a widow and wishes to be buried with our mum when the time comes (complicated I know). Our family has over some years recovered and we have a decent relationship with our dad of which I am proud and hold dear as despite what happened, he's our dad and we love him. Some 15 years after my mum's death (and with 3 significant relationships in between with nice women) my dad has now started seeing this woman again and she has been thrust into our lives without warning. I find this very difficult to deal with and try and see my dad separately to avoid distress but this is becoming increasingly difficult as she comes to all family occasions and introduces herself as my dad's "partner". She is very pushy and not at all likeable. For example, she reminisces about weekends away that her and my dad have been on years ago when he was married to my mum and we were picking up the pieces and seems to have no remorse or regret about the circumstances. I am expecting my first child and whilst I, for the sake of my relationship with my dad, am willing to be civil to her, I cannot stomach the thought of her seeing or having anything to do with my baby. I feel like this would be a betrayal of my lovely mum who I miss greatly whom I would have dearly loved to have been a grandmother. I want my dad to be happy but I cannot let this go. AIBU?

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 30/04/2018 15:53

No. You certainly are not. I don't have any other advice though, sorry. I'm so sorry about your Mum. Flowers.

LouBakesCakes · 30/04/2018 15:55

this woman tormented my mum at her lowest ebb

This stands out for me. I wouldn't want her anywhere near me for my child.

Sorry for your loss OP.

BonsaiBear · 30/04/2018 15:55

I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. She sounds highly toxic and I'm sorry she seems to be deliberately poking such painful wounds.

Can you explain to your dad how you feel?

LouBakesCakes · 30/04/2018 15:55

*or my child

ISaidIWasTired · 30/04/2018 15:57

Bloody hell OP sounds like you are already giving her more time than I could. I'm not sure I could even look at her, I'm so sorry you are in this situation Thanks

sentenceinterrupted · 30/04/2018 15:59

Basically another vote for what they all said upthread ....

greendale17 · 30/04/2018 16:00

I would not want that woman anywhere near my child. I wouldn’t even be able to have any kind of relationship with her either

dietstartsmonday · 30/04/2018 16:00

I would refuse to have anything to do with her. if your Dad has any compassion he should understand that.

Could you ask him to stop allowing her to come family functions? How would he react if you and your siblings stood up and said it was just not right?
I think i would talk to your siblings and see how they feel and then maybe approach your Dad together and speak to him..

However she would be having nothing to with my child in your shoes.

ChodeofChodeHall · 30/04/2018 16:03

YANBU YANBU YANBU YANBU YANBU

catkind · 30/04/2018 16:03

Sorry for your loss of your mother, must be particularly hard at this time.

I think for a first visit with new baby it would be okay to ask if your dad could come on his own - "we'd rather just have close family while we find our feet" kind of thing. After that though I think if you want to maintain a relationship with him you will have to continue to be civil to her. Hopefully it may blow over again if he's had a few different relationships.

I would also consider coming up with a few shocked "do you really think that's appropriate - Mum was still alive then" type comments. Or do you think that's what she's after?

TheOneWith · 30/04/2018 16:03

That’s a tricky one, I’d feel exactly the same but hbe prepared to accept that your dad may decide that he will support his partner and this may damage your relationship with him.

GabriellaMontez · 30/04/2018 16:04

Yanbu.

They both sound deeply insensitive/cruel.

I wouldn't be surprised if this ended your relationship with your Dad though. Although in your shoes I can't imagine id want anything to do with him.

Love51 · 30/04/2018 16:05

I think you have to ask yourself if you are willing to lose your dad over this. Because that is a potential endgame.
I'm not saying either response is correct, just go into it with your eyes open.

mommybear1 · 30/04/2018 16:06

Do what you are comfortable with OP if you don't want this person near your baby that is your call. Don't be forced into doing this. Your mom sounds lovely btw I'm so sorry this happened to you Thanks

Ellendegeneres · 30/04/2018 16:08

She’d be nowhere near my dc after her behaviour towards your mum! Fuck that, if she doesn’t like it she needs to look at herself.

I’d be speaking to dad and saying you’ve tried to move past it but cannot and will not be around her anymore so if he continues to bring her to family occasions he will have to deal with having very little to do with you or your dc. This is his choice. You’re not saying he has to pick you over her, you’re saying that he has to pick having her around the family or being around your dc. Given you’ve got a relationship with him now, he should see that as more than reasonable

Trinity66 · 30/04/2018 16:09

No way. My dad is in married to the the woman he cheated on my mother with and I have never and will never meet her

Idontdowindows · 30/04/2018 16:09

I wouldn't want her anywhere near my child and if she's at a gathering and she brings up their trips away together while he was married to your mum I would go, every time: "Oh, when my dad was still married to my mum then?"

It'll cause her to shut up about them pronto. If you are consistent with this, she'll not want to come to gatherings anymore, which will be a bonus.

To be honest, I would want nothing to do with her at all and I would blank her.

PinkbicyclesinBerlin · 30/04/2018 16:10

All I can say OP is from a very, very different standpoint I am no longer in touch with my father because his choices are absolutely anthema to what I need from him around an extremely toxic situation in our family (for context a child abuse scenario). I had to come to the realisation that my father and me were poles apart in our needs and wants and that it was necessary for us to break contact for my own personal integrity around the situation. Sometimes, rarely, family dynamics are so toxic that there is just no middle ground. When that happens you need to listen to your own gut and follow that.

Ladymadness · 30/04/2018 16:10

YANBU
There is no way in hell i would even be in the same room as someone who tormented my mother during her worst times

she reminisces about weekends away that her and my dad have been on years ago when he was married to my mum and we were picking up the pieces and seems to have no remorse or regret about the circumstances
I would have throat punched the cow (dont do that though)
Talk to your dad and tell him how you feel. If he has any compassion at all he will understand.

WhatCanIDoNowPlease · 30/04/2018 16:11

She sounds like a shit. And so does your dad. He's the one who took her away on all these weekends and gave her such 'lovely' memories.

MrsGorilla · 30/04/2018 16:15

I could not see her if it were me. I’m so sorry for the appalling misery you went through. And shame on your dad for thrusting her on you now.

TypingoftheDead · 30/04/2018 16:16

YANBU, at all. Don't know what else to say, but it must be a tough being stuck in the middle of all that. She sounds very cruel and spiteful to me. Not someone I'd want around my (totally non-existent!) children.
Sorry about your mum :(

Aprilmightbemynewname · 30/04/2018 16:17

I would be telling 'd'f straight, he is welcome to be dgf but she doesn't exist as far as you +dc are concerned.

LoislovesStewie · 30/04/2018 16:18

I agree with others , she is a horrible person. I would want nothing to do with her, and I would tell my dad exactly why. How dare she torment your dear mother and then carry on as if nothing had happened. No! She can lose out on the pleasure of your company for starters. Kind thoughts to you.

namechanger14 · 30/04/2018 16:19

YANBU this woman did something unforgivable (and imho it should be illegal). It is a slap in the face to be making these comments, knowing full well that it happened when ur dad was with ur mum and knowing what she did to ur mum.
Your father can have a relationship with both her (if that's what he really wants) and you/siblings etc and he can have it separately.
I assume that ur father knows what his other woman deliberately did to your mum? No loving father would push a woman with her previous actions on his children (or grandchildren).
She needs to stay away. She decided to push and push in full knowledge of what she was doing, so she doesn't get to have her cake and eat it. She gets to live with the consequence, which is, she is not welcome in your or your dcs life.

Do u have the support of ur siblings in this? Do they feel the same about any future children?

Talk to ur dad. Tell him u cannot stomach this woman playing house with ur baby when she has taken their real nana way. Also tell him that having her around is no good for your mental health and as a soon to be mother u don't need any negatives around.

I am really sorry about your mom
x

Swipe left for the next trending thread