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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mum with lifelong emphasis on "fairness" suddenly wants to give sibling huge amount of money

153 replies

obstinatrix · 30/06/2018 01:12

I feel horrible even writing this because I adore my younger sister and I don't blame her for any of this whatsoever. But.

I have been married for several years now. I am a woman and I am married to a woman. As such, I didn't ask my parents for help with the wedding because I know my mother doesn't approve of or believe in gay marriages. The whole wedding only cost £400 because a) I knew my mother didn't want any of my family to know about it because of how it might "reflect on" her, and also b) I don't believe in spending a lot on a wedding anyway. So we paid for that ourselves and it wasn't a crippling financial burden. My parents did not come.

Now, several years down the line, my sister is going to get married. A bit of background on my parents: my mother in particular has always had a huge emphasis on everything being "equal." If one of us wanted a monetary gift for Christmas instead of a "thing," the other would have to have the exact amount of money, etc. So, while I always thought my parents might spend some money on my sister's wedding, I had expected they might offer a similar sum of money to me to use for a house deposit. I have hinted a few times that I'd really love to get on the housing ladder and had little response, so I thought, ok, they don't want to give us any money. Fine, they're not obliged to. I know they're relatively well-off but it's their money.

Now, however, it turns out they're giving my sister £30k for her wedding. To say I'm fuming is putting it lightly. First of all, I think that's a ridiculous amount to spend on a wedding, but moreover if they have that much to spend, surely it should have been split evenly between us? The fact that I didn't have an expensive wedding and ask them to pay for it (they wouldn't have anyway) surely shouldn't mean they give my sister the whole lot of whatever they had in mind as "spare"?

It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but it certainly doesn't help with the underlying resentment I feel towards my mother for pretending I'm not married to my partner.

OP posts:
Battleax · 30/06/2018 02:12

At the very least, get it straight in your own head. That way, even if you never address it with her directly, her power to hurt you will be blunted.

Graphista · 30/06/2018 02:18

I suspect I'm not much younger than your mother.

Sorry, but I think the homophobia suits her as an excuse for her toxic behaviour. As in if she couldn't treat you differently because you're gay then she'd have found another reason.

You CANNOT live your life trying to appease/not offend her. Especially big decisions like having children. That is a decision for you and your wife NOBODY else. You say you don't 'really' want DC but if that were true you wouldn't have mentioned it.

Your father enables her he is not innocent in this!

Ultimately you cannot change another's behaviour, but you can change your reaction to it.

I highly recommend outofthefog website.

In your shoes I suspect I'd be going at least v low contact as her actions are appalling.

DistanceCall · 30/06/2018 02:24

I'm so sorry, but your mother doesn't see your relationship with your partner as a "real" relationship, or your partner as a real partner. If you have children together, she certainly won't regard herself as their grandmother.

On some level, she probably hopes/expects that at some point you will leave her and settle down with a nice man. Because, you see, that is "real", and what you have is not.

I'm so sorry. There are several ways in which you can deal with this. But, for your own wellbeing, I think you need to be honest to yourself about it, as Battleax says.

obstinatrix · 30/06/2018 02:25

Oh, definitely agree with you graphista, she and I never got on when I was a child. I couldn't do anything right for her and she always preferred my younger sister. I have always sort of let her off on this, though, because she had a stillborn baby 10 months before she had me, and I always had the impression that I was meant to be replacing that baby. So anything I did wrong, she had in her mind that the "lost" baby wouldn't have done wrong, etc. It would definitely never have been gay.

OP posts:
tildaMa · 30/06/2018 03:05

I'll just put this picture here.

Mum with lifelong emphasis on "fairness" suddenly wants to give sibling huge amount of money
ToastyFingers · 30/06/2018 03:21

That's so sad OP. Flowers
Where does your sister stand in all of this? is she able to see your mother's shitty attitude towards you, or is she playing up to being the golden child?
If she's reasonable, I'd talk to her about it, at least so you can acknowledge your mother's crappy behavior within the family without having to confront her.

Also, if you and your wife at any point want kids, have 'em!
If your mother is awful enough to treat them with anything other than love then they're better off not seeing her.

I have a set of grandparents who clearly prefer my sister to me, as I'm not my dads biological child. I haven't seen them at all, since I was a young teen and honestly, it doesn't bother me one little bit. Life is too short to seek the approval of mean and unpleasant people.

Kingsclerelass · 30/06/2018 03:34

The only thing to say in mitigation of your mum, is she’s probably been raised for 40 or 50 years not “accepting” homosexuality as normal.
She’s happy to see your partner when it is only close family, and presumably you sleep in the same bed in her house. I imagine that’s a big step for her. A big public wedding was too big a step for her, which is terribly sad.
The money thing is a huge slap in the face, but she will come round. It might take a decade but she’s your mum and when she’s absolutely sure you’re happy, I bet she gives in. I hope she does anyway. Flowers

mozzybites · 30/06/2018 03:44

The Scottish thing is also a total red herring, I have gay family members, from both east coast and west coast. Whatever may have been said behind closed doors family up to the age of 90 got together to celebrate two family weddings. Because family is family and friends are friends.

Banana8080 · 30/06/2018 04:00

Flat out ask her, she set this expectation when she said everything had to be equal.

Horrible.

CaribooSasquatch · 30/06/2018 04:06

I couldn't do anything right for her and she always preferred my younger sister. I have always sort of let her off on this, though, because she had a stillborn baby 10 months before she had me, and I always had the impression that I was meant to be replacing that baby. So anything I did wrong, she had in her mind that the "lost" baby wouldn't have done wrong, etc. It would definitely never have been gay.

OMG OP. That is so terribly sad. I'm so sorry that your mother could have given you that impression. I cannot relate to her mindset at all if she actually feels that way. I have two DSs. One is gay, one isn't. I have no favourite. I had two miscarriages between them and would never entertain the idea that either of those pregnancies might have resulted in a "better" child. I am of the other extreme. I don't in any way feel that this is a normal or ideal way of thinking, but while I see others struggle to get over lost pregnancies, I think that it was for the best (in my specific circumstances; having never intended to have more than 2 kids) because without those miscarriages, ds2 wouldn't be here. His sexuality is irrelevant. He (and ds1) are my world. Your mother's attitude is disgusting. YADNBU. Flowers

Chinnyreckoning · 30/06/2018 04:17

Your mum is a nasty person but you still can't see or accept it. You need to put yourself and your wife first and forger about them.
Oh and don't make excuses for them about being Scottish. I'm scottish but I'm not an arsehole and I don't know any bigots. I can honestly say that if either of my children is gay I'll care not a bit... you need to accept that your mum isn't into equality at all. Protect yourself and keep your distance

sleep5 · 30/06/2018 04:31

in that situation I'd also be annoyed at sister for accepting such a large amount when she knows you got nothing. Personally I'd vomit off contact with both of them for 5 years+ but that's hard to do. Have you asked your mum if she'll contrib the same amount to you to be fair?

Cantsleeptooloud · 30/06/2018 04:39

Already your title is wrong. She's never been fair. I'd be extremely pissed off about the cash but probably equally so about her non attendance at your wedding. You seem to have accepted this though which is sad. You need to find your fight and stop accepting your parent's homophobia. What do you have to lose?

Prawnofthepatriarchy · 30/06/2018 04:52

Oh, how hurtful! YADNBU. Of course it's their money, but £30,000!

If I were you, I don't think I could avoid confronting her about the blatant unfairness. I guess I'd be looking for enough clarity during the conversation that I could be certain she was the unswerving bigot I suspected she might be.

Because if this is genuinely how it is, you're probably going to be better off if you go very low or no contact. But breaking off relations with parents is always going to be very sad. I feel for you in a very painful situation. Flowers

Mummyoflittledragon · 30/06/2018 05:42

Im a little younger than your mother. I’m so sorry love. Your story is making me cry. Flowers

My upbringing was very much like this. My mother maintains to the bitter end that it was equal. But I wasn’t allowed to ask for boy fun things/toys and got to occasionally share my brothers stuff when I had prostrated and humiliated myself enough in his eyes. So he had a dog and I got dolls. Then when he was older, my father started to live vicariously through my brother. So for no reason other my father felt like it, he got a pony, a scrap motorbike and a succession of scrap cars to drive around my parents land.

I had to beg him to use them sometimes and I had to be ultra nice to him, which was humiliating as he was violent and bullied me badly both verbally and physically, which escalated into something worse in my teens.

When it was clear my brother was too allergic to the pony and my mother got fed up of caring for it, it was made very clear that the pony was too strong for me and they were selling it instead of keeping it for me/leading me round on it until I was strong enough. I am the younger child. Because it was my brothers pony, I knew my brother wouldn’t let me near it - he was the same with the dog so I never showed an interest in her even though to this day selling her digs deep in my heart. If asked, my mother would ridicule me and tell me I showed no interest in the pony and I’m making up stories.

Does any of this sound equal to you?

Your mother has set up a narrative, where she ignores anything, which doesn’t fit with her vision of herself. The way that she maintains the farce, that her children are treated equally is to pretend your marriage doesn’t exist. If you challenge her, she will treat you as an ungrateful child “after all I’ve done”. She will turn on you and make it very clear that when you actually get married the funds are available for your proper wedding, to a man obviously. She has no intention of giving you this money. £30 k is for weddings and you haven’t had one.

What would I do? For starters, I would stop playing her nasty games. You have been a pawn in her life for years. Consider writing a loving and caring letter to your entire family - aunts, uncles, grandparents etc. State in the letter you wanted to let them know you married your wonderful wife on x date and that you now realise how sad you are you didn’t get to celebrate your Union with them. Apologise for not letting them know, that you were told your wedding needed to be a secret and you didn’t have the funds for a big wedding. This would be the only way to put the situation out there for all to see.

Of course you don’t have to do this. And if you do, be very clear, your mother may possibly disown you and disinherit you. The entire family on both sides may also do the same. And your sister. Then there’s your father. Despite loving you very much, your father sounds like a weak man. He will do as he is told. So please,if you like this idea, do not go into this lightly or immediately. Take some time. Maybe years to consider if you wish to tell your family members. If you don’t wish to do it in such an open way, you could start by telling a cousin first perhaps and let it filter down that way.

Confronting your mother will do nothing. If treating you equally is brought up, you can tell your mother you know it isn’t true otherwise you’d be 30k better off. Be prepared for her to tear you to pieces. You will get nowhere by confronting her. The best way to do this is to write a letter. Rewrite it until you are happy that it is devoid of accusations and not overly emotional. Then either send it. Or keep it. Or burn it.

I sent my mother one such letter when I had just turned 20. But it was far too long. And she got nothing out of it except that I was a horrid and ungrateful child after all she had done for me. She disliked me even more after that. I also tried to speak to her when I was early 30’s. She got incredibly upset and I ended up backing down. I am mid 40’s and I now know she will never, ever look at who she is. And why? Because she is a narcissist and I am her scapegoat. She has projected all of her ill feelings about herself onto me. And I am everything bad. In confronting her with these feelings I was attempting to make her see herself warts and all. She is unwilling and unable to do so. Much preferring to let me carry the burden. I was always her emotional crutch as a child. From very young, I thought about her and what she wanted first. She was my world, and always on my mind. All I thought about was pleasing her - because it was so difficult to do, unattainable in fact. I put her on a pedestal and in in return, she favoured my brother. I refuse to be that person anymore.

We don’t get to choose our family. But as others have said, you have the opportunity to make a new family with your wife, close friends and people, who truly see you and love you for who you are.

What does your sister say in all of this? Is your wife invited to the wedding? If she is, it is also possible to out yourself at the wedding. “Hello uncle Jim, this is my wife, Tina”.

toomuchtooold · 30/06/2018 07:11

The thing about this I want to say is that you might think this is about homophobia but it's not, it's about dysfunction and conditional love and your mother being more interested in appearances than reality. If someone is homophobic but a good parent, they will let their child's coming out be the thing that allows them to expand their view a bit, if not to become really happy about the whole thing, at least to acknowledge that there are lots of people who are nice despite being gay. Crap parents will either disown you or (like your mum, and my mum) tell you it's fine as long as friends and family don't find out. They actually don't care how much that isolates you from your own family, just as long as they can still project some screwed up perfect family image. Fuck that, and especially if you are ever thinking about having kids. Presumably you won't have any family support from your parents, but you have an extended family, maybe it's time to reach out to some of them and like PPs have said, start building your family of choice.

Imchlibob · 30/06/2018 07:27

I'm sorry that your mum is so homophobic.

I suspect that in her mind she is still being "fair" because you might get over this silly gay phase you are currently indulging, and next year might meet a nice boy and settle down, and then you can have £30,000 for your real wedding day. Sadly such a thought process probably makes sense in her mind.

henpeckedinchief · 30/06/2018 07:29

YANBU - what a cruel thing for your parents to do. I am so sorry.

Honestly if I were your sister I would be giving you half of the 30k myself...

lljkk · 30/06/2018 07:35

Could be your mam reckons that she is spending the money on herself, really. A wedding is a party & she's getting the party she wants. Some women really get into Mother-of-Bride thing.

I could imagine a confrontation, but a low key one.

"Mum it seems like you are spending £30k on X. Since you always care so much about fairness, could you please spend £30k on me? I'd love to have help buying a house, you know that."

if she turns it down... well, it's her money. But point out she's completely blown her own principles. I'd point that out calmly & try to let it go. Don't mention your own wedding, though, if she's that prejudiced she doesn't even see your experience as a wedding. No benefit in arguing about that.

Like I said, she may say she's spending the money on herself, or that parties are exempt from the fairness rule.

Pengggwn · 30/06/2018 07:38

Bugger the money. Your parents didn't attend your wedding!

CoffeeOrSleep · 30/06/2018 07:39

Your mother isn't someone you should be trying to have a relationship with -
but make sure you don't let your upset at your mothers behaviour impact on your relationship with your sister. None of this is her fault (and £30k is a lot, but will still only pay for a "normal" big wedding, a lot of the guest list and options might not be in her control if your mum is insisting on certain ways of doing things).

Speak to your sister - make it clear you don't think she is in the wrong for taking the money, but you want her to know you weren't offered anything for yours. (It could well be she thought you didn't want a big wedding so had a similar offer but declined it.)

Dafspunk · 30/06/2018 07:41

If I was your sister, I’d be giving half of it to you and telling my mum that I’d done so.

Loopytiles · 30/06/2018 07:43

Sorry your parents have done all this, it’s very wrong.

Your sister too would be hugely at fault if she accepted £30k - for one day!! - when you were offered nothing.

Loopytiles · 30/06/2018 07:43

OP’s sister IS in the wrong for taking the money.

letsallhaveanap · 30/06/2018 07:52

YANBU Flowers

Id honestly call them out on it but I understand thats easier said than done.... youd be well within your rights to though...

and if I was your sister id actually say something about it.... why is no one calling out your mother for being horrendous?