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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not cover for my cheating son

205 replies

Jillianmay · 14/12/2018 00:27

Hey everyone
Really need help on this one !!! My 26 yo son has been married for 6 months only, he already as a 2yo dd , and has been in relationship with his dw since they were teens.

So he asked me about 3 days ago if I could tell his wife that he will be spending the weekend with me ( I live 2 hours away). I asked him why. He refused to tell me. I insisted and he confessed that he is seeing another woman... I can't believe it , I love my dil. Now he's mad and won't answer my calls and texted me 'you're my mum you should be on my side and not judging me'

Aibu ?

OP posts:
Madmozzie · 17/12/2018 06:39

you're also enabling your son's shitty behaviour
Exactly this^.

Both women deserve to know he's been making fools of them. By taking the decent moral route you stand a chance of continuing in your dgc lives while you support them and their dm through this horrible situation. Your son deserves no support. He's a nasty piece of work.
What's the alternative? Continue seeing them and pretending you know nothing? That would be very corrosive to your mental health, I think. Flowers

PumpkinKitty82 · 17/12/2018 06:44

That’s disgusting, what a selfish shit expecting you to lie for him.
He’s a prick

Ninabean17 · 17/12/2018 07:19

You say you won't cover for him, but you're not telling her either? So you ARE covering for him!? This won't end well. If this goes on much longer and she realises you knew, you'll lose both her and your dgd.

BrokenWing · 17/12/2018 14:01

Really doesn't matter how much he loves his OW she'll hopefully drop his pathetic arse as soon as she finds out what he really is.

He is lying and manipulating all the important women in his life for his own selfish benefit. His wife, his mum, his girlfriend and sadly his daughter too.

Normally I would say don't get involved, but honestly he is going too far and not caring who he will hurt. I would give him an ultimatum and deadline to end his cruel farce making everyone live his lies. You can't trust him to be truthful about the OW so tell him he needs to come clean with DIL or you will.

Barracker · 17/12/2018 14:10

At some point your DIL will discover that you have known all along and been deceiving her for your son's benefit.

You probably won't be able to salvage your relationship with her or your grandchild after that scale of betrayal.

By the way, I think this thread has been picked up by the tabloids now.

Your poor daughter in law may be finding out sooner than you think, and without any support around her.

jackio2205 · 17/12/2018 15:44

I personally would hate it if my mother in law told me this news, i'd want it to come from my husband whether they knew about it or not. I also can't say that 100% I'd want to know if this happened to me, but that's a different thread i think...
Relationships are so complex and u dont know all the ins and outs, all what he's been up to or tbh what she may or may not have been up to, so i dont think it's your place to say anything. You can advise your son if he talks to you about it, but it's relationship and if he's going to 'eff' it all up, that is completely up to him.

All of these comments are what we'd do in your situation, but honestly, at the end of the day you have to lay your head on the pillow at night, so as long as you're happy with whatever decisions you make in this that is all that matters. Good luck! Xxx

jackio2205 · 17/12/2018 15:44

I personally would hate it if my mother in law told me this news, i'd want it to come from my husband whether they knew about it or not. I also can't say that 100% I'd want to know if this happened to me, but that's a different thread i think...
Relationships are so complex and u dont know all the ins and outs, all what he's been up to or tbh what she may or may not have been up to, so i dont think it's your place to say anything. You can advise your son if he talks to you about it, but it's relationship and if he's going to 'eff' it all up, that is completely up to him.

All of these comments are what we'd do in your situation, but honestly, at the end of the day you have to lay your head on the pillow at night, so as long as you're happy with whatever decisions you make in this that is all that matters. Good luck! Xxx

Honeyroar · 17/12/2018 15:45

I agree with Barracker. When she finds out you knew and just sat there she'll have a totally different view of you and yours and her relationship. One of the things that hurt me the most when my ex cheated was the fact that other people had known and let me faff about with my life not knowing it was a lie.

Honeyroar · 17/12/2018 15:45

I agree with Barracker. When she finds out you knew and just sat there she'll have a totally different view of you and yours and her relationship. One of the things that hurt me the most when my ex cheated was the fact that other people had known and let me faff about with my life not knowing it was a lie.

jackio2205 · 17/12/2018 15:48

@Honeyroar im sorry this happened to you, must have been awful!
I cant help but think though in these situations there are no winners and it what it ultimately comes down to (in really black and white terms) at the end of the day is what relationships you want to keep and she'll favour her son nd grandson, it's just the way it is. Doing the 'right' thing may keep her daughter in law but she'll lose her son.... It's gna hurt like hell, but I know what I'd rather have?

HestiaParthenos · 17/12/2018 15:56

The problem with telling someone is that most people don't want to hear their spouse is cheating on them.

I probably would still tell my friends, but a mother in law is in somewhat of a more conflicted position here.

One has to take into account several factors, such as how prone to denial the person in question is, and how prone to suspect ulterior motives.

A mother in law who has, so far, been very friendly with the daughter in law may have a chance of avoiding the "you just want to destroy our relationship" accusation.

Perhaps the problem discussed here can be solved by just visiting the daughter in law.

If the son wants to stay angry at you while you are there, he will have to explain the why ... perhaps that might get him to confess.

BMW6 · 17/12/2018 15:59

Christ, so the other woman is being deceived as well? Your son is a despicable piece of shit. BOTH women deserve to know the truth.

BreakHerOffAKitKat · 17/12/2018 16:05

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet - I couldn't see it when I scanned through but the Daily Mail has picked up this thread OP

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6501353/Mothers-married-son-stopped-talking-refused-cover-dirty-weekend-away.html

stabulous · 17/12/2018 16:16

I'd be telling your daughter in law what he's up to, to be honest. He sounds like a total shit.

blackteasplease · 17/12/2018 16:17

Definitely don't do this! I'm not sure I'd cover my 4 yo if he did something really wrong but when he's an adult? No chance!

Honeyroar · 17/12/2018 18:23

So he's lying to his wife that she loves, the mother of her grandchild, he's told the other woman "that he really loves" that he doesn't have a family and he's black mailing his mother to not say anything?? And people would be able to sit there and look the wife in the eye and pretend nothing's wrong?? Wow! I don't know how people do it.

moralvictor · 17/12/2018 22:10

A couple of thoughts that no one else seems to have thought of, and which could, of course, be wrong. Perhaps, just perhaps, the reason that your son brought you into this was a 'cry for help'. Living this double life must be exhausting and he wants it over but he doesn't know how to do it. He knows he is lying to his wife. He knows he is lying to his other girlfriend. Up to now he has been lying to his mum. But at least the truth is out there now and not a burden he carries alone. Hopefully he realises that telling you the truth has not meant you completely disown him, but still love him even while you hate the choices he has made.

I only see one way out of this tremendous mess and that is for him to have the courage to confess to everyone. Now, that may mean the end of both relationships. But I can't see how either lady, if they discover the truth of their own accord, would want to stay with him. If he is a normal man, I am sure he would rather have a whole relationship based on truth than a half-relationship based on lies. Truth will mean that he can win back a little of the respect that he has lost from you, and will lose from his wife and girlfriend. Their worlds will no doubt be shattered, and so will his, but so much better to rebuild aged 26 than aged 31. And maybe he will regain some self-respect as well, since that is taking a battering.

If you tell DiL, then you deny your son the chance to show the courage that may be his only redemption. There are no best-case scenarios here. From what you wrote (and trying to avoid the torrent of other comments) it appears that your son would rather be with the other woman in which case he should not stay with his wife out of sympathy for her. However, unless he confesses to OW that he is married, how could he ever bring her home to you - given what you know about him? But this is the risk he is going to have to take. He has to confess to both. My hunch is that it will be the end of the marriage. I hope he would still want to see and raise his son. And for the other lady, she will have to decide whether he is worth taking a risk on. (And there is a very, very slim chance that the reaction of his DiL to his truth-telling may just turn him back to her - but the chance is very slim)

Meanwhile, OP, for you. You raised your son to be the best man he could be and to fulfil his potential. At 26, it is not too late. He feels he is a fully-grown man, but he still has much learning to do, and there is much that you can still input into him. While your deep, deep desire is to stay in a loving, warm relationship with everyone, this is out of your hands. It will depend on your DiL and on the OW. The only one who will always come back to you is your son. So you need to confront him with truth and challenge him, and love him. Cry with him out of pity as much as anger. But I highly recommend that you prioritise this relationship as it is the only one, from a distance, that seems like it is certain to continue.

moralvictor · 17/12/2018 22:12

And when, eventually, the truth is out there, whether by your son's choice or not, hopefully you can lovingly tell your DiL that you have constantly asked your son to tell her and it has been tearing you apart that you haven't. You will have to ask for her forgiveness. And that will be up to her to give. You can only hope...

Christmasisforadults2 · 18/12/2018 02:24

OP's son is a grown arse man and if he chooses to screw around that's his decision alone. He shouldn't bring you into it especially- using the I'm your son card.
Nope, you gc is more important and who you
Should be protecting. The mother will never ever forgive you and you could lose that relationship that your son doesn't seem to care about.
Start teaching your son some respect and consequences!

Weezol · 18/12/2018 19:40

I would be issuing him a deadline to tell DIL amd if he failed to, I'd tell her myself. I think you risk loosing her and DGD if you don't.

If nothing else, DIL needs to know in order to get an STD check.

Mousetolioness · 19/12/2018 07:48

By not telling your daughter (in-law) you're going to end up with no family around you, except possibly a son who is not worthy of you, nor any of the women in his life, and definitely not his children. Think on and think hard. Of course you don't want to be involved but the shitty fact is your shitty son has, in his desire for his cake, involved you. I feel going forward you'll get miles more satisfaction and unconditional love from you're daughter (in-law) and grandchildren than you ever will from him. He doesn't respect and honour you in the way you'd wish. He has shown this by his words and actions. You need to find your 'wisdom of Solomon' and quick. Don't dither or you'll very likely lose out on everything all round.

Your son has been selfish. You now have to do the most unselfish of people and speak to your daughter (in-law).

He is weak but you HAVE to be strong. He's all about preserving his position and sod everyone else.

Mousetolioness · 19/12/2018 07:50

*BE the most unselfish

moralvictor · 19/12/2018 10:57

So you are proposing abandoning the son, loved and cherished for 26 years in order to get more satisfaction from a DiL who will most likely naturally gravitate back towards her biological family. Risky strategy. I don't think I would do it. He may have made some terrible choices, but he is still her son. And since when was having a child about receiving unconditional love? Surely it is about giving unconditional love.

stabulous · 19/12/2018 11:12

..aaaand the bloke appears.

Honeyroar · 19/12/2018 11:43

No Moralvictor it's about teaching him right from wrong - he doesn't get to lie and cheat and blackmail his mother. He's the one saying he'd blank her, she's not blocking him, just telling him to do the right thing. He's learned nothing about morals and how to treat people so far! This is her chance to try and change him. Unconditional love - if he killed someone would you still stand by him.. It shouldn't override right and

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