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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to end friendship over this??

324 replies

OneTiredMomma · 20/12/2018 17:15

I have a friend I've known for a few years. She used to be my neighbour before I moved house. We were always very friendly before but have become much closer in the last 3 years since she has had children. She's a bit younger than me, I'm 33, she's 25. None of her friends (all pals from school/college and similar age to her) have kids yet so she started getting in touch more when pregnant with her first as I was pregnant with my 3rd at the same time.

It's just lately I'm getting to the point with her where she is taking the piss out of me to be frank. We used to go to playgroup once a week / 2 weeks with the kids or do a little playdate at her house or mine.
She has recently gotten into a nasty habit of dropping her kids off at mine during our "playdate/group" time slot, saying she will be "an hour", and not come back ALL DAY - 9am until after 3pm. She has done this a few times this year and it seems to be becoming regular thing. Her girls are 9 months and 2.5 years, so need hands-on care obviously.

She is generally uncontactable during this time period, doesn't respond to texts, doesn't answer calls.. When she arrives to pick them up, she is always in a fluster and has a really elaborate excuse, usually involving rushing someone to hospital, or a car accident her "friend" was in, or an incredibly fluke, dramatic incident that's occured in town and she's had to stop to give a statement to police.......... seriously. Blatant OTT lies.

I spoke to her about it and said I've no issue babysitting her children if she's got things to do, wants to Xmas shop in peace, have her hair done, etc.. but she can't just be dropping them off as often as she has been and waltzing off all day with no notice. It's not fair. She agreed and apologised, but then texted later suggesting it's best to establish a routine, and for me to have them every Monday all day and Friday afternoons, PLUS every other Saturday night, overnight, so she can have a date night with her new boyfriend. Hmm

I said she couldn't just book me in indefinitely, I'm not a childminder, and I might not always be free, PLUS I'm 8 months pregnant and not prepared to take on that sort of commitment, but happy to have them every so often. She found this to be extremely unreasonable after I had offered to have them, sulked for a couple of weeks and then seemed to forget about it and contacted me asking me to have them while she went for her Xmas works do. I hadn't heard from her at all for a fortnight and thought it was a bit cheeky, but happy to bury the hatchet.

She asked me to have her girls Friday evening and if I would drop them off at hers at "8ish". I agreed to have them but said I'd feel more comfortable just keeping them overnight (because I know she has a tendency to go a bit overboard with drink and didn't want to leave her in charge of 2 small children pissed up, plus they might be in bed by then). She accepted. All hunky dory.

Saturday came. She was predictably unresponsive. I took my three, plus her two to the park in the morning. We came back, had lunch. Little ones had naps. Still, she was uncontactable. Finally she texted me to say she was really hungover but she was getting up now and coming to get them. I offered to drop them off at hers (didn't want her driving if she was still over the limit). She accepted. I loaded all 5 kids into the car, drove to her house. Parked on drive, got her 2 out of car... Curtains shut, didn't answer the door, the phone, nothing... I ended up putting kiddies back in my car and going home. Evening came round and I received a long text from her mum saying that my friend was really poorly, probably had food poisoning from the buffet at work do (bollocks, she'll have been bladdered) and could I keep the kids another night. I was furious by this point but kept them - her mum doesn't have a good track record for looking after the kids (ie "nips" to the shops and leaves them all unattended in the house, drinks A LOT when supposedly babysitting, leaves them sitting in the car while she does her food shop.. all big no-no's in my book) so didn't want to encourage her fetching them.

My friend did not come back for her kids until Monday late morning. Angry My husband was off work last week using up some holidays days so was at home. I left him with all of the kids and went onto the drive to "have a chat" with friend. She admitted to having spent the weekend in bed with new boyfriend. That's it. I pointed out how selfish, immature and bloody ridiculous it was... and she kicked off, shouting and pointing at me, ranting and raving, and in a nutshell, I'm a horrible cow for finding her behaviour unreasonable. I'm her friend and I'm making her feel guilty for having a good time. I should be encouraging her to be happy and enjoy life, not throwing it in her face. I'm jealous because she has a social life and I'm "just a mum". I'm sad and pathetic and if I was happy for her, I wouldn't try to make her feel bad.

.... for abandoning her two small children for 3 days Confused

She took the kids and went home in a temper. Messaged me today to say she's sorry for being horrible and know she has a temper. Sorry for taking advantage...... will I have them on Saturday night so her and boyfriend can go out for his brothers birthday Shock

Give me STRENGTH. Angry

I've done nothing yet but on the verge of blocking her number and ignoring (I'm not on social media) and ending our friendship over this. I'm absolutely furious. AIBU and angry in the heat of the moment, or would you just cut her out of your life?

OP posts:
YouTheCat · 20/12/2018 18:33

If the new bloke was any kind of decent sort he wouldn't think it was okay for her to leave her young children, like she is doing, when they have no one else. He'll be as much of a twat as she is.

user10001999 · 20/12/2018 18:34

I think it's fair to say everyone agrees it's a big fat No .
She is obviously a very irresponsible person jumping into relationships having kids with them . She will probably have a baby with this bf .
I can understand your sympathy with her your a nice person but she's a cf .

OneTiredMomma · 20/12/2018 18:37

A lot of you are encouraging me to call social services and to be honest that was my instict on Saturday when she refused to answer door / phone. Her mum sent me a really long winded text about her having food poisoning and it just made my blood boil that her mum could cover for her behaviour like that Angry I was umming and ahhing about it, then stopping myself and wondering if I was overreacting, then deciding I was going to... I kept them on Sunday night because I was actually contemplating whether to involve SS, police, etc and reluctant to give them back after everything she'd done. I think I have a pretty good case.

OP posts:
WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup · 20/12/2018 18:38

Another one that would have reported her. You're a saint, op.

Figgygal · 20/12/2018 18:38

God that's outrageous and the way she spoke to you "jealous because you're just a mum" would have been end for me

SongforSal · 20/12/2018 18:40

StealthPolarBear What I didn't know then, was a few years before I was born, she buried my sibling due to illness. She was obviously suffering depression after the loss. She is fine now. I do wish someone had called SS though, it may have made her sort herself out earlier.

EllenRipley · 20/12/2018 18:41

The longer she gets away with this behaviour, the worse it's going to be for her kids. So please dont feel guilty, you're obviously a good person and you've done right by her and the kids. But it's completely untenable. The only way she's going to 'mum up' is if you stop supporting her irresponsible behaviour. If she can't step up, as she damn well should, it's better that she's flagged up to SS now, for the kids' sake and your own peace of mind. Hopefully she'll get a fright. If not then, sadly, she doesn't deserve those poor kids. She most certainly doesn't deserve your friendship. Don't get involved in any arguments with her, don't take any of her insults or sob stories on board. Tell her that as much as you care about her kids, they and her lifestyle can't be your responsibility. End of. X

Chloe84 · 20/12/2018 18:43

What have you decided to do about the text, OP? Will you ignore?

stripedcushion · 20/12/2018 18:43

@SongforSal - Reading your post made me cry. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.

blackteasplease · 20/12/2018 18:45

That her Mum is just as awful.explains alot. Being a mum is great. There's no "just" about it but o guess she thinks that's a demeaning thing to be or centre your life around.

blackteasplease · 20/12/2018 18:45

(Am ft working single Mum so not trying to say being a mum is easy!)

Aeroflotgirl · 20/12/2018 18:46

She knows your a soft touch. Her kids are not your responsibility. If your concerned about their safety, call SS or Police.

Sweetiedarlingletmein · 20/12/2018 18:47

She’s a CF of the highest order. I’d definitely be ending the friendship and reporting her. Those poor kids.

ThePinkOcelot · 20/12/2018 18:50

You do realise OP, if you agree to have them again, you’ll be keeping them for Christmas?!

She’s an absolute disgrace! What a shite excuse for a mother!!

SongforSal · 20/12/2018 18:53

Striped Cushion that, by no means was the worst of it. Sorry I made you cry! Oddly, I am lucky in that I went the other way with my own DCs, very protective of them. I didn't suffer any post trauma either as an adult, so I am lucky compared to other children who were treated like me, and perhaps have suffered as adults. The OPs post about this woman makes my blood boil. If she continues, the effects will follow those poor children for years. It really is child abandonment.

Dotty1970 · 20/12/2018 18:55

Report her to ss she sounds like she will be unable to cope and just leaves her children without care

MissionItsPossible · 20/12/2018 18:58

What the FUCK? I will read the replies in a minute but bloody hell, the brazenness! You need to end friendship* IMMEDIATELY.

*I say friendship, sounds like she sees you as a babysitter.

kmammamalto · 20/12/2018 19:00

Please report it OP! Please. I work with kids who have been treated terribly by their parents. They are aware of so much and deserve better. Also she sounds like she needs help and that is what ss are actually there for, despite their terrible rep.
Hope you're ok

DiaryofWimpyMum · 20/12/2018 19:01

She's no friend. Cut her off then block her

Alaria4 · 20/12/2018 19:01

Please report her to SS.

I had a terrible childhood...
Mother was an alcoholic.
When the babysitters ran out, we were left alone for hours on end most nights. Everything just kept getting worse and I suffered terribly.
I wish somebody stepped in and reported it.

Now as a mother myself, I really don't understand why anyone would do this to their children.

Bringbackthestrioes · 20/12/2018 19:07

I've done nothing yet but on the verge of blocking her number and ignoring

Do it. And then phone SS for good measure. Poor kids.

Nanny0gg · 20/12/2018 19:07

I cannot believe you even have to ask.

Report to SS. Then block.

Caxx · 20/12/2018 19:08

I would take them this weekend then contact social services and refuse to give them back to her

PotteryLady · 20/12/2018 19:09

Call SS. The kids are at risk. Can't believe you haven't already.

couchparsnip · 20/12/2018 19:12

She hasn't been your friend for a long time. There's no give, just take. Her poor kids need help and its social services that should do it.

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