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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dd’s Bf being a Cf?

287 replies

WhiningweeWitch · 19/01/2019 13:04

In short, Dd left home a year ago to live and work in another city a couple of hours drive away. Her longterm bf went with her, he got a job there, they secured a lovely home in a great area. All fine and dandy.

Now, though, she’s unwell with MHWB issues (she was very homesick, having issues with the new job) so is on meds and signed off work by GP and has been back staying with us for a few months to get back on her feet. Her bf is still living in their home. But, almost every weekend he comes to stay with us.

This is the problem as I’m really beginning to feel that our personal space is being invaded and it’s building my resentment.

Dd’s bf typically arrives on a Friday evening, then they rarely go over the door all weekend, they sleep in until the afternoon (I understand her sleep patterns are a mess because of her MHWB and meds), they both hang out around the house having late brunch, drinking tea and coffee, eating our food all Saturday and Sunday until he goes home late on Sunday evening.

DH and I are rarely getting any time to ourselves at the weekend (we both work ft in stressful jobs) as we end up catering for Dd and bf - getting food shopping in for the weekend, making all the main meals including Sunday dinners.

The house is a mess, I’m tripping over dd’s bf’s shoes that he dumps in the hallway when he arrives, I can’t get on with my weekend housework as they’re either sleeping or sitting around and in the way.

They invited us out for dinner a few weeks ago, dh and I were delighted but at the end of the meal we ended up paying the bill as Dd and Bf hadnt been to cash machine yet.

Bf never puts his hands in his pocket, never contributes.

Aibu to be thinking Dd’s Bf is being a complete cf? Or AIBU because Dd is unwell and needs support - which means me biting my tongue and letting this it go? She cannot take any stress or conflict atm and we are walking in eggshells to ensure she is stable.

OP posts:
Yb23487643 · 20/01/2019 19:44

Describing the severe depressive episode as homesick sounds a bit like a mum I know who wants lots of sympathy for the awful things their kids “have to put up with” while not admitting to their children having any faults & thinking that they & some proper looking after that only she can delivery & that her precious little darlings deserve is the only solution. Obvious narcissistic pile of poop that does not serve any of her very adult children well at all. They have 0 coping mechanisms. One frequently calls her saying they are suicidal & blames it on their partner & children & anything else when they’re not suicidal at all. Just being immature & dicky. 0 perspective. All just crazy.

Mumoflove · 20/01/2019 19:57

You must have the patience of a saint and say nothing at all. It will pass , they’ll go and always remember how you supported them. Say anything and that’s all that will go down in history. Stay strong and this will pass.

troubleswillbeoutofsight · 20/01/2019 20:05

I'm wondering Op if your daughter has a diagnosis of BPD? I'm not expecting you to respond but if you read this you may be interested to have a google at co dependency. I may have completely the wrong end of the stick and if so I apologise

Sb74 · 20/01/2019 20:48

Read some of the thread. I think it’s lovely and commendable that the bf comes to visit every weekend and is there for her. I think you should be pleased your dd has such a loving boyfriend.

Invisiblemam · 20/01/2019 22:06

Great advice !

browneyes77 · 20/01/2019 22:40

I’m struggling to understand something here.

You say that her BF being there all weekend stops you and your DH having the weekend to youselves. However you also say that your daughter can’t be left alone. So even if her BF wasn’t there, you’d still not be able to really have the time to yourselves as you’d be watching your DD? So him being there isn’t really stopping you having time together as you wouldn’t have it anyway?

If the weekend is the only time he can see her, then there isnt much he can do if she isn’t up to going anywhere so they can both get out of your hair. So effectively you’re expecting him to stop seeing his GF as often.

If you want him to pull his weight more then I think you need to have a conversation with him and just tell him you appreciate him being there for your DD, but whilst he visits you’d appreciate him pulling his weight around the house a bit more - just tidying up after himself and helping out a bit.

Whilst your hosting him in your home I think it’s only right you lay down some expectations around how he treats your home.

Sorry your DD is going through a rough time. Flowers

Pernickity1 · 20/01/2019 23:01

She sounds like she has zero resilience and you’re enabling her.

Signed off work due to homesicknesses? Bizarre. They BF is the least of your worries.

nozbottheblue · 21/01/2019 00:32

Wow Pernickity, it sounds like you've not had dealings with mental health problems before.
What is your remedy- that OP should tell her DD to pull herself together and chuck her out? Confused Angry

Sashkin · 21/01/2019 00:39

Noz I expect she’s only read the first couple of pages, and so doesn’t realise the daughter is really young and actively suicidal. There really was no hint of that from OP until p6, so it’s not surprising not everyone has kept up with all the updates.

jessstan2 · 21/01/2019 01:19

I hope the op returns and tells us how she is dealing with the situation and how her daughter is.

syskywalker · 21/01/2019 03:27

To be honest this whole post and every contradictory reply sounds like a wind up of someone who has the MH issues and there is no daughter!

expatinspain · 21/01/2019 07:18

OP, if you daughter's MH problems are as serious as you say, there should be access to the MH crisis team in your area. Do you live in a particularly remote area, where this service isn't available?

Some posters have been unkind, but there is a lot of truth to those saying she needs to be on the road to living her life again. There is a big risk she will become completely codependent on you and your husband. I speak from my own experience here.

I was around 23 when I was severely depressed and my partner then took on the role you and your husband are at the moment. The illness manifested into something so serious, I was hospititised once and also stayed in a 'live in' unit on two separate occasions. It got to a point where I had to help myself and I also ended the relationship with my DP as he was literally becoming my cater and I would slip in and out of wellness and at the slightest bit of stress spiral again as I knew I always had him to fall back on. The crisis team were a big help and I got fast tracked to NHS psychotherapy, which I did along with some private CBT. There were some very dark times for me and I really believe that if I hadn't had someone who enabled my behaviour at the time there's a chance I would have started to get well earlier. When you are ill like that, your coping mechanisms are very low and if you don't have to cope and save life, quite simply, you won't.

Oblomov19 · 21/01/2019 07:33

I agree with Pictish:

"So your dd can lie about in bed, contribute nothing, make a mess, eat your food...but if he leaves his shoes in the way it’s a dreadful crime and he’s taking the piss. Okay.
You don’t like him of course."

Your dd and her bf invited you and Dh for a meal. Then you are very resentful, towards bf, because you ended up paying, because they hadn't been to the cash point.

Yes. That would piss me off too. But why aren't you focusing on your dd here. She's as responsible as he is. As much to blame as he is.

She's as thoughtless as he is. Even with MH she, is she really was thoughtful and considering to you, would have thought about how she was going to pay.

Is this what is really bothering you? How your dd treats you?

Oblomov19 · 21/01/2019 07:35

What are the plans to improve her MH long term? If she'sbeen off from her job for a couple of months, is she planning to return?

strawberrisc · 21/01/2019 07:46

I feel sorry for Elvis’ children if (s)he has any.

I am incredibly lucky to have my parents and I briefly stayed with them during a MH episode. Potentially saved my life. My door will always be open for my DC as well. Parenting doesn’t stop at 18. Not in our family anyway.

MoreCheeseDear · 21/01/2019 07:50

So many people with an empathy bypass.

MN at its worse.

GalacticChickenShit · 21/01/2019 07:54

OP I was just wondering about your choice of username. Seems a strange choice specifically just for this thread.
Is that the daughter or the boyfriend you think is a Whining Wee Witch?

Oblomov19 · 21/01/2019 08:16

Strawberry, that's not a fair comment about Elvis. Many posters agreed with her. She didn't have an empathy bypass.

Many of us know about how hard it is to access MH help. So not easy.

But, OP did drip feed a bit.

It was pointed out that this was initially a thread about unreasonable bf. Not asking for help with mentally unwell and suicidal dd. Initially she was described as a bit homesick. 7 pages Later we were told she couldn't be left, incase she was at risk.

That's 2 totally different issues.

I too am Awaiting thread deletion!

Bugbabe1970 · 21/01/2019 10:13

Why is everyone so afraid of their kids these days
It doesn’t need to be a massive issue or a family meeting
Just tell him and her your happy to have them there but they need to clear all their crap up and their dishes etc after them
It’s not difficult OP
My son is 25 and married
When him and my DIL come home for the weekend I just tell them straight
I love seeing them here but clean up your mess afterwards
It’s that’s simple!

Bugbabe1970 · 21/01/2019 10:17

Also use the time when the BF is there to have a break from looking after your daughter
Go out somewhere nice
Have a night away
Let him care for her

Consolidatedyourloins · 21/01/2019 11:04

Well done everyone, for bullying and running off another OP.

OP, ignore the handmaidens on here and lay down some ground rules with the BF or tell him he can only stay one weekend per month.

Blueink · 21/01/2019 11:52

Everyone is supporting her, he is maintaining his work and their home while supporting her, travelling every weekend to be with her. She is an adult with her own home and a supportive partner. You are directing your frustrations at him just because he is the soft target. Your arrangement of her being there for “a few months” with no end date it what is unreasonable. Time for them to go home.

QuackPorridgeBacon · 21/01/2019 13:10

I know the OP may not be reading this thread anymore but I wanted to add, as someone with a few mental health issues letting her wallow in bed is not good and will do more long term harm. Routine is the best thing. As hard as it is creating routines for myself helped me avoid medication for a while. I’m at the point now that if I think about being lazy and not doing my set job on a set day it annoys me and so I make myself do it anyway and feel a lot better. Routine and getting back into her life away from you, with her partner is the best thing for her. It does come across like the op somewhat enjoys having her daughter home and it seems you want to use her mental health as a reason to get rid of the boyfriend. Putting his faults aside I think he is being supportive in a time where he too could crumble. He moved for this woman only to have her run back to her parents and pretty much just leave him to it, then it seems he isn’t even welcome to visit his partner. Sounds awful for him. I lean on my partner when things are bad, running to my mums or someone would have made things so much worse. Don’t just target the partner, your daughter needs to wise up a bit too.

Blueink · 21/01/2019 14:12

Child & adolescent services are not going to prioritise an adult in her twenties over children and adolescents who need it, so it’s an unfair & misrepresentive criticism of that service. Posters have been supportive from what I’ve seen, supportive is not the same as agreeing.

CountessVonBoobs · 21/01/2019 14:14

Handmaidens of what?

I've given the OP the best advice I can, sincerely, and I think the same is true of others, many of whom have personal or professional experience with severe depressive illness.

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