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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be upset at my DF over my gender reveal

282 replies

Denise3011 · 06/02/2019 16:37

I have a child and when my husband & I Were expecting we found out the sex.
However at the time my DF was very opinionated & instead of saying “I’d rather you didn’t find out, but it’s your choice”
He called us silly etc for being unable to wait for a surprise and said there was no reason to know and it was wrong etc. He went on to say he categorically did not want to know before the birth and we were not to tell him.
We live very close and this led us to having a very stressful few months as we did find out (as we wanted to) and then had to try and hide it from him, lie to other family that we didn’t know and ask the few people we did tell (my mum, best friend etc) to keep the secret.
But we did it and he got his way and he knew the day our DC was born.
Fast forward a few years & I’m expecting again.
I said from the start that we were finding out this time and that I wanted a little dinner to celebrate the news with family.
second baby has been a long time coming!
Again DF said he didn’t want to know but I was firmer this time & said we were finding out & making it public.
I thought he would just accept that we respected his decision the first time, but this time we were doing what suited us.
Instead he refused to come to the ‘reveal party’ which led to me having to ask all family not to tell him & apologise for putting them all in that position.
I’ve since had to block him on social media because I’ve friends abroad who posted congrats etc.
AIBU to be really mad that once again he’s put his personal preference as priority regardless of our choice or how difficult it would make it for everyone else?

I should add he found out only a week later because a friend slipped up.
Now she feels awful, he’s not happy he knows and I’m left feeling angry that he made such a fuss over a decision that was not his to make.

OP posts:
Bluelady · 06/02/2019 18:21

Why? He doesn't want to know!

Nancydrawn · 06/02/2019 18:23

It is not unreasonable for your father to skip a gender reveal party; he may feel as many of the posters do here re: naffness. It would be gracious of him to attend anyway, but not unreasonable to skip it.

It is unreasonable for him to expect everyone to keep it a secret for his own enjoyment. This pregnancy is not about him and he is ridiculous to expect to be pandered to in this way.

SecretRed · 06/02/2019 18:25

Fuck me such snobbery and sneering at a party. Each to their own and all that. Why do people on here feel the need to make someone feel like shit about something special to them?
You're kind to try and keep up the secret of whether you're carrying a boy or a girl to your Dad but it's out now what can you do?
Give it a few weeks and let the dust settle on the subject before you bring it up again.

Sirzy · 06/02/2019 18:26

It just seems so much drama from you both. He didn’t want to know so a simple “dad doesn’t want to know yet so try not to mention it” would surely be the end of it?

The drama came from both making a song and dance over it

Nanny0gg · 06/02/2019 18:31

Fuck me such snobbery and sneering at a party. Each to their own and all that. Why do people on here feel the need to make someone feel like shit about something special to them?

MN snobbery at its finest. Baby showers and Gender Reveal parties are naff and non-U but hen nights with Butlers in the Buff and blow-up penises are fine.

Go figure.

GabsAlot · 06/02/2019 18:31

why does it matter to him has he given a reason

Somethingsmellsnice · 06/02/2019 18:34

Don't pander to him. He can do all he can to avoid knowing if he wants but it is not your job to ensure he doesn't find out.

Missingstreetlife · 06/02/2019 18:39

It doesn't matter anyway as the child will be able to choose as soon as they are able to talk.

Fairenuff · 06/02/2019 18:43

Hen weekends receive a lot of criticism too to be fair and Butler in the Buff is definitely naff Grin

ILoveMaxiBondi · 06/02/2019 18:43

It doesn't matter anyway as the child will be able to choose as soon as they are able to talk.

Grin
Denise3011 · 06/02/2019 18:46

@strokethefurrywall
Thank you very much for your kind words - and I find your descriptive use of the C word most appropriate for some of the posters on here who seem to get far too much satisfaction from thinking they are better than people who chose to celebrate things differently to them.
Thankfully they are more triggered by a stranger’s decision to offer family a week night casserole, than I am to care they think it’s “naff or attention seeking.”
If I really want to wind them up, i’ll Admit I had a baby shower with the first, I’m having one for this baby. We had a cake smash for first child’s first birthday AND we did post the announcement and pictures all over Facebook.
Quick light your pitchforks!

OP posts:
Gran22 · 06/02/2019 18:50

I'm old, and my grandchildren are no longer babies, and we knew who was a boy/girl before their births. That was their parents choice, and I was fine with that. The first time I heard about a 'gender reveal' party was last year. I've obviously been reading the wrong bits of MN!

Can I say I was gobsmacked. Will the next thing to celebrate be the 'night we hope to conceive' party? Smile I suspect I'm really out of touch.

TheDarkPassenger · 06/02/2019 18:52

My gran didn’t want to know so we hid it from her. Plenty easy. Depends how much you respect your father id guess, but as my gran didn’t get to see my other children Id think a bit more about being kinder to your dfs wishes.

I’m not big into the whole big gender reveal carry on though tbh

AintNobodyHereButUsReindeer · 06/02/2019 18:57

I can't believe so many posters are being so bloody rude!! I'm not overly keen on gender reveal parties, baby showers etc and I'd never have one myself, but I'd never ever tell anyone else that what they were doing was naff and tacky and that no-one cares.

Pumpkinpie1 · 06/02/2019 19:01

Never heard of a gender reveal party before, very strange.

flumpybear · 06/02/2019 19:04

Have your celebration and perhaps tell your DF to leave before the end so you can tell those who do what to know

Whilst I hate gender reveal parties, I get it that your family have supported you and are keen to know after ttc for ages - I think the pretentious ones are a bit more elaborate / any excuse to get a shit pile of presents / invite the world and their dog who don't really give a hoot - but your situation is perhaps different

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/02/2019 19:04

i find cake smashes distasteful especially when so many people are starving in the world. Gratuitous and unnecessary.

user1andonly · 06/02/2019 19:06

I'm not really into parties and would make a polite excuse if a friend/distant relative was having a baby shower or gender reveal.

BUT if one of my dc was having a baby and wanted a party for whatever reason, I'd jolly well put on a nice dress and a big smile and get myself down there. My love for my dc would outweigh whatever I thought they 'should' do. Same goes for if they pick a name (or choose a pram) I dislike - I've had my turn at naming babies, now it's theirs.

Times change and it seems the majority of people find out these days. When your parents had you, scans were not as accurate and it wasn't unusual for someone to think they were having a girl/boy and produce the opposite. So more people stayed vague even if they did find out.

Your dad is being unreasonable - he needs to understand it's not all about him. He had his turn at making the decisions when he had his children. Now it's your turn.

Boysandbuses · 06/02/2019 19:07

If I really want to wind them up, i’ll Admit I had a baby shower with the first, I’m having one for this baby. We had a cake smash for first child’s first birthday AND we did post the announcement and pictures all over Facebook.

Why would that wind anyone up? People who you know, will roll their eyes at you enough.

BoomBoomsCousin · 06/02/2019 19:08

i find cake smashes distasteful especially when so many people are starving in the world. Gratuitous and unnecessary.

That's true of pretty much all parties.

Fundays12 · 06/02/2019 19:10

Your DF is being unfair but I wouldn’t go to a gender reveal party nor do I watch any of the gender reveal nonsense videos posted on Facebook. As for your father you pandered too much too him. It’s your baby and your choice end off.

TaimaandRanyasBestFriend · 06/02/2019 19:13

Stop enabling his nonsense behaviour! It's not about him at all. I'd text him and tell him. I'm not a fan of sex reveal parties myself and wouldn't go to one but he's totally ridiculous to make it about himself and expect everyone to walk on eggshells round him.

Lovestonap · 06/02/2019 19:15

thank you OP, you've just reminded me of the fantastic 'gender' reveal fails on youtube. Hilarious.

HINBU to not want to come to a party like that (because quite frankly who would?) but you have no responsibility to keep it a secret for/from him. It's not his call what medical information about you makes it into the public domain.

Sounds a bit like you all just like the drama!

Bluelady · 06/02/2019 19:17

This is mystifying to me. He doesn't want OP not to know, he just doesn't want to be told. It baffles me why this is considered unreasonable or pandering.

Hollowvictory · 06/02/2019 19:17

I was with you till the cake smash 🙄