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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not try again with DB?

121 replies

Biancadelrioisback · 31/08/2019 15:20

Backstory:
My brother is 2 yrs older than me. We grew up privileged, in a nice area with very lovely parents, wanted for nothing. He was always very academic, always had top marks in science and maths, played football and was quite good, relatively attractive so no problems with finding girlfriends etc. I was more arty, loved writing and performing, good singer etc. We went to different schools (single sex) yet he was always in competition with me. I was still good at school and always had really good but not always top marks which he used to rub in my face, calling me thick etc. He just has a very nasty streak. If he could hurt me, he would. As he's very clever, he was very good at doing this subtlety and wearing me down over many years. As an example, when I would dress up for an occasion, he would side eye me and snort/laugh then just turn his back on me. I would call him out all the time but again, because it was always subtle, he could deny it or make it seem like I was overreacting. But this was constant.

When he went to uni, my life was much better, I had freedom and he was gone. He was quite nasty to my DM too, he would ignore her calls and texts all the time, told all his mates that she was really annoying and pathetic, but she loves him so when he did bother with her, she was almost grateful. He studied an academic subject at a very prestigious uni and did very well, went on to get his PHD and now has a successful, well paid career. I studied an arty subject at uni (still got into a good one!) and went on to be a wedding and events planner for a number of years. He mocked and belittled my course and later, my career whenever I saw him. He would always put me down wherever he could and caused issues between me and my friends/boyfriends. He told my first long term boyfriend that I was cheating on him and had 'proof' which was completely fabricated.
Now I always have been a very confident person, I call out shitty behaviour when I witness it, I've always had lots of friends and a great social life, I've taken lots of big risks and made some crazy choices but I've had a great life off the back of it. He has always played it safe, only had a couple of friends who he isn't close to and treats his wife appallingly.

So now, I have a 2yr old DS with my DH. DB, when I first had DS, started trying to plant the idea in DHs head that DS wasn't his. Saying things like "baby doesn't look anything like Bianca, or you. He actually looks a lot like X, don't you think?"
Now DH isn't stupid and basically told DB to do one.
We bought our first house recently and my parents very generously gave us half the deposit. We are a low earning household despite both DH and I working full time so we would never have been able to save up that money on our own. DB went mad and demanded the same money from our parents even though he didn't need it. My parents also help us with childcare and he has now asked my parents to give him the same amount they save us in childcare fees to make things 'fair'.
Very recently, there was a family get together for my parents 'big' wedding anniversary so obviously DH, DS and I were there.
DB has had nothing to do with DS before but he was actually great with him. DS loved his uncle and they played together the whole time almost. I was hesitant but thought that it was good that they have a good relationship even though I don't have one with DB. At the end of the day, my DS told me I was stupid and thick. He's never said this before. I suspect my DB was saying this to him to stir some shit. When I told DS off for things (playing with food etc) DB would undermine me and do silly things like stick his tongue out at me, so obviously DS copied.

It recently came out that DB is suffering with depression and is seeing a therapist and taking medication, apparently he was toying with the idea of suicide. My DM has approached me and told me I need to be the bigger person and make an effort with my DB in order to help him.
Tbh, I don't want to. I have nothing to do with him unless I absolutely have to, and I don't want that to change. I don't want him in my life. I don't really want him around DS. DH doesn't like him either. My DM has practically begged me as she can't face losing her son which I fully understand.
I just don't know what to do.

(Have changed some details as anyone who knows me IRL would recognise me from this I think)

OP posts:
SlaaartyBaaardFaaast · 31/08/2019 21:37

Your DB sounded like a classic psychopath until you said he did not take risks. Perhaps a narcissist instead. Either way, he is a vile man and I would avoid him forever. Blood is not thicker than water in this case. Your Mum ought to understand. Bug hugs OP xx

Biancadelrioisback · 31/08/2019 21:41

I've thought about him being a psychopath. It almost fits but no he never takes risks. Everything was safe. I have no idea what his dreams are/were. Definitely not what's he does for a living now though.

OP posts:
QualCheckBot · 31/08/2019 21:49

He sounds like Kevin out of the film "We Need To Talk About Kevin". Particularly the childhood incident with making you fall off your bike and break your arm.

You can get cowardly psychopaths. He is almost certainly on that scale. Sociopaths/psychopaths are generally quite unsuccessful - they might rise to high positions but they are generally found out and have spectacular falls, or they just never make it at all due to social inadequacies.

MrsTWH · 31/08/2019 22:03

OP, please protect your son from your brother. He has already shown he will use an innocent 2 year old against you!

I have been NC with my evil brother for over 12 years and it’s such a relief. Protect yourself, protect your son. Tell your mum that you love her but he is toxic and you won’t have anything to do with him.

Mistlewoeandwhine · 31/08/2019 22:05

Keep yourself and your child away from him. There is something wrong with him and your child is not safe near him.

SlaaartyBaaardFaaast · 31/08/2019 22:08

Pschopaths can be successful and are very crafty communicators, charming in fact. Many make it to the Board Room. 'Snakes in Suits' and The Psychopath Test' are very good books.

OPs Brother sounds dangerous.

JustGiveMeTwoMinutes · 31/08/2019 22:21

So has this depression come on since he found out about the deposit? Did your parents give him an equal amount as he demanded? If not, the depression could be due to not getting his own way?

user1471449295 · 31/08/2019 22:32

Your brother is a typical spoilt brat

SeamstressfromTreacleMineRoad · 31/08/2019 22:47

OP, the thing that has sprung out of your posts for me is that you couldn't afford to go on the big family holiday for your DF's 60th birthday... I'm really sorry, but it speaks volumes about your parents that they actually went ahead with the trip without your family...Shock
Nothing on earth would make me want to celebrate my milestone birthday knowing that one of my DC wasn't able to be with us because they couldn't afford the trip -- I'd do something cheaper that we could all do together. Your parents actions show very clearly that you are simply not as important to them as your hideous 'D'B Sad
You sound lovely - and so does your DH. Don't let your parents persuade you to have any contact with 'D'B - he's made their lives revolve around him and would be delighted if he could get them to cut you off even further.

Malvinaa81 · 31/08/2019 22:53

Don't trust him, and gently sideline your mother's (unreasonable) wish for you to get involved with him.

BitOftheSea · 31/08/2019 23:04

I’d say to your mum that you’d be willing to attend family therapy as part of his psychiatric treatment, once he has a proper diagnosis. Then stay well away from him.

justilou1 · 31/08/2019 23:08

OP, you could be me. Your brother very much sounds like a psychopath. Mine has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years, and when my parents died, despite inheriting most of their money, he turned his gaze my way. My childhood was littered with emotional jibes and sabotage, etc just like you spoke about, also the broken arms. Of course he was the golden child who “definitely wasn’t taking drugs at all” and stealing everything he got his hands on of mine as he got older. I had knives held to my throat when I was trying to stop him from threatening my 94 year old grandmother. And had to spend my night locked in the bathroom until he kicked the door off it’s hinges. I moved out as soon as I could when I was told that this was my fault for setting him off. They constantly wanted me to “make peace” with him and “look after your brother - he’s the only one you’ve got!”
He’s still evil and pushing 50. Doesn’t get that the world doesn’t bend to him and make special considerations for him because he wants it to.

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

ohfourfoxache · 31/08/2019 23:13

Even if he is depressed - so what? It doesn’t mean that he’s now a lovely person you want to spend time with just because he’s ill.

Cunts get depression and cancer and diabetes and lupus and - well, exactly the same things that nice people get. Doesn’t make them less of a cunt though, does it?

So keep yourself away from this shit stain on the knickers of society and do so with a clear conscience.

lyralalala · 31/08/2019 23:21

So not only did your mother not protect you from him when you were a child, but she is actually trying to put you into his firing line now? Why is that?

I’d bet you this isn’t something she has come up with herself. I’d put money that he has been playing the woe is me card with her. Probably dripping in her ear that the deposit and childcare “proves” that she loves you more and that you won’t even talk to him.

I’d be very very wary of the childminding situation. And no matter how upsetting it was I’d be telling her that I wasn’t going to be making effort with him, and that he wasn’t to be around my child.

Please protect yourself, and your DC, from this man because you can’t rely on your mother to protect either of you.

MeganTheVegan · 31/08/2019 23:40

OP, the thing that has sprung out of your posts for me is that you couldn't afford to go on the big family holiday for your DF's 60th birthday.

I thought this also. Why didn’t they include you? It is obvious they can afford it.

StreetwiseHercules · 31/08/2019 23:53

Fuck him.

Butterymuffin · 01/09/2019 00:28

That's a good point about the family holiday. Presumably your brother threatened to kick off if they paid for you to go

MaverlousMo · 01/09/2019 00:46

OP he doesn’t sound very nice at all, please keep your distance.

Based upon what you’ve us about him, I personally wouldn’t trust him.

SavingSpaces2019 · 01/09/2019 00:58

he is very, very smart at hiding his digs or making someone feel like it's their fault or they're overreacting. He has a way to squirm into your brain and plant seeds

i echo the psycho/sociopath line.
He definitely sounds like one.
Right down to the act he put on with your ds in front of everyone- yet mansaged to somehow managed to not only still drip his poison in your dc ear - but also make him believe/repeat it.

You've carried this toxic element your whole life.
Now it's time to set it down - for good.
Tell your mum the whole truth - don't try to protect her feelings in any way.
She KNOWS what her son is like, she's just choosing to pretend she isn't aware....because admitting he's an evil fucker destroys the Golden Child illusion she's worked so hard at maintaining.
Even now she's putting his feelings above anyone else and continuing to appease him by excluding you from the holiday.

Just tell her the truth and force her out of her illusion.

justilou1 · 01/09/2019 04:40

Another thing to consider is that he will probably realize that the ultimate way to hurt you will be hurting your son, emotionally or physically and he’s devious enough to do it. I’d leave him well alone. Wonder if you should tell SIL about his history with you too?

spinn · 01/09/2019 08:40

My first instinct having read your various comments about his behaviour as a child is that something happened to him as a child to make him that way.

However, regardless of history you are now an adult and you can choose who is in your life therefore you don't want him there so there is no discussion needed.

I'm sure he would then spin a tale that you aren't supporting him and make it about him which you need to be prepared to deal with but you don't need to prove yourself or have affirmation from anyone about your decision and you maybe need to tell your parents that.

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