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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To cut her out?

12 replies

mylifenow27 · 20/10/2019 17:16

For a bit of back ground info. Me and my children’s father spilt 3 years ago, for the last 2 years I’ve been in a relationship with my current partner. Me and my ex had a good co parent relationship until he met his partner.

He has a widowed step mum his dad died about 15 years ago and him and the step mum weren’t close before of after his dad died. However she does have a relationship with his sister (an still does) But wen our children were born I made a big effort to include her as I felt sorry for her she had been single since his dads death an seemed like a nice women, she developed a very non hands on grandma roll I.e see them an hour every week in our home bring sweets be amazing get them hyped up then leave but never offer any real help her choice. When we separated this continued at ex’s house I had no contact with her for a year no fall out but just no need to.

Then he met his partner I’m not sure what exactly happened but they became too busy to let her see the children so she contacted me and my partner to see them at mine. All fine we welcomed her into our home although she not our family and started to include her in our family things. Including our own daughters birth and events. She came round once a week wen suited her apart from been a little annoying sometimes we pottered along with it.

Now the last year it’s seemed to go massively down hill and I’m left thinking this women isn’t my family I wouldn’t let someone of my own family treat me this way but why her? Exzamples of this are:

My ex caused a lot of problems for us and the children last year he wasn’t looking after them properly social services were involved he tried to abduct the children etc and it went to court they made our life’s hell the whole of my pregnancy with my daughter I had to stand in court 5 weeks after she was born (4 weeks early) exhausted from being in Nicu an breast feeding a new born. the whole time she refused to give an opinion on the situation an “stated I would never choose sides or talk badly of either party” this left us with a bit of a bad taste in our mouth as she was happy to take our hospitality but not show us support when he was making our life’s a misery.

My ex pays £30 a month maintainance for two children previously paid £150 but wen the court thing happened he reported to csa he earns 60 a week as he’s self employed. Once again she refused to comment. Leaving us feeling disgruntled paying for everything the boys needed plus a £1200 a month nursery bill which he decided he would contact when ever he liked for updates on there education and progress. Nursery stated they couldn’t refuse him this info as he has PR even tho we foot the bill. Once again she won’t get involved.

We have one family member who really helps us out my partners sister not even my children’s biological auntie but she would do anything for us and constantly bends over backward to help us out the kids love her and I have so much respect for everything she does for us. at my daughters birthday party she put her down on numerous occasions and made out she was so much better than her I.e lived in a better place. This really upset my partners sister.

We constantly invite her and her partner round, he never comes says the children arnt his thing. But his own grandchildren are he only comes if theirs something exciting happening or to be nosey he didn’t even visit when our daughter was born. She constant makes excuses about why he refuses our invitation such as he thinks he will get ill from the children colds. She tells us about these lovely BBQs and parties they hold but never invite us. She comes round every week hook or by crook even if we don’t want her too. She’s started to undermine our parenting. She’s rude to our family. She’s demanding and makes out she’s the best thing since sliced bread. An is over opinionated. only ever gives fake offers of help and basically just uses us as an opportunity to take pictures and tell everyone how much of an amazing grandma she is.

Now due to circumstances we could of really used some extra help this week and it’s obvious but she hasn’t offered any only a txt saying if you really need my help let me know but I’m away at the weekend. It’s left me thinking I wouldn’t and don’t let my own family treat me like this, she’s not even my bloody family why am I putting up with this???

Sorry for the essay!!

OP posts:
Tistheseason17 · 20/10/2019 17:23

If you don't want her there you need to tell her you are busy on some dates.

You can reduce seeing her without going NC - depends if the children enjoy seeing her?

mylifenow27 · 20/10/2019 17:36

The children arnt that bothered. Don't get me wrong it's nice for them but they don't have a super close relationship or anything.

OP posts:
user1493413286 · 20/10/2019 17:40

I’d reduce seeing her to every month or two; I can’t really see what she adds to your children’s lives and that’s possibly why your ex doesn’t really bother. I don’t think it’s necessarily a flaw that she didn’t want to badmouth your ex but all the other things about putting people down and never really being there for you make me think she’s not really worth having the stress of having over all the time

DartmoorChef · 20/10/2019 17:47

She's not taking sides in an argument which is fair enough. Reduce the visits by saying you are going out. If you want her help ask her. If she refuses, just phase her out more.

Windydaysuponus · 20/10/2019 17:55

Imo life is too sort to use up precious time on those you don't think very highly of..
Be very much less available....

mylifenow27 · 20/10/2019 18:09

Thanks, I think we will be less available.

I have asked her for help in the past I was desperate to find a childminder and asked if she could collect one of the children from school. But even tho retired she wasn't available any days to help.

In regard to not taking sides or giving an opinion. My ex made our life's hell and miss treated the children. He refused to see her we welcome her but she doesn't even give an opinion. I'm not a cafe I'm not offering a service, they don't want to bother with her so she accepts my hospitality but refuses to help, speak to him or even give an opinion ok the fact my child was been beaten up by an step child 6 years older than him and my ex was hiding the the bruises to the point social services got involved!!

In life sometimes you have to pick a side you can't be loyal to everyone it becomes disloyal.

OP posts:
mylifenow27 · 20/10/2019 18:11

If we say we arnt available she insists on every other single day till she finds one we are. But it's impossible to be un available every day of the week 😩

OP posts:
Raphael34 · 20/10/2019 18:14

Why are you getting upset with her over other people’s actions? Of course she doesn’t want to choose sides with her family, and she shouldn’t have to. I think she sounds very sensible, just focussing on her grandchildren and keeping out of family squabbles that have nothing to do with her

Tistheseason17 · 20/10/2019 18:17

You don't have to lie. You just say, "really sorry, tonight doesn't work for us". It's not a lie.

Or, "sorry we have plans then." Again, not a lie. Whatever you are doing (even if it is nothing!) just does not involve her.

It is ok to say no. An infamous post on MN is "No is a complete sentence".

LordNibbler · 20/10/2019 18:26

Just tell her she's not welcome anymore. You've said she undermines your parenting. She's rude to your family. She's not even related to your children. You don't need to make excuses. Why are you worried about her hurt feelings when she's plainly not bothered about yours?

mylifenow27 · 20/10/2019 18:31

I'm upset that she didn't voice an opinion as these people have cut her off I.e my ex. She sees his sister once every other year an moans to me they don't include her. It feels very disloyal.

She's not even my child's grandma there actual grandma is in their life threw there dad.

An on top she isn't even nice to us. So yes that makes me question why am I doing all this?

My children's arnt even that bothered about her as she doesn't really do anything with them. Just comes stays an hour then makes out she's amazing on fb.

OP posts:
SugarPlumLairy2 · 20/10/2019 18:40

Oh no, I HAD relatives like that. I do t see them at all now 👍
It’s such draining no, negative energy. I felt so tense and wound up around them. They weren’t kind or positive, sometimes downright mean. It just wasn’t tolerable.

You have to say “we’re not available this month, we’ll let you know when we can do a visit”. She will invariably push and nag and insist, which gives you the opportunity to say “this is really not helping us, your wants do not trump our needs and as you can’t wait for an invitation we are taking a break. We will let you know when it works for us” the more she pushes the longer the break you take till finally you say “no. You’re not taking the hint, you’re causing problems. Do not contact us again or we’ll pursue whatever action is necessary” etc.

Awful woman. She can see them in her stepsons time.

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