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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dealing with a toxic mum

15 replies

Tina3 · 26/03/2020 17:33

At the outset, apologies for the long post....

My mother lives with my 12 year old son and I. Mum is capable of caring for herself. She has a few age related health issues but by god’s grace nothing serious. My father passed away over 30 years ago and I am her only child. My mother has always been very controlling and has an evil temper. My daddy was quite passive and usually just ignored her. She was quite nasty to him too, even the morning he passed away she had a go at him and said why don’t you ever die! Since my father’s passing she's become even more difficult and hateful. Downright mean! Nothing anyone does for her is good enough.

On many occasions she has thrown me out of her house (before I got married); told me she didn't have a daughter and to never come back. She doesn’t get along with anyone in the family and has quite a reputation for being rude, insulting and almost acting superior then the rest of them. She is totally so negative that no one wants to be around her.

She NEVER has anything good to say about anything or anyone. Mum always has an opinion on everything and she is always right. She has never apologised for anything. Mum is an opportunist and knows very well how to use people to her advantage When she has some work she talks very sweetly but later on drops you like a hot potato. She controls everything I do, from who I am talking to on the phone to what I wear to what colour my balayage is to what whether I should meet my friends, to what to cook, to whether to drink coffee daily or not… FFS, it is just ridiculous! I am 54 years old now! It is like she wants me to be a puppet on a string.

She is in very good health but the minute you say something to her, she puts up an act of falling ill, breathlessness, choking etc.. then she will call 999, they will come only to say that all is well. Now mum has started to poison my son and keeps telling him that I want her to die, that I want to kill her. That I am eyeing an inheritance! FFS, I don’t take a penny from her, on the contrary I pay for everything for her, including her travel tickets when she goes back to our native country one a year (Kenya).

I can see that my mum is slowing poisoning my son against me and there is a lot of distance between us.

The most recent incident has really annoyed me….

On Saturday night we were having a glass of wine, she had a big bottle of corona extra and then a glass of white wine. I think it got to her! Anyway, after dinner, my son asked to eat some M&S cookies I had bought. I gave him 2 and I ate the rest (4 cookies). It was a pack of 8, son had 2 earlier in the day. My son jokingly said ”mum how many are you eating?” that’s it, my mum just went on one…. She said I will kill myself and my son, I am good for nothing but only know how to eat like a glutton. I had enough of her BS so I decided to take a stand for myself and told her that at 54 I could eat however many cookies I liked. I paid for them and I am eating them. I had offered them to her earlier but she had said no…. she couldn’t take the fact that I stood up for myself and got up and said she was done with me and walked off… kept muttering that I will kill everyone… so I told her to take her negativity elsewhere and not to wish such nonsense for my little boy!

Sunday was Mother’s day, I didn’t wish her and since then I am just ignoring her…. She pretends to cry and gain sympathy but I am not falling for it anymore. On Tuesday she again called 999 and asked my son to call an ambulance, I told her I can do it, she said NO! so I said then do it yourself and not to involve the child. She hung up, went to her room and was fine… as she walked up she again told my son that I want her to die.

I am absolutely done with her vile and nasty behaviour. TBH, I am 54 years old, divorced twice and a single parent. On many occasions my mother has told me that I will feel worthless when I grow older so I should carry on working so that I don’t feel like a total waste. Is this acceptable? What have I done to be subjected to this kind of abuse? I have a simple job but earn enough to keep us afloat.

But I cannot go through the of my life like this! I am sure she will outlive me as her hatred and abuse will take my life ☹

OP posts:
toomuchpeppapig · 26/03/2020 17:42

The simple answer is to move out if it's your mums house. Leave her to it and get you and your DS out of there.

If it's your house then evict her.

Mary46 · 26/03/2020 17:54

Yes she will just drag you down in the long term. Get you and your son out of there asap.

saoirse31 · 26/03/2020 17:59

Definitely move out as soon as you can. The stress you must be feeling the whole time is really not food for you or your son. You will and should be so happy and free away from her. Best of luck .

Elieza · 26/03/2020 17:59

Whose is the house? You need to get yourself and your son away from her.

saoirse31 · 26/03/2020 18:00

Not good for you !

PepePig · 26/03/2020 18:10

Stop living with her. Then cut her off.

JRUIN · 26/03/2020 18:26

Your mum sounds like a narcissist. I would take my child and myself away from her as soon as possible if I were you.

Tina3 · 26/03/2020 18:37

Thank you all. It’s my house. It’s a small two bed flat but it’s mine though she helped me with £10,000 towards the deposit many years ago. However I have looked after her and I would continue to do whatever I needed to for her. Just don’t need the abuse!

OP posts:
iheartislesofwight · 26/03/2020 18:41

your boot on her backside as soon as possible. she needs to go.

PepePig · 26/03/2020 19:29

@Tina3

With all due respect, she knows this and is using it against you. She knows you wouldn't kick her out, so she continues to test and push the boundaries.

This might be a contrary opinion, but in my personal experience, people who are of a certain change are past the point of change. It honestly won't matter what you say or do- she will never listen. You will always be her child, and as a result of that, she will always know better than you.

You're a mum, now, and your priority has to be to your own child. You have to break the cycle. I know it's a harsh question, but do you really want your child growing up thinking how your mum treats you is also how they should treat you? You aren't a doormat. Just because this woman is your mum, does not give her permission to bully and abuse you just because she feels like it.

I'm aware that right now probably isn't the right time to be doing anything drastic with everything that's going on, but after the CV-19 situation has calmed down, I'd sit her down and tell her that her behaviour has to change, or she's out. And stick to it. No second chances.

You have to do this for your child, if no one else. You need to break the chains and be free.

PepePig · 26/03/2020 19:31

Oh, and helping you towards the deposit means nothing. When you were sorting out your mortgage, I'm sure you classified the £10,000 either as part of your contribution, or a gift. Therefore, she has no rights to the home, legally or morally. Do not let her use this against you- she didn't have to help you.

RepCones · 26/03/2020 19:38

The next time she goes to Kenya, cancel the return ticket. Block her number and don't answer unknown numbers. Change your locks.

Life is too short to have toxic people in your and your sons life.

Elieza · 26/03/2020 21:06

Once the whole corona is over you may have enough capital in your house to remortgage and give her the deposit back and help her get a house somewhere else.

Don’t let misplaced loyalty to a woman who is turning your child against you let you leave things as they are. You need to man/woman up and decide what to do.

TexanBlueNeck · 26/03/2020 21:12

Why are you exposing your son to this awful dynamic? It's damaging.

Your son's wellbeing is more important than your relationship with her. FFS. Step up and protect him! Your well-being is worth more too!

Landlubber2019 · 26/03/2020 21:22

I am curious as to how you ended sharing the house and the practicalities of 2 adults + 12 yr old sharing a small 2bed house. Clearly it doesn't work, surely you don't have enough space and therefore you need to help your mum moved out,

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