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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Angry message from DD's boyfriends mum

346 replies

richele4 · 16/05/2020 02:17

Background: DD is 19, boyfriend is 20, been together for almost 3 years. When lockdown was announced DD moved out of uni accommodation and in with her boyfriend and his family (mum, dad, brother).

Tonight DD rings me upset and says that she had an argument with boyfriends mum and was told she wasn't welcome to stay there anymore. She asked if could come and stay with us instead (boyfriend included). Don't bash me for this, I know the rules say you can't switch between households but it's my daughter, of course I said yes. Asked what the argument was about and she said that boyfriends mum shouted at her for not doing enough housework and not contributing enough towards shopping. I've never asked how much DD was contributing towards food or bills because she's an adult with a job and can sort that herself. I know that she was paying weekly towards shopping (and getting them discount because she works at Tesco) and also giving some money for rent and bills, I just don't know how much.

DD and boyfriend due to come to ours from tomorrow which is totally fine.

Anyway, I received a message from boyfriends mum saying how disgusted she was with DD's behaviour while she's been living there. Saying that she was messy, waking up in the afternoon, only cooking and cleaning for herself, eating more food than she was paying for... Essentially, "treating the place like a hotel."

Firstly, DD works evenings into the night, often not arriving home until 3 or 4 in the morning, so if she wakes up in the afternoon then it's because she was up half the night? Secondly, DD has always been the cleanest person I know. Her room or bathroom was never untidy when she lived at home and she hated when dishes weren't cleaned immediately after use. As for only cooking and cleaning for herself, if she's working then her mealtimes fit around her hours, it's always been that way.

I find it hard to believe that DD has changed her personality and all her mannerisms in the 8 months it's been since she lived at home. Obviously I will talk to her about it tomorrow because I would hate for my daughter to have been rude and taken someone else's hospitality for granted.

I just want to know if IABU to ignore the message and not get involved? I don't want to cause conflict. I don't feel like I should have received a message from her in the first place, she argued with DD who is an adult, surely it's not my business to get involved in my grown up daughters affairs? I don't believe a lot of what she said in her message either but I suppose I will find out how much of it is true in the weeks to come when they're living with us.

I just don't feel like it's my business to get involved. They're adults and it's between my DD and her boyfriends mum. I've only spoken to her a couple of times over the years. AIBU to ignore it or send something like "I'm sorry, I am not getting involved". Or do you think it's my responsibility as a parent to make sure things get resolved?

OP posts:
Bookoffacts · 16/05/2020 12:17

19 is still very young. All this 'adult' said repeatedly is annoying. I know she's an an adult officially but 19 is still very young.

Perhaps you shouldn't reinforce that it's ok to treat people so badly they throw you out, then put all the blame on them!!!

Possibly your daughter was in the wrong too. Hmm
I wouldn't want a uppity young woman in my kitchen at odd hours cooking only for herself. In a family home you need to fit in.

Bookoffacts · 16/05/2020 12:18

Yeah. They live so responsibly at uni! 😂
I lived on beer and chips bought at takeaways.

mrpumblechook · 16/05/2020 12:26

Perhaps you shouldn't reinforce that it's ok to treat people so badly they throw you out, then put all the blame on them!!!

OP isn't reinforcing anything. She knows her own daughter and wants to hear her side which is fair enough.

SistineScreamer · 16/05/2020 12:27

Bookoffacts, how exactly is she meant to 'fit in' with shift work? Is she meant to go to sleep hungry? Is she meant to run on fumes just so she can eat at the same time? How will that help her work her next shift? Honestly don't be ridiculous. Hmm Any reasonable person (even those who haven't experienced shift work) would understand why she gets up when does and why she eats when she does.

Uppity 😂 How the fuck is she uppity? The boyfriend's mum is complaining that she's the exact opposite. OP thinks this is completely out of character for her kid and I agree. It's one extreme to the other.

Qwerty543 · 16/05/2020 12:31

Why on earth has your daughter's boyfriend's mum got your number in the first place?

I agree that I bet it's because she isn't clearing up after the boyfriend.

unchienandalusia · 16/05/2020 12:33

@Bluntness100 totally agree. People so willing to not try to resolve anything. How does that even work irl if you want to have decent grown up relationships with people.

YeahWhatevver · 16/05/2020 12:36

Thanks for your message but DD and her BF are adults and if you have an issue you really need to raise it and resolve it with them directly.

Bluntness100 · 16/05/2020 12:38

So many people seem to think once your kid is 18 they are fuck all to do with you any more.

I’d also have chatted to my daughter about what she was contributing and how she was helping out etc whilst living in this woman’s house. 19 is indeed very young and this is no where near the same as house sharing or being in residential with mates at uni.

It’s also very different to being in your parental home. Where taking your turn at cleaning rhe khazi might not be expected, and nor is it an issue for you to fridge dive and help your self when you fancy it.

AhNowTed · 16/05/2020 12:46

My thoughts exactly @Bluntness100

I imagine something like the umpteenth half hour long shower has tipped the woman over the edge.

mrpumblechook · 16/05/2020 12:53

I’d also have chatted to my daughter about what she was contributing and how she was helping out etc whilst living in this woman’s house. 19 is indeed very young and this is no where near the same as house sharing or being in residential with mates at uni.

I would have a chat with a my dd but that doesn't mean I would communicate directly with the mother. Yes, they could end up related one day but that could be all the more reason for staying out of it at this stage as much as possible.

Durgasarrow · 16/05/2020 13:04

It could be that your daughter was not as easy to live with as you would think she might be--in any case, you will find out now.

Maybelatte · 16/05/2020 13:07

I’d personally ignore it. It’s understandable why your DD slept till the afternoon as a night worker, not sure why his Mum didn’t grasp this. I would probe her about the housework aspect though, his Mum surely wouldn’t make this up so perhaps some truth behind it.

shedgirl · 16/05/2020 13:14

We have 5 young adult children. 1 is married with her own family living away. We have housed 5 other young people ..boyfriends/girlfriends over the last 11 years. I generally find boys easier.
Atm we have 6 young people with us in lockdown, 4 of our own plus 2 others. 4 are uni students. Our house has turned into a virtual student house with the front room as a bedroom. None pay rent, but contribute with food shopping. All can cook and tidy up after themselves. I'm easy going.
Niggly things have bothered me, but I let it go. It won't last forever and I'll have happy memories of this time together.
I'd be the bigger person and say 'thanks' and let it go. She probably wants recognition for putting her up. Tricky times.

Vanhi · 16/05/2020 13:17

I’d text back “you’ll regret this when there’s a grandchild!”

Can someone please explain why some people want to escalate conflict in this way? Doesn't it just cause hurt and upset? I get the need not to be a doormat and to stand up for yourself, but I don't understand why some people seek to rile up and cause conflict.

IRL I find it best to find a way through a situation as diplomatically as possible. I generally then get what I want, or reach a compromise I can live with. Conflict generally means no-one ends up happy, unless they enjoy a fight. But I do encounter people who will respond in this way because they're spoiling for a fight. Why do people do it? Genuine question, I'd like to understand what is going on.

Vanhi · 16/05/2020 13:20

I generally find boys easier.

Easier, or you expect less from them?

shedgirl · 16/05/2020 13:28

No, not at all, they all chip in... they are tidy, they cook and are funny, get the bins in. My 2 daughters' partners have impeccable manners and are respectful.

HuggedTheRedwoods · 16/05/2020 13:38

Maybe she never wanted DD living in the house to begin with but took her as part of the 'package' of having her DS home and over the weeks resentment has built up and she's now trying to justify it.

I'd ignore the text.

rosiepony · 16/05/2020 13:43

@Vanhi I was just teasing. I find it entertaining given the MN history around access to grandchildren when you’re not the maternal grandmother!

Do people rally take AIBU seriously? It’s pure entertainment for me.

ScreamingBeans · 16/05/2020 13:50

"Yeah. They live so responsibly at uni! 😂
I lived on beer and chips bought at takeaways.

I had a house share where we had a weekly kitty for the shopping, took turns at cleaning, cooking etc., paid the one driver with the car petrol money to take us to Uni, organised launderette visits etc.

Not all students live like they're in an episode of The Young Ones

JingsMahBucket · 16/05/2020 13:50

I also don’t understand this penchant to just ignore a message from the boyfriend’s mother. They’ve been together three years! This is also a good reason why the mothers would have each other’s phone numbers. That’s not strange at all. This mentality of “my family is only my nuclear family and everyone else is out of remit” is weird to me. The families have likely been mixing for a few years. Why shouldn’t the parents be talking to each other independently?

And add me to the list of posters who don’t understand people who automatically say “18, they’re an adult. Butt out. None of your business”. How on earth are they going to learn how to be proper adults without any guidance?! They’re still finding their feet. Again, no wonder so many people on MN don’t have any friends in real life!

KipperBang · 16/05/2020 13:53

She's your daughter and she's 19. I'd be so embarrassed to receive a text like that.

I know it's fashionable on MN to think that once your kids turn about, oohh, 15, you don't have to take any responsibility for them but you absolutely do in the real world. My daughter wouldn't have been spending months living with her boyfriends family anyway - but if she had, I'd have spoken to his mum beforehand and discussed what her financial & housework contribution would be.

But then some of us interpret parenting differently ... I don't wash my hands of my kids aged 19. OP, you clearly do.

Beamur · 16/05/2020 14:00

I've been with my DH for nearly 20 years. My parents have never had DH's parents contact details or address even. They met extremely infrequently.
I think it's a bit odd for the boyfriends Mum to contact the OP like this. I'd reply to be polite, but not engage or get involved. It won't end well.

BalloonSlayer · 16/05/2020 14:04

I can see why it seems rude to send such a message but from the other Mum's perspective, she has had the DD to stay for weeks, they have fallen out and she knows that she looks like tha bad guy for chucking them out during a pandemic, and expects your DD to be slagging her off when she gets to your house. She just wants to get her own point of view across.

LaneBoy · 16/05/2020 14:05

I wouldn’t ignore it altogether so would just reply with a non committal “thanks for letting me know, they are going to try living here for now” or something

JingsMahBucket · 16/05/2020 14:10

@Beamur your parents have never sent each other gifts, cards, wished each other happy birthday, had BBQs or hung out together on a regular basis for 20 years now?

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

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