Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Blocked her on what’s app

103 replies

musthavebeenlove · 28/06/2021 02:59

My DD lives on the other side of the world.
We have a difficult relationship and I think she’s solely to blame for this because she’s so difficult! Today I noticed that I couldn’t see her profile photo on what’s app any longer, I sent her a message about this but she was probably asleep as it was 4 in the morning where she lives, so when she didn’t respond after 5 minutes, I asked someone that said she must have deleted me as a contact, so I sent her ‘I have been told that you deleted me as s contact’ then I blocked her because I was upset/ wanted to teach her a lesson. She will see this when she wakes up but be unable to respond!

Was I BU?

This is a reverse Sad

OP posts:
Cherrytree1621 · 28/06/2021 09:38

Sounds like it's for the best she's blocked you, if she's done this a number of times I personally would find it difficult to have any sort of relationship with her, you don't need the drama very immature imo.

Oriunda · 28/06/2021 09:39

@Treezan82

I honestly believe that everyone deserves a strong, positive and supportive relationship with their parent. It is so incredibly important throughout a person's entire life and something a person should be able to commit to before continuing with a pregnancy and having a child. I am really sorry you don't have this, it must be incredibly hard. I think it is probably best to go NC now, as hard as that will be. It just isn't in your control to have a good relationship with her. Best of luck for the future.
Wtf?! Absolutely disagree. I had an awful relationship with my mother. That didn’t stop me wanting to be a mother myself - and the best mother I could be; the total opposite of her.

Having a poor relationship with one’s mother - or no mother at all - should never not stop one from having their own child!

Beamur · 28/06/2021 09:40

You know you're not at fault.
Pop over to the Stately Homes threads.
I'm LC with my Father. Still just about in contact but I don't engage. It's a much calmer place to be.
It's taken me a long time to understand there's nothing I can do to change him, no explanations no amount of attention. I am and have always been the scapegoat child but I refuse to give him the oxygen of attention any more.
You can never win with a narcissistic parent. But in 'losing' you will find peace. But you have to let go of wanting to prove your point or making it ok with them.
Don't email or try to explain.

BirthdayCakeBelly · 28/06/2021 09:42

Part of the reasons why I’m hesitant to go NC because she’s also DS’s grandmother and I know she loves him
I wouldn’t let this influence my decision to end the relationship. Why? Because she is nasty. Her influence is negative and draining. She doesn’t care about you she cares about her.

It’s a really difficult reality to accept. Especially when it’s the relationship with your mum. The person who is supposed to have your back treats you like the enemy. That’s the truth of it and it fucking hurts.

Going NC with the toxic family member in my life was an awful and gut wrenching decision that took a lot of time to make peace with. It’s only with the passing of time that I’ve realised that in protecting myself from this person I’ve also protected my DC. Not only from their behaviour but from the impact of their behaviour on me.

Muchasgracias · 28/06/2021 09:46

@musthavebeenlove

Thanks everyone for the supportive messages. I have been told by her so often that I’m the difficult one that sometimes it’s very hard for me to know if I deserve this kind of treatment or not. Actually, rationally I KNOW she’s in the wrong but a little voice inside of me keeps telling me otherwise. Your support means a lot to me. I really mean that.
I’ve been there OP. You need to work REALLY hard on your inner voice and talking to yourself more kindly, which you fully deserve. Don’t let your inner voice mirror hers and drown out the gentle positive. And true things you know you need to hear.

Good luck with whatever you decide. It’s never easy challenging parents, especially when they hold seemingly normal relationships with other siblings and seem to have so much control over family narrative. But you can do it and set a fab example for your DS on boundaries and standards.

LindaEllen · 28/06/2021 09:46

I see absolutely zero point in posting a reverse but saying you've posted a reverse. Why not just tell the story and make everything less complicated?

If I were you (and things have been difficult with my mum, too), I'd send her a message however you're able to (email, text, Messenger etc) and say that you would like to have a positive relationship with her but that you're not going to beg for it, and you're available to talk when/if she's ready.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 28/06/2021 09:48

I don’t know OP.

I may be your mum is a drama queen, but judging from the reverse attempts so are you.

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 09:49

Do you want her to end up playing mindgames with your DS when he gets older?

I’m not sure if she would.
She gets on very well with my siblings and I haven’t seen her display this toxic behavior towards my brothers, actually she favors them. I’ve always had a bad relationship with my DF (I suspect he’s a narcissist and she is his codependent). My best friend says my DM sees me as her rival.

Your call, but don't be too sure.
With you halfway round the world, her frustration at losing control of her Whipping Girl will be significant.
At some point she may decide DS will make a great Flying Monkey, & she won't care about his psyche if she does so. Or she will use him in some form of selfish, deluded triangulation.

This is genuine concern btw, not looking to scold or lecture you. You do you - but manage any contact with DS very, very, scrupulously.

I'm so sorry you have all the frustration not just of dealing with the incessant batshittery, but the sadness of never being 'seen' as you, or taken at your word.
It's hard, managing all this deliberate misunderstanding, drama, & your own feelings of sorrow & anger, when forced to deal with ill-wishing people who focused solely on their own narrative of casting you as a villain so they can enjoy the all the thrills of another potshot at you.

I've only read this one incident re: your mother, but can see the pattern. She is dysfunctional & exhausting, & I am sorry you have had to deal with that, especially through your younger life.
Three cheers that you've put half a planet between you - stay strong, & forget about her feelings toward your son. ONLY consider his feelings in this regard.

TheyWentToSeaInASieve · 28/06/2021 09:50

I haven't read the whole thread but have a mother exactly like that. Also lives in another country (4 hours time difference only). We went NC and then over the years it's become LC. I still worry every time I get a message from her, but the silent weeks and months are bliss. She uses her health to get to me (as in "I nearly died last week, my blood pressure is through the roof"). She was NC with her own mother and brother, as well as many of her friends. It took me a while to understand that the trauma caused by any communication is not my fault.

I say all this to illustrate that the best solution here is not to keep trying. Your mum's a narcissist. How are her relationships with other people?

Devilishpyjamas · 28/06/2021 09:57

If you are not ready to go nc then just ignore any drama filled messages and only respond when she contacts you reasonably. You don't need to explain that to her (that just adds to the drama). If she does contact you using a reasonable tone then reply with the same and never mention anything to do with her hate filled drama.

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 10:00

Hand on heart, I've never laughed out loud with her, never truly relaxed (always on guard, always tensed and ready to explain myself, always waiting for the imagined offence I or someone else has caused her.

Thank you @BlackAlys xx

Many of us who have been around the block on this issue have reams of therapeutic explanations, yards of educational material, & years of working out WTF was going on.

But every now & then, something like your short, honest anecdote just enscapulates whole whole bloody caboodle so clearly ...

Here's to all of us survivors Flowers

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 10:07

How old are you 12? Grow up biscuit

This.

What a pair.

Interesting, @AliceLivesHere.
What exactly is it you feel that the OP's half of this "pair" has done wrong?

lockdownalli · 28/06/2021 10:29

Going NC with my mother was the best thing I ever did for myself.

You are deluded if you think someone like her is a good influence for your own DC. Flowers

musthavebeenlove · 28/06/2021 10:29

Thanks again everyone. I have decided to block her too, not out of spite but to make sure I can’t get any more nasty messages from her that would ruin another day (or 2) for me. Right now I’m really focusing on working on my mental health (already before this happened) and becoming mentally stronger with the help of course that focuses on positive thinking so I very much don’t need this negativity in my life at the moment.
I am going to be busy with this and job hunting for the next few weeks, I’ll consider after finishing the course if I still want to have any relationship with her. I’ll pop over to the Stately Homes thread as so many of you kindly suggested. Thanks again for the encouragement Flowers

OP posts:
Knittedfairies · 28/06/2021 10:31

Life's too short for all this nonsense; send her an email explaining what happened, then drop the rope. Let her stew.

unim · 28/06/2021 10:35

It sounds as if you have a toxic relationship and that it isn't good for you. You also mention you have been considering stepping back from it.

Why don't you use this as an opportunity to close off contact? It sounds draining and stressful.

BastardMonkfish · 28/06/2021 10:36

@LindaEllen

I see absolutely zero point in posting a reverse but saying you've posted a reverse. Why not just tell the story and make everything less complicated?

If I were you (and things have been difficult with my mum, too), I'd send her a message however you're able to (email, text, Messenger etc) and say that you would like to have a positive relationship with her but that you're not going to beg for it, and you're available to talk when/if she's ready.

I think it says a lot that this was pointed as a reverse you know. OP is trying to see it from her mums point of view, she's inviting others to do the same, she's desperately trying to figure out why her mum has done this. Truth is she'll never know why things are the way they are and will have to try to accept that her mum does hurtful things and doesn't give her daughter anywhere near the same thought or consideration she gets in return. That's a bloody hard pill to swallow.

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 10:39

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

I don’t know OP.

I may be your mum is a drama queen, but judging from the reverse attempts so are you.

Maybe read OP's reply to PP about why she used the Reverse format BEFORE rushing to hoick your judgy pants Chardonnay.

Talking of drama queens, do you make a habit of concoting brutal & unnecessary remarks, or is this a one-off fired at someone you couldn't resist kicking when she's down?

FizzyPink · 28/06/2021 10:39

Your mum sounds like my dad in which case you’re better off without her in your life.

He once threw a hissy fit because I had my mum listed on Facebook as my mum but not him as my Dad. I had no idea this was even the case and also who cares?! But according to him people will visit my profile and wonder who my dad is Confused

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 28/06/2021 10:50

I’m not sure what your point is ChargingBuck.

OP posted on a public forum asking for opinions. I posted on a public forum giving mine. You don’t agree with me, so that means I shouldn’t be posting?

I think the drama is not necessary, you might disagree.

ConstanceGracy · 28/06/2021 10:50

Sorry to read this op, your mum needs to grow the hell up

garden4569 · 28/06/2021 11:04

i'd recommend this www.healthline.com/health/grey-rock rather than NC which will just give her another drama about how difficult you are, to relay to people and yourself.

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 11:13

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

I’m not sure what your point is ChargingBuck.

OP posted on a public forum asking for opinions. I posted on a public forum giving mine. You don’t agree with me, so that means I shouldn’t be posting?

I think the drama is not necessary, you might disagree.

It wasn't about me disagreeing with you Chardonnay.

It was about you being unnecessarily bitchy, to someone in pain.

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 28/06/2021 11:17

I’m not the one picking a fight with a poster I disagree with, unlike you.

I’m not getting drawn into this.

I find reverse posts unnecessarily manipulative and dramatic, that’s all.

ChargingBuck · 28/06/2021 12:06

OP, & any PP's who might find it useful, here's the Grey Rock link -

www.e-counseling.com/mental-health/what-is-the-grey-rock-method/