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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Doing something nice and p***ing the recipient off?

96 replies

Still1nLove · 19/08/2021 21:57

Reading a current thread about being woken up, as if it’s an emergency, reminded me…..

DH and I were in a holiday to a tiny greek island. It was just just before the holiday season started, so it was really quiet and relaxing. I was 4 months pregnant, we had a great time. We took a boat trip out to the island where they filmed Mamma Mia. On the way there I took a nap (I’m not good on boats at the best of times), I was suddenly shaken awake by DH, I genuinely thought there was a problem and the boat was sinking (seen titanic too many times)………. The reason for his rude and violent awakening (exaggerate much!!), there were dolphins swimming with the boat and he didn’t want me to miss them!

They were spectacular and with the rude awakening.

When have you been on the receiving end of a ‘gift’ but wanted to ‘kill’ the person giving it?

OP posts:
swapsicles · 19/08/2021 22:48

On dd's first ever camping trip she was almost 5, I woke her up to show her the stars as we were out in the country and could see so many more than at home, a beautiful site but dd just wasn't impressed and wanted to go back to bed!

Howshouldibehave · 19/08/2021 22:50

There are only two reasons to wake a sleeping person

  1. Telling them it’s snowing
  2. Telling them that a famous person has died.

Proper true

Cuddlyrottweiler · 19/08/2021 22:53

MIL wakes me up to tell me I've fallen asleep 🤨 if we were in a restaurant then fair enough but we're just lounging.

Only wake me if I'm going to miss a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Oogachuckachopsy · 19/08/2021 22:54

@Howshouldibehave

There are only two reasons to wake a sleeping person
  1. Telling them it’s snowing
  2. Telling them that a famous person has died.

Proper true

Snowing! Yes. So true.

I think to shout “he’s beeeeeeen!” when Father Christmas has visited, also qualifies.

Penistoe · 19/08/2021 22:57

I would want to be woken up for this tbh.

lifesgoodwithlg · 19/08/2021 22:58

When my little girl was a few weeks old she was clusterfeeding. I was crying with tiredness, I fell asleep and my partner woke me to ask if I wanted anything in the shop. I cried again and he learned that the only reason to wake me was if someone was dying.

KilledByWitches · 19/08/2021 22:59

The (young teens) kids asleep after a 6am start to drive up to the grand canyon. Woke them as we were crossing the Hoover Dam (when you could still drive over). I was met with words that sounded something like "ughnggy ghyhst baaaa" which roughly translated to"ill look on the way back". DH and I took pictures, grabbed a drink and they remained asleep in the back seat throughout.
They did see it out the window on our return but they missed out on walking over it.

Brimorion · 19/08/2021 23:04

@Howshouldibehave

There are only two reasons to wake a sleeping person
  1. Telling them it’s snowing
  2. Telling them that a famous person has died.

Proper true

I dispute this. My mother woke me up to tell me Princess Diana had died — I was visiting my parents in university vac and had come home from a club at 5am, and thought at first she meant my friend Diane had died, and nearly had a heart attack. I still do not know to this day why she thought waking someone with zero interest in the British monarchy with the news was in any way needed.
mineofuselessinformation · 19/08/2021 23:04

I woke DC1 when they were little to see an alignment of the planets. To be fair, it was quite special, but I'm not sure they really appreciated it! Grin

KilledByWitches · 19/08/2021 23:25

My mother woke me up to tell me Princess Diana had died

@Brimorion exactly what my MIL did to me, only I was 8 months pregnant with DD at the time. I was distinctly unimpressed and like you had no interest at all really.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/08/2021 23:27

About 20 years ago , I was dozing in front of the TV on the floor .
"D"H shouts " 70 ! 70! Wake Up"

I went from sprawled to standing in one leap thinking I'd slept in and was really late for work ....

"You;re snoring" he said
I nearly fecking killed him Angry

MyNameForToday1980 · 19/08/2021 23:29

I distinctly remember my parents waking me up to see a fleet of hot air balloons (I was about 4) and me thinking they were waking me because the house was in fire or some such disaster.

Clearthinking · 19/08/2021 23:36

Exhausted from birth, home about a week. Husband woke me after a bad night to ask where the other childs uniform was. Had 3 hours sleep. Clothes were laid out downstairs ironed, ready to be put on... still haven't forgiven him!

Libraryghost · 19/08/2021 23:39

I woke my husband to tell him Princess Diana died and he told me to fuck off. That’s my overriding memory of that day,

FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 19/08/2021 23:40

@Howshouldibehave

There are only two reasons to wake a sleeping person
  1. Telling them it’s snowing
  2. Telling them that a famous person has died.

Proper true

Michael McIntyre does a very funny skit about this exact rule!

My mum woke me up at about 5am when Princess Diana died. We were a royalist family and mum woke early that morning, which was unusual and had the urge to watch the news and saw it! I'm not woo and I think it's nothing more than a coincidence but I'm sure mum thinks Ghost Diana went to her - of all the people to visit, she decided on a random Yorkshire woman she'd never met - maybe blew on her face to wake her so she could see the news 😂😂

JulesCobb · 19/08/2021 23:44

I dispute this. My mother woke me up to tell me Princess Diana had died — I was visiting my parents in university vac and had come home from a club at 5am, and thought at first she meant my friend Diane had died, and nearly had a heart attack. I still do not know to this day why she thought waking someone with zero interest in the British monarchy with the news was in any way needed.

My mother did the same! I had also been out clubbing until the early hours and was unimpressed at being woken up for it. Very sad news, but nothing I could have done about it so it could have waited.

Pinkchocolate · 19/08/2021 23:47

Mine is a sleeping one too. My teen daughter woke me up on my birthday with a card that explodes with confetti, I burst into tears and threw it before coming to my senses and cuddling her and thanking her for “her wonderful card”.

Pbbananabagel · 20/08/2021 00:09

my husband thought it would be a great idea to get me a cute and funky vintage bicycle for my 30th…. But I have never learnt to ride a bike and am distinctly wary of the thing and it’s uneven front wheel Confused. It’s sat in the garage ever since.

VienneseWhirligig · 20/08/2021 00:16

My family let sleeping dogs (me) sleep through an amazing drive across a road that split the sea, and past the actual Black Pearl ship. I've never forgiven them, would have loved to be woken up Grin

RandomDent · 20/08/2021 00:17

My dad also did the Princess Diana one on me. I had been out the night before. He woke me up and said she was dead. I replied “No she’s not!” and went back to my drunken snoring.

FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 20/08/2021 00:22

In fairness Princess Diana was by far the most famous woman in the world at the time. It was pretty shocking.

stayathomer · 20/08/2021 00:25

Sorry, I disagree with the snow one!! There's been so much snow these last few years and I just can't take the 'it's snowing' scream when I'm asleep anymore!!

CoRhona · 20/08/2021 00:48

I would definitely have wanted to be woken for dolphins!

Re Princess Diana, I had woken up and put the news on and saw Tony Blair talking about a death of a royal. I completely assumed it was the Queen Mother and could not believe it when I realised. It really was huge, incomparable news at the time.

Wineat5isfine · 20/08/2021 00:49

There are definitely rules around this.

  1. if it’s snowing
  2. if friends/family have died (don’t care about famous people)
  3. if deliveroo has arrived during my disco nap
FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop · 20/08/2021 01:05

Anyone waking me to tell me it was snowing would be getting a Glasgow kiss for their efforts