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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

BF's relationship with his Mom- red flag or not?

160 replies

Evangeli · 17/10/2021 12:38

Dating for three years now. Everything lovely, great company, great sex, similar tastes blah blah blah. talking about buying a house and moving in together when time is right. BUT (there's always a but, right?).
BF is an only child. Never married, no kids. He's 42, fully-functioning and capable. Are these red flags?

Mom has a key to his apartment and pops in and out - a couple of times walking in on us although I understand now she texts and that hasn't happened in the recent past.
Mom does a lot of his housework, right down changing his sheets and doing his laundry.
Mom has full knowledge son’s eating habits and sleeping schedule, not to mention arranging his car check-ups, medical and bank appointments. (I know because she'll call while I'm with him, or he'll even mention it himself, not seeing anything odd about this).

i've told him point-blank that you realise if we actually do end up living together this won't continue and he says oh yes I know.

One of our biggest fights happened when he was with his mom, mentioned he was tired, he was seeing me later that night, and she went on at him about cancelling with me since he's tired and needs an early night, to the extent that "just to get her to leave me alone" he texted me and cancelled while he was still with her. I found that very disrespectful and inappropriate. We did end up seeing each other later, and he wasn't tired at all.

I remember reading a novel by an Irishwoman- very fun read (can't remember her name) and she makes fun of the "Irish Catholic Mammy" or the ICM for short, who does her son's laundry etc- that fits BF's mom perfectly (she is of Irish descent and is catholic).

My mom (now dead) was very interfering and overbearing in her own way, but not to this level detail (honestly tho maybe she would be if I'd let her), plus we are four siblings, so very different dynamic.

What do you think?

OP posts:
Brollywasntneededafterall · 17/10/2021 12:42

My dd had a similar bf but he was 20's...his dm bought them a washing machine but still took her ds's stuff away and it came back washed and ironed... She also made his bait every day... Dropped it off before she went to work. Dd never truly respected him tbh.. He couldn't manage his own life at all.

Bumblenums1234 · 17/10/2021 12:44

Hell no! She will be the third person in your relationship

LawnFever · 17/10/2021 12:44

I think after 42 years that level of involvement in his life will be difficult to stop tbh.

If you move in together would you rent to start with, and see it as a trial?

EspressoDoubleShot · 17/10/2021 12:45

I think they’ve probably been used to being a unit of 2 for long time,and have retained an overly infantilising relationship
Doesn’t make him weird it does however mean he need to set boundaries
Mum doing his laundry & spontaneously popping in it’s not appropriate
Yes! She’s the archetypal Irish mammy,no woman good enough or clean enough for the boy
I say that as someone from Irish catholic family familiar with the mammy and auntie

Tal45 · 17/10/2021 12:45

I married someone with a similar mother, it was hell until she died. He would never stand up to her and she hated me because I tried to. My advice is if you're going to move in together you need to move very far away first. I wouldn't do it otherwise.

Evangeli · 17/10/2021 12:46

@Bumblenums1234 That's what i'm worried about. Day to day it's fine, and because we're not living together and see each other a few times a week, it doesn't really affect me and our paths don't cross. But now that we're talking about "the next stage" , I do wonder what it's going to be like.

OP posts:
MrMrsJones · 17/10/2021 12:47

When she steps down, will you be expected to step up?

Bonbon21 · 17/10/2021 12:48

I think you need to find a man to have a relationship with... you are wasting precious time with this Mummys boy....
She will NEVER back off... and why would he want her to?
He might have to grow up..
As for changing his sheets... euch!!

WanderleyWagon · 17/10/2021 12:49

Oh lovey, I wouldn't! I'm also Irish and have seen first hand how hard-wired some men can be in assuming a woman will always take care of them. There's a sort of learned helplessness which I doubt can ever be reversed.

If you do give it a go, then best of luck, but I'd recommend renting together first for a good while before buying, marrying or having kids.

JudgementalCactus · 17/10/2021 12:49

Ewwww! No, just not. Can't think of anything less sexy that a momma's boy in his 40s. If he were 20ish i'd say you could gently steer him towards cutting the umbilical cord. But at 42, no way.

If you move in together or marry be prepared to play the mommy role yourself. Either that or continues to have the overbearing MIL as a constant fixture in your life.

MrsSkylerWhite · 17/10/2021 12:50

I think he’ll expect you to continue where mum left off, if indeed she does leave off.

You need to be crystal clear up front that that won’t be happening.

I do a lot for my son atm. He’s 18, just left home for uni and after isolating throughout his Sixth form college years (CEV dad) he needs a lot of guidance. This time next year, I fully expect him to be a responsible adult who no longer requires that help.

Taoneusa · 17/10/2021 12:51

Do you like her? Does she like you? Could you have a fruitful relationship ?

I have a friend with a Greek mother just like this. Her partner is Jewish and really appreciates the mothering. The - now extremely elderly - Greek mother batch cooks and fills their freezer for them, which as they both work and gave kids is a terrific help.

Evangeli · 17/10/2021 12:51

@Tal45 On our very first date he mentioned clearly that his last long-term relations didn't work out because she wanted to move away and "he does not want to move away from here". his job, community, friends everything is here where he was born and raised, went to uni and now works.

Also they're not a unit of 2, his dad is very much alive and well- but kinda distant from him. I would be more understanding if she was single.

Eg, I find it odd that he very rarely visits his parents both - months can go by without him seeing his dad, but he sees her frequently- she comes by and they go for coffee and shopping and errands together.
I sometimes mention I wish my son will be so attentive to me at that age!

OP posts:
Taoneusa · 17/10/2021 12:52

*have kids

Siriisatwat · 17/10/2021 12:52

Oh man, no way!

I have a 19 year old son - I’m not that involved in his life and he’s still at home!

Things will never change.

EspressoDoubleShot · 17/10/2021 12:53

@WanderleyWagon

Oh lovey, I wouldn't! I'm also Irish and have seen first hand how hard-wired some men can be in assuming a woman will always take care of them. There's a sort of learned helplessness which I doubt can ever be reversed.

If you do give it a go, then best of luck, but I'd recommend renting together first for a good while before buying, marrying or having kids.

Completely agree. For the tutty Irish mammy no woman is good enough, clean enough for the boy
Evangeli · 17/10/2021 12:55

@Taoneusa I do "like" her as a casual acquaintance, I've only seen her for special occasions eg Christmas, birthdays etc. perfectly cordial and polite.

Unfortunately she doesn't cook haha.

I have suggested "jokingly" that maybe she can come clean my house and do my laundry too.

@MrMrsJones actually my close friends said that- what happens when she's too old to clean after him? How long is this expected to continue? Does this mean you'll have to do it all once she can't?

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 17/10/2021 12:56

It sounds as though he is making the effort to move away from her, the impromptu popping in has stopped and he still saw you that night. I think you want to avoid getting into a her or me situation, just make clear how you expect things to operate when you move into together ( mum doesn't have jey for eg. ) and see what he thinks things will be like. If you can't agree then there's your answer

EspressoDoubleShot · 17/10/2021 12:56

Oh God as you elaborate it gets worse. He’s a mammy boy for sure
You’ve clarified The unit of 2 is unit of 3. You’ll never win that battle fir sure
I can’t see this going anywhere he will never prioritise you

chelle862 · 17/10/2021 12:59

I had an ex that had a relationship with his sister like that. She did everything for him apart from wipe his arse. Was weird. Run.

RedHelenB · 17/10/2021 13:00

Key not jey.

Taoneusa · 17/10/2021 13:01

It sounds as though your bf and his mom are really good friends, they like hanging out together, just enjoy each other’s company?

The domestic involvement, ie her washing the bed linen etc could probably be shifted.

Evangeli · 17/10/2021 13:04

I keep telling myself it's normal? Eg my dad had a key to our place when I was with an ex, many years ago (I was in my twenties back then) because he was arranging for some maintenance work there and also because it was right across the street from his workplace at the time. he did actually walk in on us too once. Once we moved from that place, he didn't have a key.

Also I guess a lot of people probably think I baby my son -but he's 15 and no dad- so I really don't have a clear idea of what a normal mother-son relationship should be except pop culture.

OP posts:
MildCreamyCheddar · 17/10/2021 13:05

If you want to end up in a relationship like mine where the manchild is unable to step up and wipe their own arse, where despite being too disabled to tidy up after myself properly I'm expected to do so after him (and my kids) too, then sure, buy a house with him.

I have. And I cry at night at how trapped I am currently.

LawnFever · 17/10/2021 13:06

@MrMrsJones

When she steps down, will you be expected to step up?
This, can he start doing stuff for himself now so he gets used to it, you can’t be expected to take on treating him like a child if she stops.
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