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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:
GrandmaAli · 19/10/2021 05:13

Evangeli

I wish you all the best! I think it will work out, one way or another.

jennythesquirrel · 19/10/2021 06:11

...this isn't the last thread we will hear on mammy dearest

Standrewsschool · 19/10/2021 08:04

It’ll be interesting to see how much of the moving process he does by himself, and how much his mum does. It’s fair enough to invite your mum around for a second viewing, to gauge someone else’s opinion. But nothing more. At 42, he should be doing all the paperwork etc.

My son, in his early twenties manage to book two mortgage appointments by himself.

BruceAndNosh · 19/10/2021 08:06

I assume that if he moves closer to you, he'll be geographically further from Mammy.
Or maybe not...?

FinallyHere · 19/10/2021 08:55

This sounds uneasily as if OP is doing the pick me dance with his alternative being his mother

jennythesquirrel · 19/10/2021 17:29

@Evangeli - I spent years doing this dance and his mother won.

I can never get my years back. It is a huge regret. He was as bad as her in the end. Maybe worse......

Don't waste your own life.

Find someone else who puts you first. Life is short. Flowers Smile

dayswithaY · 19/10/2021 19:45

Yep, been there, done that. Mammy dropped off individual packets of vitamin pills for him to take daily, posted a TV license application form through the door on our first day in our new house - no one had asked her to.

I opened the door to find her picking litter up off the front step, opened the blinds one morning to find her weeding the garden. We were expected to spend the whole weekend in her kitchen being fed dinner.

It took a long time but I stood my ground and removed the superglue that she had placed on her and her son. They were both at fault. He totally got it, she just hated me.

If you want this man you need a lot of ground rules and patience.

Lynne1Cat · 19/10/2021 19:52

He's 42, doesn't change his own bed or do his washing?! His mum arranges all the appointments for him?

My sons are 37 and 40 (lead independent lives). If your bloke can't even do his own washing, he hasn't really grown up. The relationship with his mum sounds very dependant - he can't/won't sort out his own life, and she can't let him go, probably needs to be needed.

Do you want a boy or a man? I think you've got a boy.

EspressoDoubleShot · 19/10/2021 19:59

@dayswithaY

Yep, been there, done that. Mammy dropped off individual packets of vitamin pills for him to take daily, posted a TV license application form through the door on our first day in our new house - no one had asked her to.

I opened the door to find her picking litter up off the front step, opened the blinds one morning to find her weeding the garden. We were expected to spend the whole weekend in her kitchen being fed dinner.

It took a long time but I stood my ground and removed the superglue that she had placed on her and her son. They were both at fault. He totally got it, she just hated me.

If you want this man you need a lot of ground rules and patience.

Christ alive it’s kind of comedic how you describe it. The bat shit mammy in the garden
Alonelonelylonersbadidea · 20/10/2021 15:44

NOOOOO

ARE YOU SLEEPING WITH MY MAN?!!!!

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