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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To walk away from my mother while she’s grieving

62 replies

Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 14:16

I’m at the end of my tether and not sure what to do.

My mother and I have never had a good relationship. She is very selfish and self absorbed. She’s an alcoholic. She has no friends and no relationship with any non immediate family as she drives everyone away. If you don’t agree with everything she says you’re shouted at. My father and her lived apart for some years but he was loyal to her to the end. My mother treated my father like a piece of shit too, he was her whipping boy and he put up with it. I only spoke to her because my dad would moan at me if I didn’t so I did it to keep him happy as I was very close to my father.

My dad died quite suddenly last month. I haven’t been able to grieve properly. I understand my mum is upset but she doesn’t seem to understand that myself and my siblings are grieving too. She just sits and drinks all the time and expects everyone to run around after her. I am the only one with children and I am a single parent. I’m self employed to had to go back to work the week after the funeral. If you don’t phone every day she moans at me. She hardly ever answers the phone but complains that I don’t phone her. Not once has she asked how I am feeling about my dad. Everything is about her, I told her last night my son had been very upset the other day and she just started talking about herself. I don’t think she’ll be happy until I’m waiting on her hand and foot. Every phone conversation drains me completely. I have no one I can talk to about my father, I miss him dreadfully. She even said to my brother that no one is as upset as her. I just know that this will be her to the end of her days, sitting drinking and lambasting everyone. She never asks about the children but expects us to give up our weekends sitting in her smoky living room listening to her going on about herself and bitching about everyone.

There’s no point in talking to her, any time anyone has done this in the past she goes absolutely mental, she is always right and everyone else is wrong. I really want to just walk away from her, she’s never been a mother to me and is like a noose round my neck. AIBU

OP posts:
MeredithGreyishblue · 28/10/2021 14:20

I don't think you would be unreasonable, no.

I'm so sorry for your loss. You and your children need space to grieve. Flowers

SummerHouse · 28/10/2021 14:20

Step away. You can't help her and nor should you. You need to look after yourself. Flowers

Sickoffamilydrama · 28/10/2021 14:22

Definitely not just speak and see her as much or as little as suits you.

Lottapianos · 28/10/2021 14:24

No, you're not unreasonable. I'm so sorry about your dad. Your mother sounds very similar to my MIL, apart from the drinking. We lost FIL recently and she has been no support whatsoever to my partner. They can't grieve together as everything is all about her. It's bloody exhausting, very tedious and highly toxic. I think what saves my partner's sanity is that she lives hours away so we don't see her very often

Do you get anything positive from your relationship with your mother? Does she bring anything good to your life? If no, ask yourself what is the point of your relationship with her. You have had a dreadfully tough time, you're in pain, you're grieving. It sounds like she is making a tough situation even worse. It sounds like nothing is ever right, ever good enough - that is pretty soul destroying to listen to. She may be your mother but you are not her punchbag or plaything. How would it feel if you did cut ties with her? Or maybe it doesn't have to be all or nothing - how would it feel to drastically reduce contact with her, to a level you feel you could better cope with?

SilverBirchWithout · 28/10/2021 14:26

Step away. Nothing you do will change her behaviour, do it in the way that best works for you. Maybe a phone call every 4 days or so, no need to have it out with her, just gradually reduce contact, make calls brief. Maybe next call explain you will phone again on a certain day.
Sorry for your lose Flowers

Albanian · 28/10/2021 14:26

I am very sorry for your loss. You say you have no one to talk to about your father. Is it not possible to talk to your siblings about him? Best wishes.

Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 14:29

Lottapianos thank you for your reply; and everyone else as well.

Honestly, I would be happy to never see her again, I’ve felt like this for years. I can’t stand her. She’s the most horrible bitter twisted person I’ve ever met. She brings nothing to my life at all.

OP posts:
Kitkatchunkyplease · 28/10/2021 14:30

I am really sorry about your dad.

ApolloandDaphne · 28/10/2021 14:33

Walk away allow yourself the space to grieve.

Lottapianos · 28/10/2021 14:33

OP, I don't blame you for feeling that way. She sounds very unpleasant, and a real drain on your energy. Only you can make the decision to walk away, but you certainly don't have to put up with her awful behaviour just because she's your mother

caramelcracker · 28/10/2021 14:33

It sounds like your mother has made your life harder for a long time. You don't owe her anything, particularly not currently when you are experiencing a loss yourself. I would consider whether a psychological therapy might be helpful for you to support you in establishing greater boundaries with your mother. She sounds exhausting. Your main priority as i should be is your own children and yourself. Flowers

Notaroadrunner · 28/10/2021 14:34

@Lbnc2021

Lottapianos thank you for your reply; and everyone else as well.

Honestly, I would be happy to never see her again, I’ve felt like this for years. I can’t stand her. She’s the most horrible bitter twisted person I’ve ever met. She brings nothing to my life at all.

You really should go NC with her and get some counselling for yourself to help you with your bereavement. Your focus needs to be on yourself and your dc. Your mother made her choices long before your dad died so she doesn't get to play the 'poor me' card now. Allow yourself to be free of her.
Thedogscollar · 28/10/2021 14:35

@Lbnc2021

Lottapianos thank you for your reply; and everyone else as well.

Honestly, I would be happy to never see her again, I’ve felt like this for years. I can’t stand her. She’s the most horrible bitter twisted person I’ve ever met. She brings nothing to my life at all.

Your last sentence says it all. You need to go into self preservation mode look after yourself and your children. My condolences to you and your children. From the sounds of it your poor father had a lot to put up with. Don't let the cycle continue with you OP. Flowers
Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 14:37

My younger brother knows exactly what she’s like but feels duty bound to run around after her, he’s like my dad in that respect. When my dad was ill in hospital we were told if he survived he would need life long care and my brother said there was no way he was going to live with my mum as she would knock him off his head and we discussed me getting a bigger home so he could live with me. My mum put us through years of hell because she would lambast my dad for everything to the point where he tried to commit suicide. He still went back to her after that. She seems to forget all this though.

OP posts:
TheAverageUser · 28/10/2021 14:37

Protect yourself too, your first priority should be yourself. I'm so sorry about you dad x

Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 14:41

I did get in contact with cruse who are going to get back to me. My close friends tell me to walk away. If I’m honest the only reason I work as much just now is so as I have an excuse not to speak to her. I am exhausted. My children’s father works overseas and is back today so the children will be spending lots of time with him but I’ll be expected to sit and run about after her constantly. I just want to lock my door and lie in my bed and speak to no one. She only lives 2 streets away and it won’t be long before she’s turning up at my door.

OP posts:
1forAll74 · 28/10/2021 14:54

Is your Mother of a sound mind as such. drinking all the time, can cause a kind of alcohol dementia, that makes people very disagreeable all the time, and unpleasant to be with. Maybe you should do a bit of harsh talking to your Mother, about her unpleasant life style, You are allowed to do this,if you have to visit her, and it would be for her own good.

But basically, cut down any visits to her,if this feels better.

Lottapianos · 28/10/2021 14:58

2 streets away! Good god, you poor thing. What would happen if you just DON'T run around after her? Don't take her calls, don't go round, don't be available

Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 14:59

No she’s always been like this, even before she started drinking but it took me years to realise that she was actually a horrible person. The drinking just amplifies the nastiness.

OP posts:
VeganCheesePlease · 28/10/2021 15:02

I'm so sorry about the loss of your dad Flowers
You are not even being a little bit unreasonable. If you went back to work a week after his funeral, you've likely not even had your own time to grieve, never mind adding having to run around after your mum on top of that.
Be kind to yourself OP. You matter, and your right to grieve your dad matters.

MummyJ12 · 28/10/2021 15:16

I’m sorry for your loss OP Flowers I don’t think that YABU at all. I have unfortunately been in your position with a very similar relationship with my mum. Except she wasn’t alcohol dependent. I moved in with her for 6 months afterwards and not only was that time absolute hell, she now denies that I did that! I may as well have just walked away because that’s what she says I did.
It’s draining and they are too self absorbed to see past their own grief or even allow others to grieve. Put yourself and your children first. You need some space, and time to allow yourself to grieve.
Take care x

SeaToSki · 28/10/2021 15:30

Sounds like its time for a new regime

Two options for you

Go over and give her a piece of your mind, really let loose. Then hopefully she will leave you alone for a bit and you can ignore her in peace. Then go and get some counselling for yourself

Text her and tell her you are struggling and need to grieve and you wont be in contact for a while and ask her to give you some space. Then block her number and dont answer the door to her (get a ring doorbell so you can see who it is). Then get some counselling for yourself

Either way she will bad mouth you, but it sounds like she is foul to everyone, so anyone who hears her will secretly think you have done a good thing or is irrelevant to your life

Notaroadrunner · 28/10/2021 15:31

@Lbnc2021

I did get in contact with cruse who are going to get back to me. My close friends tell me to walk away. If I’m honest the only reason I work as much just now is so as I have an excuse not to speak to her. I am exhausted. My children’s father works overseas and is back today so the children will be spending lots of time with him but I’ll be expected to sit and run about after her constantly. I just want to lock my door and lie in my bed and speak to no one. She only lives 2 streets away and it won’t be long before she’s turning up at my door.
You may well be expected to run around for her but that doesn't mean you have to. Time to put yourself first now. Send her a message to say you are not available to see or speak to her for the foreseeable future as you come to terms with your father's death. Then block her so you don't get bombarded with phone calls/texts. If she does call to your house don't answer the door to her. Organise some things to do for yourself while the kids are with their dad - meet a friend for dinner, go for walks, go shopping. If you can afford it take yourself off to a nearby city for a break for a couple of nights. Just take some time for you. Don't respond to your brother either as no doubt he'll try to drag you down too.
Lbnc2021 · 28/10/2021 15:32

It’s not only the demanding attitude she’s got. When you speak to her she insists on going over and over my dads death, she’s now convinced the covid vaccine killed him and of course you aren’t allowed to disagree with her. I find it distressing to keep reliving the moment he died, we were all there when he passed away but I don’t want to have to rehash it all the time. My older brother asked her to stop going on about it as it was upsetting him and she went mental at him. She also spends every conversation bitching about my sisters in law who take as little do with her as possible and trying to drag me into agreeing with her. The other issue is my dads estate, he died without a will and my brothers and I will be entitled to something from it due to the size of it. She’s already told me my brother said she’s to get everything and we won’t take anything, my brother said no such thing. I know for a fact she will want me to hand it all over to her desire the fact she will be quite comfortable. My dad would have given us the shirt off his back, there’s no way he would want me to hand tens of thousands to someone who will have hundreds of thousands but it’s not a fight I want to have. She’s going as executor so I know she’ll keep it all to herself and I’d need to take her to court but I wouldn’t disrespect my dad like that, it’s more symbolic the fact she’d rather see her children go without just so she has more.

OP posts:
SoniaFouler · 28/10/2021 15:35

You would NOT be unreasonable to walk away. Don’t answer the door to her on your days off once your children are with their dad. In fact, I’d be tempted to book myself into a hotel room. You shouldn’t have to, but at least you will be in peace and not anticipating a knock at the door (though I understand home comforts are important too). So sorry to hear about your dad

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