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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Worried about friends future

47 replies

Thetravellingwanderer · 26/07/2023 11:35

NC for this

I have a friend, lets call her A and she appears to have absolutely zero ambition to try and improve her life.

A is almost 42, Single, 2 kids, 15 and 8 I think, both in FTE, she has no job, hasn't worked for over 15yrs and seemingly doesn't seem to be thinking about the future.

She has never learned to drive, and makes her own parents, who are well into their 70s drive her food shopping each week, and not just that but any trip needs to be accommodated by her parents, basically anywhere outside of the town she lives, think about all the times any parent just takes their kids to the seaside/zoo/after school clubs, they even take them all on a family holiday. She can't do any of it, thing is her parents won't be able to drive forever, and I have gently enquired as to where she sees herself in the future, there is a high chance her kids will move out of the local area as it is a small town, and her parents won't be able to drive her about anymore.

There is also the housing situation, she lives in a new build house which is provided via Council/HA, I haven't enquired which, but to those in the know, what happens when both the kids turn 18, Child benefit will stop I know, and i'm sure once they move out the council will say you can't have a 3bed for 1 person, so I don't know where she will go, or how she will pay her way, I fear she will end up having to move back into her parents in her mid-late fifties

Friend A is generally a nice person, loves her kids, but airs all her life over social media, including slating her EX of the 2nd child all the time, I can't help but feel this will negatively be picked up by her children, and whatever issues there are at least keep it yourself and between the ex.

Myself and other mums are a mixture of single/coupled parents, all with similar aged kids, and each one of us is either back at work/studying trying to provide a better life for ourselves, showing our kids a strong work ethic etc, I don't think there is a valid reason why she doesn't go back to work, she will say she suffers with Mental health every now and then, but I believe from knowing her over 20yrs, this is more a copout, and it is more a case of being mentally weak, her parents have enabled this behaviour and i feel she needs a bit of a reality check and kick up the backside, she seems to think that she will meet a man and everything will be ok. However a relationship is more team work, and she claims all her exes have had red flags, when in reality I don't think many men will choose to date an unemployed mum who can't drive, as they don't want to be a taxi service and bank card for someone who stays at home. If it was the other way round and by all the threads on here, I know women would say kick this person out they are a leach.

The issue is now myself and others are beginning to tire of As attitude, she doesn't really have anything to talk about apart from talk nonsense about her Ex, and we are all getting tired and weary with it. I fear she is being left behind in life, and hasn't realised what will happen when her kids move out, living their own lives and social commitments, I fear she will be making them drive her around for the rest of her life, can you imagine if they move towns and she is saying they need to pick her up and take her food shopping etc. We are at the point where we are planning holidays with other couples/friends etc, and of course she can't afford to do any of it, but we shouldn't feel bad for wanting to have a good life if we are working for it.

AIBU to slowly distance myself from this friend?

OP posts:
Convincemebob · 26/07/2023 12:51

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

squashi · 26/07/2023 13:01

I think it's ok to try and distance yourself from someone if you're tired of them and don't really want the friendship anymore. Perhaps you could take a step back to think about how you truly feel and what you can, or should, have some influence over. You seem quite invested in aspects of her life which don't impact you much or haven't even happened yet (e.g. will her kids have to drive her around in the future?) She's entitled to live her life how she wants, but you aren't obliged to be friends if it doesn't work for you.

MardaNorton · 26/07/2023 13:02

Your title and the conclusion of your post are asking two entirely different things. You title expresses 'concern' about your friend's future, whereas, after a barrage of detailed criticism, the conclusion of your actual post asks if you'd be unreasonable to 'slowly distance myself from this friend' -- why?

Do you think poverty, a poor work ethic and poor MH are catching? Is your 'friend' (though nothing you say suggests you actually care for her) asking you to save her from her life, take her grocery shopping, introduce her to men?

Myself and other mums are a mixture of single/coupled parents, all with similar aged kids, and each one of us is either back at work/studying trying to provide a better life for ourselves, showing our kids a strong work ethic etc

It sounds to me as if you're smugly enjoying the contrast you perceive between your life and hers.

Oceanus · 26/07/2023 13:36

Go and live your life. To each their own. She isn't your problem. I can understand you thinking about it and not agreeing with her choices but, and this is where I disagree with you, most wouldn't go online like this. You're too invested in a life which isn't yours and you're taking on problems which aren't yours to solve and don't yet exist. She's not your problem to fix. At her age, you're not going to be the one to change her. She is who she is, if you can't accept that just move on.
You're allowed to feel what you feel about your friend but this isn't healthy for you.

CherryMaDeara · 26/07/2023 13:43

All you needed to say is ‘AIBU to distance myself from friend who only talks about her ex?’

All the other details are unnecessary. You say you ‘worry’, you ‘fear’ but it doesn’t sound like you do and you should t have to.

It doesn’t matter who is going to drive her around in 10 years time as long as it’s not you.

she will say she suffers with Mental health every now and then, but I believe from knowing her over 20yrs, this is more a copout, and it is more a case of being mentally weak, her parents have enabled this behaviour and i feel she needs a bit of a reality check and kick up the backside

She may well have mental health issues and it doesn’t sound like you have given her any encouragement to change things.

ManateeFair · 26/07/2023 14:12

Literally none of your so-called 'concerns' are actually any of your business. You're not concerned about her, you just don't approve of her choices and want everyone to agree with you that she's a terrible person.

It's to distance yourself from anyone whose company you don't enjoy. If you don't like the woman or the way she lives her life, simply don't be friends with her. You don't need to list her perceived shortcomings on Mumsnet and pretend you are 'concerned' for her as an excuse.

tara66 · 26/07/2023 14:30

Did you know it is still taking 6 months to get a driving test? DVLA has done nothing to catch up on test not taken during covid it seems. Friend failed this month and had been waiting to take test since Xmas. She now has to wait until December to retake, She failed because she misunderstood the Sat Nav voice instructions to ''take second left turning''- she took first left turning. I think they are discouraging people from driving because of ''saving environment'' policy - which seems logical. Fewer drivers that pass test = less pollution.

readbooksdrinktea · 26/07/2023 14:35

ManateeFair · 26/07/2023 14:12

Literally none of your so-called 'concerns' are actually any of your business. You're not concerned about her, you just don't approve of her choices and want everyone to agree with you that she's a terrible person.

It's to distance yourself from anyone whose company you don't enjoy. If you don't like the woman or the way she lives her life, simply don't be friends with her. You don't need to list her perceived shortcomings on Mumsnet and pretend you are 'concerned' for her as an excuse.

On point. You're just inviting criticism from strangers.

lovemyselfmore · 26/07/2023 14:50

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This user is a troll so we have deleted their posts and threads.

Convincemebob · 26/07/2023 14:54

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This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Beachwalker66 · 26/07/2023 14:59

The smugness is just leaking out of the OP.

It is none of your judgy business how this woman gets from A to B or where she lives. I don’t know why you refer to her as a friend as you don’t appear to be kindly disposed to her.

BunnyBettChettwynd · 26/07/2023 15:11

Oh dear OP. You think she's mentally weak and needs a kick up the backside.

This is all awfully unkind.

Thoughtful2355 · 26/07/2023 15:18

no they dont kick you out of a social housing house. the tenancies are for life for that reason, yes she should downsize but she would be able to do that IF she wanted to via a mutual exchange.

you sound way too invested in her life and shouldnt care too much about what she does with her life.

Thoughtful2355 · 26/07/2023 15:18

also yes she wont get CHB so she will live off universal credit / job seekers no doubt.

nalabae · 26/07/2023 16:01

Isn't your business but your friend is a bum and I know I wouldn't be hanging around with a bum

aunttrixie · 26/07/2023 16:04

Well the easiest thing would be to hope this 'friend' finds your thread and dumps you first! What an unpleasant essay about this poor woman, I can't imagine sharing so much detail about someone else on the internet and inviting others to judge. You sound utterly horrible and she'd be better off without you.

YabbaDabbaDooooo · 26/07/2023 16:12

‘Friend’ my arse. You can’t even be sure how old her kids are! 😂

Obvs you’re better off without each other.

Tighginn · 26/07/2023 16:16

Do you judge everyone you come into contact with, or is this a special slot reserved for friend a?

BarrellingAlong · 26/07/2023 16:18

God. What a nasty post about a "friend".

You're no friend to this woman, OP.

girlfriend44 · 26/07/2023 16:37

Good what an awful post, so what if she dosent drive, its up to her to worry about these things none of your business.

You obvs dont like her so just leave her alone then.

DrManhattan · 26/07/2023 16:40

Why aren't you worried about your own life? Seems odd to me

girlfriend44 · 26/07/2023 16:46

I don't think many men will choose to date an unemployed mum who can't drive, as they don't want to be a taxi service and bank card for someone who stays at home.

Dreadful, how do you know what every man wants, so no men go out with women who cant drive lol much.

Your just having a nasty rant disguised as concern?

wonder what she thinks of you?

girlfriend44 · 26/07/2023 16:48

I fear she will be making them drive her around for the rest of her life, can you imagine if they move towns and she is saying they need to pick her up and take her food shopping etc

lol talk about assuming lots of things and looking into the future.

How do you know they will drive?
how do you know they wont mind driving her round, shes their mum and she might do things for them in return?

How do you know she will ask them?
How do you know she wont do online shopping?
How do you know anything about the future?

Beargrumps22 · 26/07/2023 17:01

think you and your friends should not be so judgemental and mind your own business, how she lives her life is up to her not you

Testina · 26/07/2023 17:15

Worried, my arse. You just enjoyed that wee bitching session, didn’t you?

Council / HA, “I haven’t enquired which”. Well good - because it’s none of your business