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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Spends all his time with parent

160 replies

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:03

Background, four years ago my husbands Dad died leaving behind his mum. His dad was very much the domesticated one so mum needs a bit of support which is fine.
However this has snowballed from support to daily excursions, weekly trips to her favourite bar where she goes with her friends every Friday and multiple holidays a year. Which me and the children don’t go on because they are pensioner holidays.

this has taken a huge toll on our relationship. Where we would normally talk or go out of an evening, he’s with his mother, where we would normally take our Childeren out for weekends away, we’re now not allowed to do that. Mum has to come with us on every meal out we may have and Mum is worked into every plan. Even to the point of apologising to mum if we go anywhere or talking down about it, if we even take a simple lunch out, as if it wasn’t a very good lunch and sorry mum!
mum is actually doing very well all things considered however this has now become my husbands full time occupation (on top of his full time obligation to his occupation) and I’ve simply had enough.

mum is lovely and it’s not her fault but the whole thing just leaves me raging that I’ve been pushed literally to the end of the line. My needs aren’t cared about let alone met and if I say I am lonely, it’s laughed off in favour of keeping mum company.

Mum is very hale and his could end up going on for another 15 years and I have no idea how our relationship can be sustained.

im not asking him to do less, because I know he won’t. He’s utterly devoted to her and I know completely there’s no compromise to be had, so the question really is -
am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:
WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:24

Will
someone@ please answer?

OP posts:
EmilyTjP · 02/02/2024 19:25

YANBU and I absolutely couldn’t live like this.

mamacorn1 · 02/02/2024 19:26

I couldn’t have this , honestly I would leave him.

Allfur · 02/02/2024 19:27

His mother isn't that lovely if she's enabling this behaviour

HVPRN · 02/02/2024 19:28

It's been going on for 4 years?

As a suggestion, is she willing enough to find some 'company'?

hulahoopqueen · 02/02/2024 19:28

I'd be embarrassed if my son was neglecting his family to do this. I'm surprised she isn't. I'm so sorry this is happening to you.
I'd absolutely feel the same way, YADNBU.

DisforDarkChocolate · 02/02/2024 19:29

He's being a twat and his Mother is happily enabling it. My MIL would not let her son do this.

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:29

She is in her 80s. I expect she just enjoys having someone to talk to.
I agree it has crossed my mind why hasn’t she sent him Home but quite honestly I believe that he’d poo-poo it and say “don’t worry it’s fine”

OP posts:
Seymour5 · 02/02/2024 19:31

How old is mum?

Workawayxx · 02/02/2024 19:31

Nobody could put up with this situation. He’s basically married to his mother and you’re the domestic servant and child rearer.

his mother must realise this is way way too much.

I think you need to be much more vocal about this to him as the reality is it is going to end your marriage.

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:31

Somewhat happy to find companionship, they see her friends every Friday night together and she pops to her friends during the week and has a sister who lives abroad to chat too and maybe even visit

OP posts:
misssunshine4040 · 02/02/2024 19:31

How many days/nights a week does he do this?
She's 80 so he maybe feels he doesn't have much time left with her

Bettyscakes · 02/02/2024 19:32

I’d have to speak to him and tell him I’m not sticking around if this doesn’t change.

PonyPatter44 · 02/02/2024 19:32

I agree - why doesn't she want some normal friends, rather than being stapled to her mimsy son's side?

I think its time for a come to Jesus talk with him. Tell him what you told us that you are fed up being last in his priorities, and you are considering separation. Does he work?

TremendousTurnip · 02/02/2024 19:34

Why does he have to go with her to see her friends? Why can't she see her friends on her own?

Seymour5 · 02/02/2024 19:35

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:29

She is in her 80s. I expect she just enjoys having someone to talk to.
I agree it has crossed my mind why hasn’t she sent him Home but quite honestly I believe that he’d poo-poo it and say “don’t worry it’s fine”

Sorry, cross posted. Lots of older people live alone without the need for that much time spent with their adult children.

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:35

It’s every day, usually a phone call in the day and then daily visits, every Friday they go out without fail. Over the weekend we visit daily.

OP posts:
WearyAuldWumman · 02/02/2024 19:36

One holiday a year with his mum might be reasonable. Multiple holidays while you stay at home with the children? Oh no. What's he doing - accompanying her on Saga trips? Saga actually organise one person holidays. [Source: I'm a widowed pensioner.]

My late husband's ex lost her first boyfriend and then her next partner. Any time the adult kids and grandchildren visited our area, they always put her first because she was "on her own". (Not for long, she wasn't. Less than one year between men - she's on number 4 now - and she had quite a busy social life.)

We'd organise a meal on the evening that was 'our turn' with the kids but there would be an inevitable "Mum's invited too?" and we acquiesced for an easy life. Mistake.

I don't know what you do, other than lay your cards on the table. Tell him bluntly that - quite apart from his neglect of you - he's a neglectful father.

As I said, one holiday a year with his mother might be reasonable. No more than that. He shouldn't need to accompany her to the bar. Is he her mode of transport? Surely taxis could be organised if this a weekly event?

wellhello24 · 02/02/2024 19:37

It’s not healthy and is also deeply unattractive

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:38

He enjoys their Friday outings. He doesn’t see it or any of it as a chore whatsoever. He’s a good son, that’s for sure. I would be a twice a week kind of visitor I think.

there really isn’t any bringing it up or talking it out, I have done over the years and I’m told I can’t control him or tell him what he can or cannot do.

it’s really nice to hear that I’m not crazy and that I’m not being unreasonable. It doesn’t make any difference apart from making me feel less like a bad person, thank you

OP posts:
Furrydogmum · 02/02/2024 19:38

How old are you both?

Left · 02/02/2024 19:40

This sounds awful OP.
What ages are your children? Surely they want to be doing other things at weekends?

Autumcolors · 02/02/2024 19:41

Marriage counseling? Maybe he’d take you seriously then.

WhyWhyY · 02/02/2024 19:42

Sorry im
unsure how to reply where you can see what I’m replying to-but mum drives and the bar is only round the corner from
her house so they walk anyway.

I really expected you all to say like him that I shouldn’t try to stop him (I never did I asked him to calm down with it) doing what he wants to do.

he probably is worried about her dying too and I really
get that. He’s been lucky with his family that they are really good people so I know the attraction but I would have loved it to be, something like dinner with us once a week and maybe a weekend lunch and yes why not a holiday but not twice a year.

OP posts:
Puzzledandpissedoff · 02/02/2024 19:43

Mum is lovely and it’s not her fault but the whole thing just leaves me raging that I’ve been pushed literally to the end of the line. My needs aren’t cared about let alone met and if I say I am lonely, it’s laughed off in favour of keeping mum company

It's not her fault in that he could say no, but any "lovely" woman would think of you too and insist she didn't need him there so much

And he's certainly not lovely to laugh at you feeling lonely, to say nothing of the DCs who miss out on holidays while he takes his mum

I almost hope this is some sort of joke, but if not it would be ultimatum time for me - and I say that as someone who almost never gives them

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