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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Friend advice

21 replies

Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 15:34

sorry this is a very long post -

have a very close friend who I have been friends with for a number of years now. Little back story - we would message everyday, meet up often, our young children are close, FaceTime, be there for each other no matter what, literally know the in’s and out’s of each others lives, basically like sisters. We both did not have huge friendship circles outside of this but a few friends (separate).

Just over a year ago, she said to me “I envy those women with big groups of friends” - fine I’m sure we have all felt like this time to time but then she found these friends not so long after at a school she had sent her DS too. This is when she started to change. She suddenly stopped replying to messages, and if she did she would overlook any questions on my side, she stopped responding to me asking if she wanted to catch up etc and when it got to my birthday I asked her 3x to meet up for it before I gave up. I asked in between if everything was okay on her side as she was very distant and she said all is well - fine. I asked her again a couple of weeks later as I was fed up of feeling like I was chasing a friend and she got very angry with me, saying how she can’t just be there at my beck and call and she is busy with her children to answer my messages (she is online on WhatsApp constantly). Her message was aggressive and defensive and rather arrogant and it really upset me. I don’t feel a true friend would respond in this way!

Anyway fast forward to jan and i grieved the friendship and accepted that things were no longer the same and these new friends took priority over our friendship which apparently was not genuine. She text me that month to say “get ready for Godmother duties in August” - I was so confused! I responded saying you still want me to be DD god mum? We haven’t really been talking and I didn’t feel you liked me very much anymore! She said “are you kidding your my fave person in the whole world” which really confused me

Ever since she has been texting me a little more but I can’t help but feel she pushed me away too much in the last year to then suddenly pull me back in. She is always seeing these new friends, I went to her party last Saturday where she didn’t introduce me to a single one of them (and one of them recognised me from photos and just wanted to comment on how “short” I am!!) She is going to the beach this weekend with her new friends for her DS birthday and hasn’t asked me to come along.

She forgot about my DD’s birthday recently (this wouldn’t happen in our world usually) and still hasn’t bothered to send a card. A lot of other stuff has happened but I would be here all day writing it if I carried on

basically AIBU to want to close off the friendship? Just to add she dropped her maid of honour in the same way when me and her became closer. At the time I thought maybe they just fell out but now I can see she has done the same to me!

i think I just need some perspective and a good vent for being treated so badly as a friend when all iv been is there for her and respectful in our friendship!

thanks for reading if you got this far

OP posts:
Caroparo52 · 05/04/2024 16:10

You've suggested yourself that this friendship is not bringing you happiness and joy so yes it may well be over

ButtockUp · 05/04/2024 16:14

Friends don't treat each other the way she has treated you.

I'd call it a day and forgo any notion of godmother duties.

Sorry you feel so sad about it.

Birch101 · 05/04/2024 16:20

Time to move on sounds like she is using you as she hasn't got a close friend in this new group

Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 16:24

thank you for the replies

she has become incredibly close to two of them so I think she is probably trying to filter me out slowly..

OP posts:
SharpWriter · 05/04/2024 16:24

Seems like she doesn't need you as much as she used to as she has these new mates. But she's keeping you on the sidelines because you've been a good friend to her in the past and she might need you again. Seems like she is a bit of a user - any nice normal person would want to introduce you to their new friends. If I were you I would keep my distance and make new friends (easy to say, I know). So sorry this is happening.

Whatineed · 05/04/2024 16:26

I'd call it a day. You sound nice OP, and you deserve a decent friend.

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 05/04/2024 16:27

Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 16:24

thank you for the replies

she has become incredibly close to two of them so I think she is probably trying to filter me out slowly..

OP

I dont often say this but this is a clear cut case of her being a user. IE using you as a good friend, then made new ones and forget about the long-term friend for new ones. Then when that did not work out, she goes to second best, ie you

Avoid at all costs (poss just be diplomatic and the odd thanks, bye etc one worded stuff - she will get the message)

JLT24 · 05/04/2024 16:29

I’d walk away. It’s very painful to be in a one sided friendship. I’d say she’s asked you to be GM as she doesn’t have anyone else, she hasn’t built up a close enough relationship with anyone in that group yet but anyway these are the people she wants to spend all her time with.

Sameratdifferenthat · 05/04/2024 16:35

Walk away. Don't be the Godmother as she's just using you. If she really cared about you, she would have introduced you proudly to the new people.

Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 16:42

She asked me to be GM a good year ago now so at the time I was over the moon but fast forward a year later it was never mentioned again (and I assumed it would no longer be the case) so when she rementioned it I was surprised and it would feel very wrong and false to be the GM now!

i really do appreciate all the replies!! I didn’t want to sound like I was being clingy or pathetic, iv just been picked up and dropped for too long now and it’s getting ridiculous so these posts will help me walk away with my head high and to be honest its nice to hear the opinions!

OP posts:
Lurkingandlearning · 05/04/2024 16:57

It is strange she is enthusiastic about you being godparent. I’m wondering if you are well off. (Not expecting you to confirm that here). Wealthy godparents wouldn’t be ditched lightly

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 05/04/2024 16:57

I've seen too many so-called "best mates" IRL to know that if you have one real best buddy, you are lucky

I don't have friends, never mind best friends and the last time I had a best friend was a primary and junior schools

Some of my family are my best friends

pootlin · 05/04/2024 17:00

YANBU to end the friendship, she sounds like a user. It's likely she wants you to be GM because she knows you're good at remembering birthdays and Christmas and she thinks you will be sending lots of presents. Fuck that!

BostonMA · 05/04/2024 17:00

So many red flags...She's horrible. picking you up and dropping you as she feels. True friends would never do this.
If she bothers again i would send a message to say you valued your freindship but because of your treatment (give examples) the friendship is over and you would like to leave it there. Honestly you'll feel a lot better and not have the anxiety of worrying she'll contact you again x

MrsO3 · 05/04/2024 17:05

As others have said, I agree that you should walk away and end the friendship. She sounds as though she’s found that group of friends that she so desperately wanted and you’ve been dropped. I’m confused by her still wanting you to be GM, maybe guilt as she knows she hasn’t been treating you well over the last year?

eish · 05/04/2024 17:07

A true friend would have remained good friends with you as well as having a new friendship group. She sounds fickle and you are right to be wary and protect yourself. You deserve better and she will only hurt you again. Out of interest what does your pattern think of her / her actions (assume you have one as you have discussed children but obviously this may not be the case).

PotatoPudding · 05/04/2024 17:10

Close the door and find a new one to open.

BrieOnToast · 05/04/2024 17:16

I too think you've been asked to be Godparent because you will remember Chrsitmas, birthdays, Easter...and perhaps be someone who is easy to guilt into doing free babysitting "to help you two bond, why did you agree to be godmother if you didn't want to spend time with [child]?". Even the use of the phrase 'Godmother dutues' indicates that she wants you to be doing something for the child. I am a Godmother to two children and none of the parents have ever talked about my 'Godmother dutues'.

It also gives her an excuse to forget your and your kids' birthdays because she isn't their Godparent, whereas you have no such excuse (in her eyes). I can see this becoming a very uneven friendship.

Don't do it!

Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 20:03

eish · 05/04/2024 17:07

A true friend would have remained good friends with you as well as having a new friendship group. She sounds fickle and you are right to be wary and protect yourself. You deserve better and she will only hurt you again. Out of interest what does your pattern think of her / her actions (assume you have one as you have discussed children but obviously this may not be the case).

I agree and this is something I have struggled with. I totally appreciate her having new friends I think it’s great! But why does it mean her energy in our friendship has to shift? It’s strange!

I have 2 DD’s. My partner thinks her behaviour is unacceptable and his opinion on her has changed, he knows she upsets me and he’s happy to listen but he no longer has time for her and thinks (like everyone else) it’s time to call it a day, however thinks I should see her in person which I don’t have the energy for right now!

OP posts:
Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 20:03

Thank you everyone, you have all been so incredibly kind and helpful.

Have a great weekend x

OP posts:
Hellohihola · 05/04/2024 20:06

Lurkingandlearning · 05/04/2024 16:57

It is strange she is enthusiastic about you being godparent. I’m wondering if you are well off. (Not expecting you to confirm that here). Wealthy godparents wouldn’t be ditched lightly

Not “well off” as such but live comfortably and we are generous with gifting so perhaps that’s another factor x

OP posts:
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