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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

For not getting involved in a dispute between partner and mother.

29 replies

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:14

Hi everyone,
My first time posting and I'm afraid it's a long one, I have to tried to shorten it.

My husband (38) and my mother (56) don't always see eye to eye. He does sometimes respond to her and her actions in passive aggressive ways, such as my mum turning up uninvited in the evenings and he wont say anything directly, but he will make a comment that makes her feel unwelcome.

So the weekend before last my mum took my DS1 who is 10, out for the day. She returns him later and DS tells DH that he drove his grandmother's car. She went on to assure us he was safe but failed to recognise the fact that what she did is illegal. My DH told my DS that he wasn't angry at DS but GM should have checked with us before doing something reckless. Behind DH back, my mother called him a bastard and was hurt by his response. She left shortly after. I spent the rest of the evening having a disagreement with DH about the driving and comments.

The following day, my mother is now calling DH a C* for the way he speaks to her. I informed both of them by text that they need to sort this out and I will not be getting involved. (I have huge issues with what she did as she put my DS at risk, but that's a separate issue I'm dealing with so I won't mention it anymore in this thread, but doesn't mean I don't care or I'm letting it slide).

By Tuesday i have had no response to my message and dont think anything of it, so I try calling her to arrange childcare, she doesn't answer. I text her and I get "yes" as responses to me asking if she can look after the children on Wednesday.

I tried calling her on the Wednesday but she didn't answer, so I phoned my dad. He passed the phone over, there was no hello, how are you. Instead she said "yes I'm still picking the kids up" through gritted teeth.
I asked if she wasn't talking to me and she said she wasn't. I will cut the back and forth out, but she starts to scream at me that I took DH side and not hers and insinuated that I didn't appreciate what she does for me. She told me not to talk over her and that she has a right to be angry and to tell me how she feels. This went on and I tried to be calm but she wouldn't allow me to speak or tell her that my message was me setting a boundary. I ended up hanging up because I could feel myself getting angry. I told her not to worry about picking DC up as I would get someone else to do it. I didn't want to finish work and come into my home to find my mother screaming at me as she looks after them at mine.

Several days have gone past now, she had sent me messages telling me that I "MUST" listen to her and that I will not talk over her again, and she is trying to blame me for us not talking currently. I have sent messages saying that I get she is angry, but that she is aiming it at the wrong person and that I will not be apologising for setting a boundary. She also has said that I have taken her GC away to punish her, and that I get to vent so why isn't she allowed.

My dad is trying to get me to phone her because her mental state is not great and that this is important, I asked him if it's that important to her, Then why isn't she phoning me to apologise for the way she spoke to me. I got a response from mother saying "I am if you are", which I think is her responding to my message to dad, and she is telling me that she is ready to apologise but only if I am.

We are in a catch 22 because I don't think I have anything to apologise for, and she claims she has done nothing wrong.
Aibu?

OP posts:
Beamur · 17/06/2024 17:18

I think your DM has some seriously misplaced boundaries and is not safe looking after your children.
Make your peace with her but I don't think she should be looking after your children any more.

Bambi1449 · 17/06/2024 17:18

She let a 10 year old drive a car? Where?

Beautifulbythebay · 17/06/2024 17:19

If she has no respect for your dh she shouldn't be helping to raise your dc.. After all they are half dh's... Her bitterness towards him could be obvious to your dc... She was reckless with your ds and dh was correct in telling her so. Turning up uninvited is rude...
Is dh wrong on any count?

AtrociousCircumstance · 17/06/2024 17:21

She is not emotional regulated enough to look after a child and you need to find alternative childcare I’m afraid.

As you know she put your child’s life in danger.

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:21

Bambi1449 · 17/06/2024 17:18

She let a 10 year old drive a car? Where?

Apparently an empty car park.
My grandad used to do this with her when she was a kid and so she thinks its OK and "cute" to do with the GC. It's the first and only time she will be doing it, I will not be letting it happen again.

OP posts:
TinyYellow · 17/06/2024 17:22

It sounds like your DH has done nothing wrong so why are you rowing with him? You should be sticking up for him when your mum is calling him names for no reason. Find other childcare and let your mum stew on it. She sounds crazy.

Beautifulbythebay · 17/06/2024 17:24

My dm took a dislike to my dp. She once flounced out of our home.
Didn't see her for 10 years!!. Toddler tantrums have consequences!!

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:27

Beautifulbythebay · 17/06/2024 17:19

If she has no respect for your dh she shouldn't be helping to raise your dc.. After all they are half dh's... Her bitterness towards him could be obvious to your dc... She was reckless with your ds and dh was correct in telling her so. Turning up uninvited is rude...
Is dh wrong on any count?

There have been many occasions where he has come across as being rude, and at times I thought he was in the wrong for the way he dealt with something.
We have had a lot of time to discuss things over the last week and I can completely see why he comes across the way he is. And I no longer think he is in the wrong, my mother has been unpleasant to him.in the past and she has never apologised. She is also demanding an apology for the way he spoke after the car incident and he will not apologise as he was justified with it.

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 17/06/2024 17:27

She let your 10 year old drive a car?

Then called your husband a cunt?

And you phoned to ask her for childcare...

Wtf?

LittleGreenDragons · 17/06/2024 17:33

my mum turning up uninvited in the evenings
First mistake.

he will make a comment that makes her feel unwelcome.
Second mistake. It's his house too so you should have nipped first mistake as soon as the pa remarks started.

DS tells DH that he drove his grandmother's car
Third mistake. Ignoring the illegal and safety issues for the moment, why did your mother think it was an acceptable thing to do anyway? What is her reasoning? I suspect she did it deliberately to cause trouble.

Behind DH back, my mother called him a bastard and was hurt by his response.
Fourth mistake. Why didn't you call her out there and then? Disgusting language anyway but she is disrespecting him in his own house in front of his own child.

I informed both of them by text that they need to sort this out and I will not be getting involved.
Fifth mistake.

Your mother is creating HUGE problems for you. For your DH. For your DC. For your DF. The only person who can sort it properly is you. I would tell her she can't come round unless agreed prior to the visit. I would get someone else to look after your DC. I would tell her that criminal behaviour by her will not be accepted at all, especially around your children. This is on YOU to sort out.

Don't be guilted by her mh or by your father. It's her actions that has started this but it is your inactions that have continued it.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 17/06/2024 17:35

I'm completely at a loss as to how you've had any disagreement with your DH about any of this, tbh. So I don't think you can say you're 'in the middle' in any way at all - you and your DH are surely united on one side and your ridiculous and reckless mother is on the other side?! I think you should tell her exactly that, that BOTH of you are very angry with her.

LordSnot · 17/06/2024 17:39

Being neutral here is a cop out. The only reason they interact is you and you can't bury your head in the sand.

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:40

TinyYellow · 17/06/2024 17:22

It sounds like your DH has done nothing wrong so why are you rowing with him? You should be sticking up for him when your mum is calling him names for no reason. Find other childcare and let your mum stew on it. She sounds crazy.

Because we are not perfect and It sometimes takes us a moment to get on the same page. It usually starts off as being quite passive aggressive and then we burrow into the real issue and deal with it.
He has also told me he doesn't want me to get involved. My mum has been threatening "to sort him out" for his rudeness for sometime, and he is waiting patiently because he has a few things he would like to add.

OP posts:
Gabbsters · 17/06/2024 17:41

Your mum sounds awful, sorry. I would be distancing myself and my family from her pronto.

Edited to add- if she has threatened physical violence against your husband you really have to act. You are massively under-reacting to her dreadful behaviour.

Penguinfeet24 · 17/06/2024 17:45

Boundaries boundaries boundaries. She's acting like a petulant child and I wouldn't be pandering to it. Bottom line is she put your child at risk and his dad has every reason to be pissed off about it, if she can't see that then frankly, she can do one until such a time that she stops being a prat. As for withholding her grandchildren, I think you'll find she's managing that one quite well herself and given her mental state and the situation she's put your son in that's probably for the best!

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:48

GabriellaMontez · 17/06/2024 17:27

She let your 10 year old drive a car?

Then called your husband a cunt?

And you phoned to ask her for childcare...

Wtf?

Because for all of my life, this is all I have ever known and I am trying to break the cycle.

She has always told me that she didn't want to raise me on fear, but it's only been the last few days where she has tried to manipulate me into thinking that this is all my fault, that I'm waking up to it and that she has trained me to fear her and to never question her or stand up to her. It's made me feel sick.
I know I'm not perfect in this, but I'm trying to be better.

OP posts:
beetr00 · 17/06/2024 17:50

so many times on here we see posters told, "you have a DH problem".

In this instance, your husband has a DW problem.

You should be sorting this @SparklySparkle29 not your husband, don't you think?

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:51

Gabbsters · 17/06/2024 17:41

Your mum sounds awful, sorry. I would be distancing myself and my family from her pronto.

Edited to add- if she has threatened physical violence against your husband you really have to act. You are massively under-reacting to her dreadful behaviour.

Edited

She has not threatened violence. When she says she is going to sort him out, she is threatening to have a row with him.

OP posts:
Gabbsters · 17/06/2024 17:52

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:51

She has not threatened violence. When she says she is going to sort him out, she is threatening to have a row with him.

OK, that's slightly better but you are still under-reacting. Your mother's behaviour is terrible. You need to act and if that means more distance between you, so be it.

I certainly wouldn't be relying on her for childcare.

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:53

LittleGreenDragons · 17/06/2024 17:33

my mum turning up uninvited in the evenings
First mistake.

he will make a comment that makes her feel unwelcome.
Second mistake. It's his house too so you should have nipped first mistake as soon as the pa remarks started.

DS tells DH that he drove his grandmother's car
Third mistake. Ignoring the illegal and safety issues for the moment, why did your mother think it was an acceptable thing to do anyway? What is her reasoning? I suspect she did it deliberately to cause trouble.

Behind DH back, my mother called him a bastard and was hurt by his response.
Fourth mistake. Why didn't you call her out there and then? Disgusting language anyway but she is disrespecting him in his own house in front of his own child.

I informed both of them by text that they need to sort this out and I will not be getting involved.
Fifth mistake.

Your mother is creating HUGE problems for you. For your DH. For your DC. For your DF. The only person who can sort it properly is you. I would tell her she can't come round unless agreed prior to the visit. I would get someone else to look after your DC. I would tell her that criminal behaviour by her will not be accepted at all, especially around your children. This is on YOU to sort out.

Don't be guilted by her mh or by your father. It's her actions that has started this but it is your inactions that have continued it.

I have already found alternative childcare, and you are absolutely right. I have made many mistakes in this, and I will be trying to put these right.

OP posts:
Idontjetwashthefucker · 17/06/2024 17:55

Feel sorry for your husband, she shouldn't be allowed to look after those kids. I'm betting this isn't the first time she's done something stupid?

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:57

Gabbsters · 17/06/2024 17:52

OK, that's slightly better but you are still under-reacting. Your mother's behaviour is terrible. You need to act and if that means more distance between you, so be it.

I certainly wouldn't be relying on her for childcare.

If she ever starts speaking to me again, then there is going to be changes. I can't live my life like this anymore.
It's been a rough few days, but it's been a huge eye opener and I'm aware I have been under-reacting. DH and I are in a good spot and we are and will be supporting each other as it all unfolds, which is perhaps why I haven't emphasised that as much as I should have, but I was aware that it was already quite lengthy.
With my mum not popping round uninvited, we have had a lot more time to talk about things.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 17/06/2024 17:57

SparklySparkle29 · 17/06/2024 17:40

Because we are not perfect and It sometimes takes us a moment to get on the same page. It usually starts off as being quite passive aggressive and then we burrow into the real issue and deal with it.
He has also told me he doesn't want me to get involved. My mum has been threatening "to sort him out" for his rudeness for sometime, and he is waiting patiently because he has a few things he would like to add.

You need to be involved and frankly you need to either reduce or cut off contact till she learns to be a reasonable human being

There is no 'middle' here

TattieBap · 17/06/2024 18:09

Your DM is the problem here. I feel sorry for your DH.

She'd never be allowed to see my kids unsupervised again.

Redshoeblueshoe · 17/06/2024 18:23

I voted YABU - you should have sorted this out with your M before now. Ringing her for childcare was a mistake, but we all make mistakes, and you have sorted that out.