Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To either send this via text- or even better, post on a group chat...

71 replies

Buddhistretreatwithcrisps · 01/07/2024 20:18

Apologies, this is (as with all my posts- under whichever name I've used!) way longer than intended.

TLDR - do I (publicly or otherwise) hold my snobby, nasty neighbour to account for insulting my child (and me)?

Some background:

Single mum to 13 year old daughter. She's not seen her (another's thread's worth) dad for 10 years and he pays no maintenance, no contact, lies to CMS, abusive, etc etc. (only vaguely relevant here).

I have my own issues with dd at home, but ultimately she's polite to others, is bright (but doesn't try her best at school) and caring. She wears too much makeup for my liking, rolls her school skirt too short but not unlike the vast majority of year 8 girls IME. Anyway, I've seen worse!!

As for me- i keep myself to myself, love time alone and absolutely don't get involved in dramas (even typing that made me cringe).

Final background info- we live in a small flat but on a fairly nice road with some big detached houses.

Last year, she made a friend down the road (goes to a different school). They get on well. Girl seems nice, fun, bright and a bit quirky - maybe slightly wild (but not in a bad way)- hence they get on! Not sure it's relevant, but she is adopted, and an only child.

After a few times hanging out on our road, her mum calls round to say hi- basically, to check me out. I didn't invite her in- only because I never invite anyone in as, much as I hate to be, I'm quite ashamed of our flat and the look of the communal hallway. But we chatted outside the front door for a minute or two.

She then invited me round for a drink one Friday eve shortly after (to complete the vetting process). She's definitely not my kind of person (Mrs Bouquet) and seemed v keen on boasting about her many parties with all the other (wealthy) neighbours - but i thought we had a fairly amicable evening.. although i do recall leaving with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth - couldn't quite put my finger on it (to mix my metaphors!) and i remember her reply to my friendly text, thanking her for a lovely evening, was a bit dry.

Whatever, I really wasn't interested in being friends, just glad to get the dreaded drink over with.

Anyway, since then, her daughter has told mine on several occasions that her mum isn't keen on them meeting up because she thinks I'm 'sketchy' (apparently on account of the fact that she doesn't know me) and that my daughter, too, is 'sketchy' (i imagine this may well be the dd's own interpretation of a different word).

But still - having half ignored it initially thinking I can't take it at face value, I've heard it said now several times, not to mention some other obvious signs she looks down on me: she recently insinuated in text that her dd only buys junk food when she's with mine (after having also recently patronised me about having to 'clip their wings' ).

I had also always noticed that she never had my d to their house despite her daughter having been here numerous times (presumably because it helped her out). We've never really communicated with each other apart from a few texts very recently.

ANYWAY - to the point.

Today, my dd tells me her friend wasn't allowed out at first because - to quote the quote from her friend, at least:-

"My mum thinks you look like the kind of girl who steals vapes and alcohol from the corner shop".

My questions are:

A) Do I text her about this? (Don't say no- I've composed a masterpiece!)

B) or........ Do I post said text on the neighbourly group WhatsApp (either accidentally, or just brazenly tagging her)?

My obvious problem is I can't be certain she even said those things - but my gut says she absolutely did.

If I do the group chat thing, is that just giving her license to call me the 'sketchy chav' she thinks I am??

OP posts:
titchy · 01/07/2024 23:06

🤦‍♀️

Acapulco12 · 01/07/2024 23:07

Buddhistretreatwithcrisps · 01/07/2024 23:01

@easilydistracted1 and @Acapulco12
Thanks, I agree with you both.
And @Acapulco12 , I respect and admire your persuasive ways 😂!

I've actually come up with a new one (so far unsent - but what do you think?):

Hi! Hope you're well?
Just a heads up- it might be wise to be a bit more discreet around what you say in front of (name)
Of course, if you have genuine reason to think my daughter's involved in unsavoury or indeed criminal activity then I'd be very keen to hear it straight from you.

Thanks so much.

😂😂

I think it’s a good message, and very clear and polite, but I wonder if bits of it are a bit suggestive/leading? E.g. the bit about unsavoury/criminal activity. Do you know what I mean?

Also, more generally, there’s a chance the other Mum might not reply. How would you feel about that? Are you sending the message to get your feelings off your chest or because you want her to reply? Or for both reasons? I’m just thinking through all these reasons as I would personally probably message with the aim of getting a response, and if I didn’t get one, I’d feel quite frustrated!!

Buddhistretreatwithcrisps · 01/07/2024 23:07

titchy · 01/07/2024 23:06

🤦‍♀️

Margaret? Is that you?

OP posts:
Buddhistretreatwithcrisps · 01/07/2024 23:09

Acapulco12 · 01/07/2024 23:07

😂😂

I think it’s a good message, and very clear and polite, but I wonder if bits of it are a bit suggestive/leading? E.g. the bit about unsavoury/criminal activity. Do you know what I mean?

Also, more generally, there’s a chance the other Mum might not reply. How would you feel about that? Are you sending the message to get your feelings off your chest or because you want her to reply? Or for both reasons? I’m just thinking through all these reasons as I would personally probably message with the aim of getting a response, and if I didn’t get one, I’d feel quite frustrated!!

Yes, fair enough -and I appreciate you taking the time to reply.
I most likely won't say anything in reality - but like you said, it felt good to get it off my chest!

OP posts:
Itisjustmyopinion · 01/07/2024 23:22

Buddhistretreatwithcrisps · 01/07/2024 23:01

@easilydistracted1 and @Acapulco12
Thanks, I agree with you both.
And @Acapulco12 , I respect and admire your persuasive ways 😂!

I've actually come up with a new one (so far unsent - but what do you think?):

Hi! Hope you're well?
Just a heads up- it might be wise to be a bit more discreet around what you say in front of (name)
Of course, if you have genuine reason to think my daughter's involved in unsavoury or indeed criminal activity then I'd be very keen to hear it straight from you.

Thanks so much.

Oh no don’t send that. The tone is giving off mixed messages with it being try too hard to be friendly, passive aggressive and dismissive all at once

The message you quoted previously from @Oblahdeeoblahdoe was much better

Ohnobackagain · 01/07/2024 23:58

@Buddhistretreatwithcrisps other child’s Mum may not have said anything. Child may be jealous of your relationship with your DD and be stirring it. Or it could be true. I wonder if there’s a way to ask the parent … not in an accusatory way that burms bridges of course.

MsGrumpytrousers · 02/07/2024 00:10

It's such fun thinking of ways to write these things and so frustrating not to send them.... but I really wouldn't. If in fact it's all got garbled and she has no idea what you mean and says so it will be SO embarrassing. Not worth the risk.

Blendiful · 02/07/2024 00:11

I was similar to your daughter too in some ways. Single parent, council house, not tons of money. One of my friends parents told my friend (who told us) I'd have a kid young and live on benefits. My friends parents were happily married and owned their house, nice cars etc. and definitely saw the rest of us as not as good.

As it turns out I am the one of the group who went to uni and now earns the most in a professional job. I did have kids young but it didn't stop me.
Just for context We are all still friends and I love them dearly, don't see myself as any better than them and they are all fab at the various jobs they do. I don't see uni as a key to greatness either. It's more just to highlight that her parents didn't see that one coming and all people saying or thinking such things did was made me more determined to prove them wrong.

Sugarnspicenallthingsnaice · 02/07/2024 00:28

You're acting like you have something to prove to this woman. You absolutely don't. She's gross.

The only sane response to this bullshit is to pull a horrified face and say something along the lines of 'my God, she really is a vile woman isn't she? Imagine having to live with that, ugh.'

Then question your DD about whether she really wants to be friends with a girl who seems to take pleasure in relaying these messages and causing unnecessary hurt. What's her agenda here?

Act like you're above it and above her. Because you are!

Thedayb4youcame · 02/07/2024 01:10

Doesn't like people thinking she's "sketchy". Plans on reacting by doing something "sketchy". I think it's best not.

raspberryberet7 · 02/07/2024 01:22

Ohnobackagain · 01/07/2024 23:58

@Buddhistretreatwithcrisps other child’s Mum may not have said anything. Child may be jealous of your relationship with your DD and be stirring it. Or it could be true. I wonder if there’s a way to ask the parent … not in an accusatory way that burms bridges of course.

I was thinking along the same lines

Janiie · 02/07/2024 08:47

At 13 you don't need to know, certainly not like, your kid's friends parents.

Just ignore. It says more about what a vile woman she is to judge you and make sneery comments to her dd.

Just rise above it.

Cattery · 02/07/2024 08:52

I think the most classy thing to do is say nothing and bide your time.

DaniMontyRae · 02/07/2024 09:03

Maybe the mum thinks you're sketchy because you made her stand on the doorstep instead of inviting her in? Whereas she has invited you round and made an effort.

Epicaricacy · 02/07/2024 09:06

You are not coming across very well here.

You clearly have a chip on your shoulder, you admit it yourself.
You are looking down at other people from the start.
You are the only one causing drama here.
(even typing that made me cringe) doesn't stop you typing and piling it on, does it.

is that just giving her license to call me the 'sketchy chav' she thinks I am??
you can't police what other people think, and you are just as judgmental
She's definitely not my kind of person (Mrs Bouquet) she can't police what you think either.

Do I post said text on the neighbourly group WhatsApp (either accidentally, or just brazenly tagging her)?
if you want everyone to think you are a chav, stereotypical starting fights with the neighbours, go for it.

Or just leave the kids sort their own issues, you don't even know what your own kid has said to the "adopted one" no, that was not relevant in the slightest!

CatMumSlave · 02/07/2024 09:10

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 01/07/2024 20:45

Perhaps send her a pre-emptive text along the lines of, DD was upset today by something you apparently said about her. Do you have any evidence of her stealing vapes or indeed anything else? Can you shed any light? Etc. If she tries to justify it then give her both barrels. Not in the public group though.
I want to see the masterpiece btw.

You can't do this. The OP's daughter will never confide in her mum again.

At this age friendships are life!!!

Greydays10 · 02/07/2024 09:19

OP, I would be far more concerned at the friend thinking it acceptable to repeat supposedly vile things her mother said and your daughter repeatedly listening to them.

I would be deeply unhappy with that and her coming to my house.
I would be having a word with my child and explaining to her that real friends don't repeat nasty shit.

I wouldn't want her in MY house.

RedHelenB · 02/07/2024 09:49

For someone who doesn't do dram you're being very dramatic about it. Your dd is old enough to choose her own friends, you don't have to lije them or theor mothers Say nothing

funinthesun19 · 02/07/2024 09:58

Spirallingdownwards · 01/07/2024 20:39

I remember a posher school friend's parents not being keen on me for being not from a nicer part of town. I went on to be a city lawyer. She works in a chip van. I remember her mum's face when we bumped into them in London one day and she asked what I was up to these days and I told her. Her lips screwed up like a cat's bum.

Edited

Love it! 😄

Notaflippinclue · 02/07/2024 10:37

I'd start by sorting the communal hallway!

MistressoftheDarkSide · 02/07/2024 11:25

Lots of good advice here already - I have been very tempted myself to go public in the face of drama and had to sit on my hands because painful and personal though these sorts of situations are, I remember the old adage that today's news is tomorrow's chip paper.

I also live by the rule if drama / chaos is kicking off and I do absolutely nothing if it continues or escalates it's definitely not me. 9 times out of 10 things move on to the next big thing anyway.

Totally understand how you're feeling though and as others have said it says more about them than you x best of luck xxx

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread