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 still be angry at my parents for this?

206 replies

ThatPeachSnake · 27/07/2024 20:44

I had a horrific childhood. My parents were terribly unhappy together and got divorced when I was young. My dad lost all our money and we were poor. This spiralled, long divorce and my mum having horrific mental health issues, which was all taken out on me.

I did well and school and went to uni. I was a good child and did everything ‘by the book’. I never got in trouble or was any trouble to my parents - they often tell me that. In comparison to my sister, who is into drugs, doesn’t work and still lives at home.

when I finished uni, I had planned to get a job straight away in my career field, which was harder than I had realised. It took me about 6 months - but in the meantime, I got myself a job in a supermarket and stayed in my uni town in cheap accommodation until I could move on.

about 4 months in, I was asked to leave my accommodation. I had not signed a contract and it was a friend of a friends place (which obviously was a stupid move from me!). Essentially, I was made homeless overnight. Since I had no ties to my uni town, I reached out to my parents and asked either of them if I could come home and stay with them for a bit whilst I got my real job. I had no intention of staying there and they knew that. I was fiercely determined to move to London. However, in the meantime, I would have paid rent and got a job in my hometown to support myself whilst I was looking for my ‘career’ job. I was just scared and had no where to live and needed my parents. I sobbed down the phone to them for days begging for them to have me.

both said no and I‘m not really sure why. I was homeless and sofa surfing for the next few months until I was offered a job in London.

since then, I have done well for myself and have kind of brushed over the fact my parents did that. I could never ever do that to my child. After all this time, it is difficult to bring up to ask them why. I’m just so angry looking back at it. AIBU?

OP posts:
Cattyisbatty · 27/07/2024 23:16

My DCs are uni age and will always have a place at home if needed. It wasn’t right of your parents to do that to you at all.

2021x · 27/07/2024 23:22

It’s fine to be angry about it. I had a rough time as a kid as well and was the “dependable” one and as a result I am
low contact. but they would always let me come back rather than seeing me homeless when the job market was tough.

At some point you the anger will take its toll and you will want to move on. Obviously therapy is great but so is boxing

katebushh · 27/07/2024 23:28

You're not unreal at all for still being angry and hurt. A similar situation happened with me many moons ago. I'm still very close the 2 friends who ended up putting me up and their parents. Mine, not so much.

katebushh · 27/07/2024 23:28

Unreasonable*

sorry typo!

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 27/07/2024 23:29

Thanks @3rdtimeinflorida .

Warm - not just in temperature, more a home where you’re not afraid, can talk about anything, a warm, happy ethos kinda thing;

Fed - I have made some epic, giant lasagnes if I say so myself! But more than that, food for the soul too, with activities and things that make you feel full & satisfied (not religious twaddle though, had a lifetime growing up with that);

Loved - just being a part of a family, knowing someone has your back & you have a support system. I genuinely love my FDD (even now she has a family we keep in touch, I’ve even done some family support work with her Mum, mental illness is a bastard, but they get on well now and that’s brilliant), and she knows she’s always part of an extended family too.

My Mum & sister called her a ‘parasite’, but they haven’t the foggiest on what a family is so, bugger them.

Franjipanl8r · 27/07/2024 23:29

What’s apparent is that you have a lot of insight into the situation. You’re clearly very intelligent and I’m sure you’d make a great mum yourself if the time came.

Pookerrod · 27/07/2024 23:36

I think they did you a favour. If one of them had let you come home they could have dragged you into their drama and you may have put off your plans repeatedly and never made it to where you are now.

I didn’t have the perfect upbringing and I am not on great terms with my parents, but I know that I am strong and made a success of my life because I had to. I had no safety net. So my parents not being great is what has got me to where I am now. And I am proud of everything I have achieved. You should be too. Don’t let it eat you up. Just keep moving forward.

ThatPeachSnake · 27/07/2024 23:37

Pookerrod · 27/07/2024 23:36

I think they did you a favour. If one of them had let you come home they could have dragged you into their drama and you may have put off your plans repeatedly and never made it to where you are now.

I didn’t have the perfect upbringing and I am not on great terms with my parents, but I know that I am strong and made a success of my life because I had to. I had no safety net. So my parents not being great is what has got me to where I am now. And I am proud of everything I have achieved. You should be too. Don’t let it eat you up. Just keep moving forward.

I totally agree with this, you are so right. Thank you x

OP posts:
Pookerrod · 27/07/2024 23:46

ThatPeachSnake · 27/07/2024 21:47

You hit the nail on the head with your first sentence.

I’m scared to have children incase I’m the same. I know I need therapy before I become a parent myself. But part of me wonders if I will be a bad mum and be completely oblivious about it, like my mum was…

Don’t be scared, you will likely be the exact opposite of your parents and overcompensate in being the opposite. That’s what most people do. If there was financial insecurity growing up, people do everything to make sure that’s not the case for their kids. If there was no love, they smother their own children with love. Lack of communication, they prioritise communication in the family they create. Well that has been my experience and that of my friends anyway.

You will find though, that when you have children, the hurt you feel now regarding your parents treatment of you will deepen. Because you think about how you feel about your own children and then can’t get your head around how your parents could have treated you that way. Watch out for that as it can take you to a dark place.

SomewhatContraryMary · 27/07/2024 23:58

You know what? Of course you do reading your post - it bloody sucks when you're the one who is "no trouble" and so your parents wrote off the fact you had any needs. The highest praise I ever got from my parents was for my utility - for being a great helper. It left me feeling all my value, all my worth as a person came from how useful I was - and that truly sucks. Recognise you are deserving of love for being you, not simply for being useful.

Katbum · 28/07/2024 00:05

OP. It’s really awful that you didn’t have your family there for you when you needed them. In my early 30s I revisited lots of things from the past that happened with my parents and it took a lot of therapy to move through it. Different to you, but I was also let down. I think what therapy made me see was 3 things: 1) you can’t change the past, and it’s never going to be better than it was 2) people do terrible things because of their own limitations and weaknesses and it’s nothing to do with you, but also - they probably aren’t going to change. 3) it is possible to have a different and positive relationship based on radical acceptance of those first two things.

Nearly 10 years on, I am in a good place with my parents. At some point during therapy I found a way to discuss the past with them without blaming or being too angry. Hearing them admit to their failures and mistakes was a huge part of healing but it only came with a lot of preparation on my part. Forgiveness was slower but I have now I would say completely forgiven them. It helped that they have been open to healing our relationship too. I went from not knowing if I could bear to have a child because of what happened to me, let alone trust my parents with one, to having a toddler who loves my mum and dad and we spend lots of happy times together. I found the books ‘The Body Keeps the Score’ and ‘Complex PTSD: from surviving to thriving both really useful on my journey.

middleeasternpromise · 28/07/2024 00:06

It sounds like you have tried to set a boundary with one of them if there is some difficulties showing up in the relationship? I wonder if you are ready to do some processing of what type of childhood your parents gave you and how it has shaped the way you have moved your life forward. I think with the right support, you could benefit hugely as it sounds like you take a lot of blame and shame for what happened on yourself. I would agree with others therapeutic support could be a help to you. I would worry less about what sort of parent you might be (if anything you sound like you would bend over backwards to give your children a different upbringing) what I would be more concerned about is when your parents are in need, they are likely to place expectations on you with no inhibitions and if you haven't figured out where you fit with them, you could find yourself pulled into a dynamic that doesn't work for you bur keeps you in this hurtful relationship that you have already experienced.

Poettree · 28/07/2024 00:08

That is awful. Good on you for getting yourself to London. Once you are stable, find yourself a good therapist so you put your parents and what they did down and launch into your own life. One small advantage of selfish parents is that finding your own path in adulthood can be so liberating.

Poettree · 28/07/2024 00:11

what I would be more concerned about is when your parents are in need, they are likely to place expectations on you with no inhibitions and if you haven't figured out where you fit with them, you could find yourself pulled into a dynamic that doesn't work for you bur keeps you in this hurtful relationship that you have already experienced.

This is so true. I am here now and did NOT see it coming. Currently in therapy (again) to extract myself but look so fondly back on my first escape as a young adult and all that I learned then in therapy (and now need to re-learn).

sorry to hijack. Just found that so insightful. good luck OP. You are on your way and London is lifechanging!

Italiangreyhound · 28/07/2024 00:26

They sound so awful. I hope you will make many new friends ad contacts in life. Family is not just blood relatives but those who mean a lot to you.

EdithBond · 28/07/2024 00:53

ThatPeachSnake · 27/07/2024 21:47

You hit the nail on the head with your first sentence.

I’m scared to have children incase I’m the same. I know I need therapy before I become a parent myself. But part of me wonders if I will be a bad mum and be completely oblivious about it, like my mum was…

You’re absolutely not being unreasonable. It’s natural to feel angry. Homelessness at any age is traumatic. And parents should always be there for their kids.

Your story resonates with me. My dad left for another woman, v insensitive about it, wasn’t there for me and died suddenly, when relatively young. Mum always difficult due to her own dysfunctional family, got worse after divorce and v self-absorbed since. Even in my darkest, saddest moments she’s said heartless things and made it about her. I’ve tended to take the parent role to her, taken her on holidays etc. When I was severely depressed and facing homelessness with kids, she made it clear I should expect no help or even moral support from her: “what can I do?”.

Like you, I’ve always been sensible, studied and worked hard and been financially self-sufficient. But, for me, the emotional and mental side of things have been the challenge.

As PPs have said, I strongly recommend therapy. In my experience, the NHS can’t offer a great deal (usually basic CBT). So if you can afford it, you may need to pay. But, with the right therapist, this would be money well spent. I’d put in as much work as possible before entering any serious relationship, because (in my experience) unresolved rejection from parents can affect relationship choices or lead to unhealthy dynamics. As PPs have also said, I wouldn’t worry about your parenting, as you’re clearly v earnest and, most importantly, aware of it. My experience has made me much closer to my kids, we can talk openly about problems and they know I’ll always be there for them.

Once you’ve come a long way with individual therapy, it might be worth discussing with your therapist whether joint therapy with your mum would be appropriate/beneficial. She may have learned behaviour from her own parents (in some working class families back in the day it was a common view that once a child had left home they shouldn’t expect to come back). And, due to her own struggles, she may not have had the space to reflect how she’s affected you. If it went well, it could be v healing for you. And if she refused or it went badly, it may not make things much worse. You’d have to decide that. But, if you want to talk to her, doing it in a controlled environment, with a therapist to guide you, might have a better outcome.

In the meantime, as PPs have said, I’d set firm boundaries to the relationship. Certainly keep contact fairly minimal and superficial (e.g. feast days and birthdays). I’ve coped by not expecting anything or sharing much. It’s a work in progress, but staying in boundaried contact has been best for me, as a period of no contact caused me much more pain and was stressful for others, including my kids. Also, look to others in your life to be that motherly or fatherly figure. People who really care about you and you can fully trust. Is there anyone (extended family, family friends etc) who you might be able to develop that sort of relationship with?

Finally, while the above are ideas to move forward, don’t feel responsible for resolving things with your parents. It’s their responsibility. You’ve made an excellent job of the hand you’ve been dealt and should be so proud of yourself.
Sending strength and love ❤️

Gillypie23 · 28/07/2024 01:12

No wonder you feel angry. You don't owrme them anything. I'd never turn my bsck on my child.
Maybe therapy would help you deal with it.

MatLeave · 28/07/2024 01:15

So sorry for how you were treated by your parents. That is definitely not normal behaviour at all. It just seems pretty heartless and not the behaviour of (normal) parents. I'm glad you've progressed in your career and wish you the very best. Just remember that in their old age, you owe them nothing.

3rdtimeinflorida · 28/07/2024 01:24

Pookerrod · 27/07/2024 23:46

Don’t be scared, you will likely be the exact opposite of your parents and overcompensate in being the opposite. That’s what most people do. If there was financial insecurity growing up, people do everything to make sure that’s not the case for their kids. If there was no love, they smother their own children with love. Lack of communication, they prioritise communication in the family they create. Well that has been my experience and that of my friends anyway.

You will find though, that when you have children, the hurt you feel now regarding your parents treatment of you will deepen. Because you think about how you feel about your own children and then can’t get your head around how your parents could have treated you that way. Watch out for that as it can take you to a dark place.

This is so true, you summed it up perfectly x

2AND2GC · 28/07/2024 08:27

YANBU

I'm so sorry. Heart-broken for little 21-year old you.

VeryHappyBunny · 28/07/2024 08:50

This is truly dreadful for parents to treat their child like this and I feel so sorry for you. Who knows why they have behaved like this. It is not worth your energy being angry, literally just cut them out of your life and live it for yourself. They don't treat you as parent's should so why should you treat them as a daughter should. You don't owe than anything and they will be the losers in later life when they need help. They're not going to get it from their other daughter are they?

I am in a situation where 2 members of my family have behaved badly towards me leaving me in a very vulnerable financial position. At first I was upset, then angry and now I couldn't give a toss about them. I hasten to add that neither of them were my parents who are, sadly, both dead and would be appalled if they knew how these two had treated me.

Being blood relatives means nothing and the owners of the local health food shop did more to help me than members of my own family. I have now moved far away from any of them and am getting my life back on track. (The health food shop owners are holidaying near me next month and we are meeting up).

When you are a parent you never stop. There is no magic cut-off date when you reach a certain age and you are no longer their child. I had taken my Mum out somewhere and on the way back we stopped at a supermarket. Looking for a parking space Mum said over there and I told her that was a parent and child space, she said, well I'm your parent and you're my child, she was in her 80s and I was in my 50s. It doesn't matter how old you are, good parents will always look on you as their child and treat you accordingly which means making sure you always have a warm welcome and a roof over your head.

For the last 15 years of my Mum's life I was her full time live-in carer, she had cared for me when I was young and I cared for her when she was old, but we both cared about each other for all our lives.

You obviously care and have compassion, there is no reason why, if and when you have children, that you will behave in the same way as your parents. If anything the opposite is probably true. You have seen how they behaved and know how it feels to be treated like that which will make you even more determined to treat your own children properly and that means with unconditional love.

Get professional help if you think you need it. You are intelligent and have got on with your life but you sound like you are still bowed down by the shackles put on you by your parents. You need to free yourself from these and truly be your own person.

I wish you well and all the love and happiness you deserve.

Run4it2 · 28/07/2024 09:04

You just have to remind yourself that this is a 'them' issue not a 'you'issue. It's very easy to think it's about yourself, but it's really about their lack of capacity in parenting - and that might be due to their own upbringings. I think you'll be fine with your own children because you have self-awareness. I think counselling sounds like a good idea, and move to seeing your parents on your terms, not theirs (ie at a frequency that suits you). As someone above said, this is part of how you got to where you are now, so embrace it and try not to look back. Sending hugs

ScreamingBeans · 28/07/2024 09:42

Hearing them admit to their failures and mistakes was a huge part of healing but it only came with a lot of preparation on my part. Forgiveness was slower but I have now I would say completely forgiven them.

A word of caution here. If you have parents who are capable of self examination and admitting to mistakes, that's wonderful. But don't rely on it OP, don't expect it. Some people are so damaged that they simply cannot do the work to untangle their mistakes and holding out for as happy an ending as that, would stop you accepting that you will never have a normal relationship with your parents and that's OK, you can still have a happy, fulfilled life and family.

Discotrousers · 28/07/2024 10:30

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet OP but there is a long running thread on the Relationships board called 'but we took you to stately homes' specifically for people with toxic parents, you will find huge support and understanding there if you feel you want to talk further.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5032064-march-2024-but-we-took-you-to-stately-homes

March 2024 - But we took you to stately homes | Mumsnet

Welcome to the Stately Homes Thread. This is a long running thread which was originally started up by 'pages' back in December 2007) So this thread...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5032064-march-2024-but-we-took-you-to-stately-homes

neighboursmustliveon · 28/07/2024 17:44

Some people don’t really deserve to be parents. My mum moved to another country while my sibling was still at uni leaving him homeless (in term time accommodation). In the holidays he stayed with his friends parents and I kept all his sentimental things in our attic.

I could never do that to my children (not least her first grandchild was due to be born when she decided to move for ‘love’).