Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Childhoods friend mum never made me tea

201 replies

Butterflyandroses · 07/08/2024 13:10

Hi all, I want your opinion on this, im thinking back to when I was a teen and would go round my friends house, ive not eaten all day apart from breakfast and lunch. Her mum would never offer me dinners and if she would come to mine my dm would always cook her dinner I know its a long time ago now. But I could never do this to my dc friends! Its feels so mean aibu?

OP posts:
Bellaboo01 · 09/08/2024 10:38

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 10:20

@Bellaboo01 I dont really know what to say.. I was hungry friend didnt want me to go if I was to say "got to go" she wanted to go out again after dinner so I didnt eat until 7-7.30pm ish if I can remember rightly. My dinner would be dished up on a plate left in microwave for me to warm up. Or if my mum was working my grandmother would have cooked for me. But yes I would have been very hungry as a pp said 4-6 hours later since eating something. Hope that covers your questions and you understand??

Yes - i can imagine that would have been very awful for you to have to go through as a child. I could never leave a child hungry whilst we are all eating dinner.

That sounds horrible for you. But, also it wasn't your friend's parents responsibility to cook and feed you each day. Your parents should have made sure you were home for dinner.

x

TeddybearBaby · 09/08/2024 10:57

I couldn’t do it….. I’m so proud of my upbringing at times and this is one of them. My parents were always so friendly, kind and welcoming to everyone and generous too even when we didn’t have much at all. I try to be the same. I bumped into a friend recently who opened up about abuse she suffered (I had no idea, it was heartbreaking to hear). She said that spending time at my house was her comfort and where she realised what a family could be. She was so pleased to bump into me to tell me. I suppose it works both ways that you just don’t know what is going on for people.

I think it’s fine if other people want to behave differently, it’s all up to us to act in harmony with ourselves. Being out of alignment causes discontent imo. So I think you do you and let others do them, they’re not for us to concern ourselves with. I hope your reflections bring you some clarity 💐

PerkyMintDeer · 09/08/2024 11:11

It's a difficult one really...unless you'd been invited for dinner, you shouldn't really have expected it. I know the etiquette when I was a child (I'm 40 now) was unless you'd be invited to stay for dinner, you'd generally be expected to leave at dinner time. It sounds like you were there most days, so it was bit cheeky to expect to be catered for regularly and the likelihood is she wanted meal times to be just for her own family.

That being said, I can distinctly remember some "mean mums" from my own childhood. My best friend stayed with us most weekends...from Friday after school, to Sunday night. She had free days out to theme parks, free holidays with us etc. My parents would never accept any money for entrance fees or food etc, just said to bring some spending money for the gift shop and the likelihood is they'd also give her whatever they gave me pocket money wise to make us equal. We were friends from age 2-13, more like sisters, she stayed with us for over a week when her sibling was born again, no money given for expenses.

Her Mum took me out for the day, to the seaside, once in all those years. Two good wages in that family. I was 5, my pocket money was used to pay for my meal (sausage, beans and chips in a cheap arcade). Towards the end of the day, we went to an ice cream van. Friend's Mum bought two 99s (in the days when they were 99p). One for herself and one for my friend. She said, "I'm afraid you don't have any pocket money left so you can't have one, Perky." I sat beside them on the beach counting my pennies to see if I had enough to buy a Mini Milk...I had 12p and needed 15p. I'd gone back up to the van, excited as I knew I had 10p for one and that's how much they were at my local park only to find out they were 5p extra at the beach, so I looked a little deflated on my return. She told me to stop guilt tripping her by counting my pennies and to go off and play somewhere else so they could enjoy their ice creams in peace without having to look at my sulky face! I wasn't sulking, but I did feel a bit sad and confused because I'd never been in the position of being left out before and it was all a bit awkward as they were both really enjoying their ice cream and taking a lot of time eating it and talking about it while I was just sat there like a third wheel. And they were both sort of mocking me for not having one.

My Mum was furious afterwards and said she would have gave her the £1 on the doorstop on my return rather than treating me like that...she just couldn't understand a grown woman sat with her daughter both tucking into ice-creams and leaving a 5 year old out, then not even lending 3p so I could have something at least. She said she would have rather gone without herself than leave a child out. It was awkward as when I was collected my Mum asked us did we have a nice time and my best friend blurted out, "Yes we had Mr Whippies but Perky didn't have any money so she couldn't have one!" and laughed and my Mum said at the time, "oh, Anne, I'm sorry did I not send her with enough pocket money? Surely you know me by now and that I would have paid you back straight away if we'd owed any extra?" and then I somehow got told off by Anne for "having a big gob, telling tales to mummy". That was the last time I ever went out with best friend's mother!

Elliebeli · 09/08/2024 13:27

I don’t understand all those people who say she didn’t need to feed you and can’t see anything wrong with it, whist offering food to her own child.

there is no way I could have my child’s friend come over and I only feed my child and not bother to offer food to her friend. How people can think this is normal/ decent behaviour, is beyond me; especially when you say money was not a problem, they were clearly not poor.

HoppingPavlova · 09/08/2024 13:40

there is no way I could have my child’s friend come over and I only feed my child and not bother to offer food to her friend. How people can think this is normal/ decent behaviour, is beyond me; especially when you say money was not a problem, they were clearly not poor

Because at some point you have to take a stronger stand to get a CF to leave instead of constantly inviting themselves to dinner. You invite people to stay for dinner as convenient, they don’t invite themselves.

challys · 09/08/2024 14:00

I don't think yabu. I think back to when my friend's mother would try to make some sort of dinner for me, even if it was just cheese on toast, as I was vegetarian (in the days where there was much less choice, and only one vegetarian cafe in the city centre).

It's possibly just thoughtlessness; would you have a dinner you needed to eat waiting for you on your return home, that sort of thing. Manners to ask though.

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 19:19

@PerkyMintDeer that's just awful I'm so sorry you were treated like that, makes me so angry when people are so tight and selfish like that especially to a innocent child! It must have made you feel like you wanted to go home right at that moment. What if you needed a drink of water? And she said no that would have been terrible too. Was horrible to read that x

OP posts:
Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 21:07

ASimpleLampoon · 09/08/2024 08:48

If I'd invited a child I d feed them .if they are not invited I'd send them home but wouldn't eat in front of them.

were you invited by the mum?

I wasn't invited by the mum invited by the friend. If I said "I should go now" she would be like "why? Wait till ive finished my dinner". I truly think now that her mum should have just said please leave now we are having dinner... and me being young and learning about the world didnt have a clue.

OP posts:
ThatTealViewer · 09/08/2024 22:05

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 21:07

I wasn't invited by the mum invited by the friend. If I said "I should go now" she would be like "why? Wait till ive finished my dinner". I truly think now that her mum should have just said please leave now we are having dinner... and me being young and learning about the world didnt have a clue.

I honestly think most kids would have gone ‘because I’m hungry’ or similar. And then they’d go home.

Your little friend had no issue verbalising what she wanted. Why do you think you did?

Also, this clearly happened multiple times. Didn’t you ever mention it to your mum or grandma? If so, what did they say? If not, why do you think you didn’t?

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:29

ThatTealViewer · 09/08/2024 22:05

I honestly think most kids would have gone ‘because I’m hungry’ or similar. And then they’d go home.

Your little friend had no issue verbalising what she wanted. Why do you think you did?

Also, this clearly happened multiple times. Didn’t you ever mention it to your mum or grandma? If so, what did they say? If not, why do you think you didn’t?

I do remember telling my mum about it as she worked some days in the evening so wasn't at home to cook for me, she said you should go to grandma's she will cook for you. It did happen multiple times I really dont know why I just hung about as most likely remember the friend telling me to stay. I remember going back and dinner left on side for me.

OP posts:
Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:31

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:29

I do remember telling my mum about it as she worked some days in the evening so wasn't at home to cook for me, she said you should go to grandma's she will cook for you. It did happen multiple times I really dont know why I just hung about as most likely remember the friend telling me to stay. I remember going back and dinner left on side for me.

And also my mum thought her mum was tight and mean as she could of gave me something like return favour after feeding her child while at my home

OP posts:
Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:43

ThatTealViewer · 07/08/2024 14:47

🖕

OP posts:
Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:48

Butterflyandroses · 09/08/2024 22:43

🖕

😂

OP posts:
Confusionn · 09/08/2024 23:18

I actually think the problem with having over generous parents is that you assume all parents are that way, and it is a hard hard lesson to learn when you discover that is not so.

My Mum was/is still like this, always kind and willing to feed people and would never think to turn anyone away. It has kind of made me the other way, because the disappointment of finding out just how mean others can be is just too much to take. Perhaps this why your thinking about this now? You're probably resenting your parents for not teaching you the harsh realities of life. I know I do sometimes, yes it is nice to be kind, but it is not reflective of everyday life.

MrsSunshine2b · 12/08/2024 11:40

PerkyMintDeer · 09/08/2024 11:11

It's a difficult one really...unless you'd been invited for dinner, you shouldn't really have expected it. I know the etiquette when I was a child (I'm 40 now) was unless you'd be invited to stay for dinner, you'd generally be expected to leave at dinner time. It sounds like you were there most days, so it was bit cheeky to expect to be catered for regularly and the likelihood is she wanted meal times to be just for her own family.

That being said, I can distinctly remember some "mean mums" from my own childhood. My best friend stayed with us most weekends...from Friday after school, to Sunday night. She had free days out to theme parks, free holidays with us etc. My parents would never accept any money for entrance fees or food etc, just said to bring some spending money for the gift shop and the likelihood is they'd also give her whatever they gave me pocket money wise to make us equal. We were friends from age 2-13, more like sisters, she stayed with us for over a week when her sibling was born again, no money given for expenses.

Her Mum took me out for the day, to the seaside, once in all those years. Two good wages in that family. I was 5, my pocket money was used to pay for my meal (sausage, beans and chips in a cheap arcade). Towards the end of the day, we went to an ice cream van. Friend's Mum bought two 99s (in the days when they were 99p). One for herself and one for my friend. She said, "I'm afraid you don't have any pocket money left so you can't have one, Perky." I sat beside them on the beach counting my pennies to see if I had enough to buy a Mini Milk...I had 12p and needed 15p. I'd gone back up to the van, excited as I knew I had 10p for one and that's how much they were at my local park only to find out they were 5p extra at the beach, so I looked a little deflated on my return. She told me to stop guilt tripping her by counting my pennies and to go off and play somewhere else so they could enjoy their ice creams in peace without having to look at my sulky face! I wasn't sulking, but I did feel a bit sad and confused because I'd never been in the position of being left out before and it was all a bit awkward as they were both really enjoying their ice cream and taking a lot of time eating it and talking about it while I was just sat there like a third wheel. And they were both sort of mocking me for not having one.

My Mum was furious afterwards and said she would have gave her the £1 on the doorstop on my return rather than treating me like that...she just couldn't understand a grown woman sat with her daughter both tucking into ice-creams and leaving a 5 year old out, then not even lending 3p so I could have something at least. She said she would have rather gone without herself than leave a child out. It was awkward as when I was collected my Mum asked us did we have a nice time and my best friend blurted out, "Yes we had Mr Whippies but Perky didn't have any money so she couldn't have one!" and laughed and my Mum said at the time, "oh, Anne, I'm sorry did I not send her with enough pocket money? Surely you know me by now and that I would have paid you back straight away if we'd owed any extra?" and then I somehow got told off by Anne for "having a big gob, telling tales to mummy". That was the last time I ever went out with best friend's mother!

That's shocking! Do you have contact with the friend now?

immigrant002 · 12/08/2024 13:15

To people saying they are poor . Come on you would seriously let your guest go hungry ? I can never understand this i would always offer something to my kids friends if i didn't the spirits of my ancestors would come to haunt me 🤣

PerkyMintDeer · 12/08/2024 13:23

MrsSunshine2b · 12/08/2024 11:40

That's shocking! Do you have contact with the friend now?

No, we went our separate ways in Senior School. She got quite bossy/dominant. Was one of those kids that would tell you "you can't have anything with Belle on it, only I can have Belle stuff." "No we're not playing the game YOU want to play, MY game is better! I'm the princess and you can be my horse." and by the time we went to (separate) high schools she'd just turned really nasty/toxic and was treating me like something pathetic on her shoe and I got sick of it.

Wonder where she learned it? Lol.

MrsSunshine2b · 12/08/2024 13:27

PerkyMintDeer · 12/08/2024 13:23

No, we went our separate ways in Senior School. She got quite bossy/dominant. Was one of those kids that would tell you "you can't have anything with Belle on it, only I can have Belle stuff." "No we're not playing the game YOU want to play, MY game is better! I'm the princess and you can be my horse." and by the time we went to (separate) high schools she'd just turned really nasty/toxic and was treating me like something pathetic on her shoe and I got sick of it.

Wonder where she learned it? Lol.

Ah, I wanted to know if her relationship with her Mum was strained when she realised what a horrible person she was, but it sounds like the apple didn't fall far from the tree!

OhDearMuriel · 12/08/2024 18:59

YANBU
Some mothers/parents are just basically mean.

My DM was a single parent, and she would always without fail let our friends have tea with us.

Butterflyandroses · 12/08/2024 19:44

OhDearMuriel · 12/08/2024 18:59

YANBU
Some mothers/parents are just basically mean.

My DM was a single parent, and she would always without fail let our friends have tea with us.

That's what my mum was like, we could never eat in front of my friend, she would always say "would you like to stay for tea" and people on here saying her parents could be poor far from it they were well off luxurious holidays every year ect. She was tight and mean. I dont see the friend anymore must be 16 year or so since I last see her she used to use me for convenience when she was bored then drop me again.

OP posts:
DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 12/08/2024 19:58

She doesn't sound very nice, and it seems you were wise not to continue the friendship.
This seems to be weighing on your mind quite a bit. Why do you think that is? Is it a memory of being treated unfairly as a child that re occurs because you feel you have been treated unfairly since? Do you think this might centre on the unkind comment the other mum made about your Dad.. do you think you haven't really dealt with his passing. It comes across as if you can't believe that an adult would be so unkind to a child who has just lost their parent. I do think the Mum was unkind in that instance.

Perhaps you need to find someone in RL to talk to about this.
There's nothing wrong with thinking about things that troubled you in the past, sometimes it helps to dwell on them enough so that you can come to terms with them and put them to be and then hopefully you can put them into perspective. The mum was unkind to you, it doesn't sound as if she was generous about feeding people, which you are and which your own mum was, but other pps have come up with some reasons why she may have done this. I still think its a bit lacking, when your mum often fed her daughter. It sounds like you are a really kind mum and enjoy your children so that is something to focus on.

But one thing that springs out to me is that You had the better part of the deal in this friendship. Your own mum sounds kind and generous and your friend's attitude shows she didn't treat her friends well and has probably had trouble forming decent relationships since. Her mum didn't do her any favours when it came to attitudes it seems, so maybe having explored this aspect of it, at least you didn't have to see that mum so often and you had a kind mum yourself.

Butterflyandroses · 12/08/2024 20:19

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 12/08/2024 19:58

She doesn't sound very nice, and it seems you were wise not to continue the friendship.
This seems to be weighing on your mind quite a bit. Why do you think that is? Is it a memory of being treated unfairly as a child that re occurs because you feel you have been treated unfairly since? Do you think this might centre on the unkind comment the other mum made about your Dad.. do you think you haven't really dealt with his passing. It comes across as if you can't believe that an adult would be so unkind to a child who has just lost their parent. I do think the Mum was unkind in that instance.

Perhaps you need to find someone in RL to talk to about this.
There's nothing wrong with thinking about things that troubled you in the past, sometimes it helps to dwell on them enough so that you can come to terms with them and put them to be and then hopefully you can put them into perspective. The mum was unkind to you, it doesn't sound as if she was generous about feeding people, which you are and which your own mum was, but other pps have come up with some reasons why she may have done this. I still think its a bit lacking, when your mum often fed her daughter. It sounds like you are a really kind mum and enjoy your children so that is something to focus on.

But one thing that springs out to me is that You had the better part of the deal in this friendship. Your own mum sounds kind and generous and your friend's attitude shows she didn't treat her friends well and has probably had trouble forming decent relationships since. Her mum didn't do her any favours when it came to attitudes it seems, so maybe having explored this aspect of it, at least you didn't have to see that mum so often and you had a kind mum yourself.

Ive never dealt with my dad's passing ive only really started grieving for him... he died almost 30 years ago now I was 5. And its all the shit I'm going through now in life and its all going into one big ball. And its to much weight to carry I will heal but I dont know how long it will take.

OP posts:
VickyPollard25 · 13/08/2024 04:53

Butterflyandroses · 12/08/2024 19:44

That's what my mum was like, we could never eat in front of my friend, she would always say "would you like to stay for tea" and people on here saying her parents could be poor far from it they were well off luxurious holidays every year ect. She was tight and mean. I dont see the friend anymore must be 16 year or so since I last see her she used to use me for convenience when she was bored then drop me again.

Like mother, like daughter?

CoffeeThenWine · 13/08/2024 11:42

HoppingPavlova · 09/08/2024 13:40

there is no way I could have my child’s friend come over and I only feed my child and not bother to offer food to her friend. How people can think this is normal/ decent behaviour, is beyond me; especially when you say money was not a problem, they were clearly not poor

Because at some point you have to take a stronger stand to get a CF to leave instead of constantly inviting themselves to dinner. You invite people to stay for dinner as convenient, they don’t invite themselves.

You're really calling a teenage kid a CF??? Wow!!
I don't understand this mentality at all. If we are having a family evening, then our teens know not to bring anyone back for mealtimes.
BUT otherwise, if someone is here with my child as their friend, they are always offered food. And no, we're not rolling in it, but I can stretch most meals I make.
Sometimes, as they arrive for an impromptu sleepover, they say they've eaten, other times they join us, and others they head out and get their own together.
I also know that some of these friends don't have as stable a home, and would never want them to feel they don't have somewhere safe.

CoffeeThenWine · 13/08/2024 11:45

Butterflyandroses · 12/08/2024 20:19

Ive never dealt with my dad's passing ive only really started grieving for him... he died almost 30 years ago now I was 5. And its all the shit I'm going through now in life and its all going into one big ball. And its to much weight to carry I will heal but I dont know how long it will take.

OP, can you try and get some help to deal with not only what you have going on now, but also to unpick what's happened in the past too along with you losing your Dad so very young, as it seems to be really weighing on you?
You sound very kind and thoughtful and a lovely mum. Good luck x