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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mum expects me to take care of her in old age, I don’t want to AIBU?

111 replies

AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:25

My Mum was horrible to me growing up, a bad Mum. There were a lot of problems in the family home, emotional and mental abuse and an alcoholic Dad. I was a child that reacted to this but all the family issues were placed squarely on my shoulders. She neglected me badly enough for it to be led to bullying and it was just horrible.

She lies to herself about how horrible it was and how horrible she was to me and believes her own lies.

We recently had a conversation about care homes, (we pretend that I didn’t have the childhood I did) and I said I had no intentions to look after anyone in their old age (I’m much harder to bully these days) she looked genuinely surprised and said ‘I thought you would look after me’ instead of her going into a home, I said it’s not something I want to go through.

So, considering we brush past the past AIBU, should I be helping my Mum when she gets old and provide the care for her she never gave me so she doesn’t go into a home?

Just to add - I’m currently working on going lower & lower contact with her but when you’ve grown up and this has been your normal and all of a sudden realise as an adult how fucked up that was it’s incredibly hard to just go NC when it’s never been an issue before and many other family members would be greatly affected.

OP posts:
blitzen · 25/11/2024 21:27

YANBU, OP. You have to live your own life. Hold firm and good luck x

Crazycatlady79 · 25/11/2024 21:28

Considering your experience of her as a parent, no you are not at all unreasonable.
My parent was an absolute horror towards my sibling and me and, nope, neither of us was there for her, apart from ensuring she actually got end of life care.
It may sound callous, but when someone treats you like shit as a child - and it continues into adult life - you don't owe them anything.

StMarie4me · 25/11/2024 21:28

I do not expect my grown children to look after me. I have told them so. And we are very close.

Love51 · 25/11/2024 21:32

Yanbu.
I wouldn't bother discussing it until it becomes relevant though.

RandomMess · 25/11/2024 21:35

Did she look after her parents?

Not that it matters I was just curious.

Jellycatspyjamas · 25/11/2024 21:37

I had very difficult parents, my mum died a few years ago and there’s no way in hell I’d be caring for my dad should the time come. I haven’t discussed it with him, I just won’t be doing it.

Sassysoonwins · 25/11/2024 21:39

YANBU at all OP. The astounding cheek of her to treat you badly then expect what could be more than 10 years of servitude.

Tell her not a chance. I speak as someone who went no contact with my own unpleasant mother 10 years before she died.

AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:41

Love51 · 25/11/2024 21:32

Yanbu.
I wouldn't bother discussing it until it becomes relevant though.

Yeah I think that’s a good idea. I have discussed it with siblings though so they are aware that if they choose to look after her I will be helping.

OP posts:
AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:41

RandomMess · 25/11/2024 21:35

Did she look after her parents?

Not that it matters I was just curious.

No but they did not live near by.

OP posts:
Nothanks17 · 25/11/2024 21:41

My mum would never ever expect me to do this and we are very close. It came up in conversation once when we met up with MIL and I said my mums always said to me she wouldn't dream of placing the burden on me and I am glad because I don't want to do that ever or change the dynamic of our relationship or take away her privacy and dignity....and the look on her face... I felt a bit bad but I don't wanna wipe my mums bum hole never mind someone elses.

CulturalNomad · 25/11/2024 21:44

StMarie4me · 25/11/2024 21:28

I do not expect my grown children to look after me. I have told them so. And we are very close.

Same here. As much as possible we should all make contingency plans regarding care and assistance that we may require as we age. Expecting adult children to put their lives on hold and become full-time carers shouldn't be part of those plans.

I had a somewhat difficult relationship with my late mother. In her final years I made sure that she got the care and support that she needed, but I did not volunteer to become her carer.

AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:48

@CulturalNomad I had a somewhat difficult relationship with my late mother. In her final years I made sure that she got the care and support that she needed, but I did not volunteer to become her carer.

that’s good of you. This isn’t something I feel like I want to do or take on the responsibility for, I don’t feel like I owe her a thing. I feel bad about this but, to be honest, I don’t think I should feel bad about it. After all, she doesn’t.

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 25/11/2024 21:48

She was responsible for you, children have no obligation to be responsible for their parents care in later life.

We've told ours that we don't expect it nor for their disabled brother when the time comes.
This is something that parents and all adults really need to plan for, it's unacceptable to hold this expectation imo.

Glutenfreemcgee · 25/11/2024 21:50

Yanbu, I’m nc with mine now but even before that I knew I wouldn’t look after her in old age regardless of contact or not, there’s too much trauma/bad blood so she needed to work out her plan for herself.

RandomMess · 25/11/2024 21:50

She could have moved, or moved them in with her Wink

Just non committal "like you did with your parents you mean"

ThisQuirkyPeachHare · 25/11/2024 21:53

You reap what you sow in my opinion.

I feel the same about my mother... I didn't have a loving childhood where I felt prioritised, she never supported me as an child, an adult or as a mother, and she's been a crap grandparent.
We get on ok now, although I see her rarely. I don't feel that I owe her anything... And she wouldn't be at all thankful...

Hoppinggreen · 25/11/2024 21:53

I had a good relationship with my Mum and not for one second did I consider looking after her 100% of the time when she was old enough to need it and neither did she expect it.
There is no way you should do it OP

CulturalNomad · 25/11/2024 21:55

that’s good of you. This isn’t something I feel like I want to do or take on the responsibility for, I don’t feel like I owe her a thing. I feel bad about this but, to be honest, I don’t think I should feel bad about it. After all, she doesn’t

I'm sorry @AdvicePleaseHelp , I didn't mean to imply that you should do the same. My situation was completely different. My mother had many issues and was extremely difficult, but she was not guilty of abuse or neglect. Your mother's treatment of you changes the equation as far as I'm concerned.

coldcallerbaiter · 25/11/2024 21:56

I have a neighbour who I am pretty sure has MIL at home with them due to wanting to save on care home fees, if it was free, I have no doubt she’d be in a home. So there are other motives other than actually wanting to do it for devotion.

My own dm was good to me, if a little overbearing due to worry. I am now the same as her, good but a micro manager. I would not expect my dc to look after me, my dm feels the same. Keeping in touch, visits, protection from scams and sorting stuff out, I would do for dm and would expect from dc. Dm is paying for a carer to come in and I will do the same, money has to be put aside for that, a lot of money.

Paulie1981 · 25/11/2024 21:57

I think in this situation, id ensure she was looked after by a nice care home/carers but you do not have to physically do this yourself. Stop talking about it until the time comes or she will try to manipulate you into doing it. Dont feel bad, its your life x

hattie43 · 25/11/2024 21:57

I understand how you feel OP I'm in the same situation.

AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:58

CulturalNomad · 25/11/2024 21:55

that’s good of you. This isn’t something I feel like I want to do or take on the responsibility for, I don’t feel like I owe her a thing. I feel bad about this but, to be honest, I don’t think I should feel bad about it. After all, she doesn’t

I'm sorry @AdvicePleaseHelp , I didn't mean to imply that you should do the same. My situation was completely different. My mother had many issues and was extremely difficult, but she was not guilty of abuse or neglect. Your mother's treatment of you changes the equation as far as I'm concerned.

I don’t feel like you did, I think it’s my own guilt edging in. When you’ve had a life time of being made to feel like a bad person, it’s hard to shake.

In a way I’m grateful, I know I’m such a good Mum to my children, my Mum showed me all the things I don’t want to be so if any good came of it, it’s that.

OP posts:
AdvicePleaseHelp · 25/11/2024 21:59

Paulie1981 · 25/11/2024 21:57

I think in this situation, id ensure she was looked after by a nice care home/carers but you do not have to physically do this yourself. Stop talking about it until the time comes or she will try to manipulate you into doing it. Dont feel bad, its your life x

Thank you! I don’t think I will be doing that, I’ll be living my life and being happy after a rough start x

OP posts:
Onlycoffee · 25/11/2024 22:02

I don't think any parent should expect their children to look after them!

A lot of very loved children also put their parents in care homes, it's a huge commitment at a time when the children usually have their own children to look after.

My mum still gives me a hard time! I moved away in my twenties, gone LC many times, I wish I'd gone NC years ago but she is in her 80s now so I maintain phone contact. My golden child sibling looks after her, rather poorly and she's always complaining but she chose that path years ago when she neglected me in favour of them.

ForGreyKoala · 25/11/2024 22:03

StMarie4me · 25/11/2024 21:28

I do not expect my grown children to look after me. I have told them so. And we are very close.

I'm an only child and my parents never expected me to look after them. My DM ended up in care, she was very much against that, but when it happened she made up her mind that she would deal with it and she did. My DF bought an apartment attached to a care home and lived there. They would have hated the thought of me having to look after them.

I have no children so no-one will be burdened with my care.

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