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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask the worst things your parents have said to you?

313 replies

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 19:33

I’ll start -
I’m a slut
I’m a failure without any friends
I’m irrelevant to the family because I don’t have children

OP posts:
GodOfYourBluestDays · 04/01/2025 22:47

Mother, during a very rare row because I was the ‘good girl’: ‘You’re old enough and ugly enough to look after yourself.’
Me (aged 13): mildly answers back (again, rare)
Father: ‘Don’t speak to my wife like that you little bitch.’

All through my life: ‘You were a terrible baby. You cried all the time. I used to put your pram in the garden so we couldn’t hear you.’

It was always about their ‘love affair’ of a marriage. Me and my sibling were inconveniences.

When I was having such severe panic attacks aged 14 after my grandparent’s suicide that I had to come home from school: (both of them) ‘You’re swinging the lead’ (ie faking it)

When I told them aged 25 I was on antidepressants (for the third time, not that they knew about the first two times): ‘You’re not depressed, you’re just too sensitive and a hypochondriac!’

When we were struggling to conceive and were starting to look at adoption: ‘Well it takes a special sort of person to adopt and I don’t think that’s you.’ (Mother)

When I had very, very bad PND after eventual birth of first child, my dad said, angrily, ‘You’re not the first woman to have a baby, get over it.’

When I was struggling at a pivotal point in my career: ‘Oh I never worry about you. I do worry about your sibling though.’ My sibling (who I love, was labelled the ‘bad child’. She’s far more together, authentic, bright and stable than me.)

Plus all the usual comments about weight/beauty/desirability.

I have found the Raised by Narcissists subreddit very useful, btw. I’m not l/nc but I am very ‘surface/cheerful’ with them. They don’t know the real me.

louderthan · 04/01/2025 22:53

'If you moved out I'd probably just end it all'
When I tried to explain how upsetting it was to hear this, parent scoffed that it was 'just a flippant comment' and told me not to be so 'silly and sensitive'.

RJnomore1 · 04/01/2025 22:53

The woman in the bed next to me in hospital had a big blonde boy and I think that was my baby and they gave me hers
You have the grace of a baby elephant
My little ugly duckling
Can you suck your stomach in? You look pregnant (I was 8)
Me and your dad are really worried about the size you are (I was an adult and size 14).

The worst though was he telling me everyone I knew was going to die at Armageddon and that I had been naughty so I would too.

Unsurprisingly we do not have great relationships now.

Timetosortmyshitout · 04/01/2025 22:54

menopausalfart · 04/01/2025 19:37

I haven't liked you since the first time I saw you. My SD. Met me when I was 7.

I had the same! Said he didn't like me until I had 'grown up' to which I figured was about 13 years that he didn't like me. He said I was precocious apparently. I think he thought he was giving me some sort of compliment.

Lovesabadboy · 04/01/2025 22:54

My dad died when I was 9, so it was just DM and I for a long time. During that time, she viewed me as a partner and not a daughter. As I grew up and started to go out, she hated that I was becoming independent and hated me having boyfriends as they would 'take me away from her'
I was subjected to being called a slut and a slag more times than I care to remember...and in front of my poor boyfriends too. She did everything she could to put them off me. Luckily, my DH of 32 years was man enough to ignore all that and stand up to her.
She called me selfish all the time, but one of the worst things she said to me was that I was 'too selfish to have children'.
Unfortunately, she died the year my first daughter was born, before I fell pregnant, so she never got to meet my 2 amazing daughters and see what a great 'unselfish' mum I became.
The things she said to me are one thing, don't even get me started on the times she humiliated me and the things she physically and mentally inflicted on me over the years...

TheBlueRobin · 04/01/2025 22:55

I loved my Mum very much but boy she did come out with some shit at times

When I was 19, I broke up with my first boyfriend after meeting someone at uni.
Stupid antics. I cringe at it now but so be it. My Mum said to me some time later 'well the reason you have all these spots on your face is fate teaching you a lesson... he'll break your heart like you broke xx's heart"

Out shopping with her a couple years ago, bumped into my Aunt who I hadn't seen since before covid. We walked away and my Mum said 'well I bet she's thinking hasn't TheBlueRobin gained some weight?' Didn't see anything wrong with her comments, never apologised and had a go at me for being in a mood about it.

My lovely Mum, flaws and all, died a few years ago. Her and my Dad had a very dysfunctional marriage but he struggled regardless. He had the nerve to say to me 'You know, I think losing a partner is MUCH WORSE than losing a parent'. I asked him not to say that me again and go elsewhere for sympathy.

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 22:56

Lovesabadboy · 04/01/2025 22:54

My dad died when I was 9, so it was just DM and I for a long time. During that time, she viewed me as a partner and not a daughter. As I grew up and started to go out, she hated that I was becoming independent and hated me having boyfriends as they would 'take me away from her'
I was subjected to being called a slut and a slag more times than I care to remember...and in front of my poor boyfriends too. She did everything she could to put them off me. Luckily, my DH of 32 years was man enough to ignore all that and stand up to her.
She called me selfish all the time, but one of the worst things she said to me was that I was 'too selfish to have children'.
Unfortunately, she died the year my first daughter was born, before I fell pregnant, so she never got to meet my 2 amazing daughters and see what a great 'unselfish' mum I became.
The things she said to me are one thing, don't even get me started on the times she humiliated me and the things she physically and mentally inflicted on me over the years...

I’m so glad you survived that terrible abuse and have a lovely family of your own now x

OP posts:
Endofyear · 04/01/2025 22:57

I'm so sorry that your parents treated you this way 😔 this thread has been a real eye opener for me and not in a good way, I'm truly shocked.

Your parents should be your biggest cheerleaders. I'm sure mine were disappointed at some of my life choices, especially as a teenager 😬 but they always talked me up, told me I was beautiful and smart and they were always prepared to fight my corner. I feel very lucky. I lost my dad 10 years ago and I really miss him. My mum is in her 80s and frail now but we would do anything for her and take care of her as she took care of us all those years.

RandomButtons · 04/01/2025 22:57

Told me I was responsible for my brother’s death because I was into new age stuff. I wasn’t into new age stuff when he died. He died from Septicemia. Nothing to do with me. I ran away over that one.

They also took me to have demons cast out of me when they found out I’d been sexually abused. Though technically they didn’t say that to me, they said it to the pastor.

leislilla · 04/01/2025 22:59

"You deserved it" - my mum, to me, as I ran crying into the house after the 36 year old man who was grooming me punched me in the face. I was 16.

TheQuirkyMaker · 04/01/2025 23:02

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 22:22

I’m sorry you went through all that. How are you now?

It wasn't so much the things they said (though they were hurtful in themselves) it was the fact that they thought it was okay to say them- that was what led me to believe I was worthless. Not worth anything. I used to think, if I was normal, my parents wouldn't mock me, would they? I've had a wasted and sad life, but I'm okay.

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:06

TheQuirkyMaker · 04/01/2025 23:02

It wasn't so much the things they said (though they were hurtful in themselves) it was the fact that they thought it was okay to say them- that was what led me to believe I was worthless. Not worth anything. I used to think, if I was normal, my parents wouldn't mock me, would they? I've had a wasted and sad life, but I'm okay.

I know what you mean. “Wasted and sad” sums up my life pretty well too. I’m still here but it’s a daily struggle.

OP posts:
Lackinthesack · 04/01/2025 23:08

As a child they said some really awful things but the worst was when I invited my mum along to our baby scan where we found out we were having a girl (which DH and I were delighted about, however my mum has yet to get the grandson she so desperately wants) and she just said ‘oh well, there’s always next time’. 🙃

Barbarella73 · 04/01/2025 23:09

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 19:33

I’ll start -
I’m a slut
I’m a failure without any friends
I’m irrelevant to the family because I don’t have children

OP, I’m sure you know this already, but none of those things that were said to you are true. I don’t even know you and I’m sure of it. I’m so sorry that you had to hear those things from people who purported to love you. Christ on a bike, it is just awful to see it written down in black and white - the things that your family have said to you, and also the things that PPs family have said to them. You all deserve better. Hell, most people deserve better that have to hear that crap.

My mother used to say to my siblings and I that we all “wanted deprived childhoods” when we tried to talk to her about why we weren’t in regular contact after leaving home. Three out of the four of us siblings made a conscious choice not to have children, rather than risk becoming the type of parents that ours were. This way, it stops with us, and is absolutely not irrelevant or a failure. Much love to you OP ❤️

Iwilladmit · 04/01/2025 23:11

Hwi · 04/01/2025 22:08

Awful examples, difficult read. But you know what? My aunt and her husband were old first-time parents. They worshipped their daughter, literally, from birth. She was told 24/7 that she was the most beautiful, talented, amazing person requiring no improvement and that any person would be beyond lucky to be around her. She grew up into a fat slobby person convinced she was beautiful and even irresistible. Did not bother to study well at school - why, she was already amazing. Dropped out of uni, treated boyfriends like dirt, encouraged by her loving parents, as no man was good enough for her. Dropped her music lessons, dropped her horse-riding. Never heard a simple 'no' from her parents, and never heard a word of criticism from them either. She is a bewildered miserable person now, uncle died, lives with her mum. The other aunt had criticised, belittled and even slapped her 3 children into high achievers, well adjusted and happily married people. Strange thing, unconditional love, I think.

fuck off with your post that is full of apologies and excuses for horrendous parent. You must have no empathy to have posted that.

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:13

Barbarella73 · 04/01/2025 23:09

OP, I’m sure you know this already, but none of those things that were said to you are true. I don’t even know you and I’m sure of it. I’m so sorry that you had to hear those things from people who purported to love you. Christ on a bike, it is just awful to see it written down in black and white - the things that your family have said to you, and also the things that PPs family have said to them. You all deserve better. Hell, most people deserve better that have to hear that crap.

My mother used to say to my siblings and I that we all “wanted deprived childhoods” when we tried to talk to her about why we weren’t in regular contact after leaving home. Three out of the four of us siblings made a conscious choice not to have children, rather than risk becoming the type of parents that ours were. This way, it stops with us, and is absolutely not irrelevant or a failure. Much love to you OP ❤️

Thank you so much for your kind comments ❤️Unfortunately I haven’t been able to recover from my childhood yet although I know a lot of people had it far worse. I knew I wasn’t a fit person to have children though so the abuse stops with me.

OP posts:
Weemumofone · 04/01/2025 23:14

Stay in an unhappy marriage until my child leaves school because that’s what she did.
Child is 9…
She’s still in her unhappy marriage because the time wasn’t right to leave…

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:15

Weemumofone · 04/01/2025 23:14

Stay in an unhappy marriage until my child leaves school because that’s what she did.
Child is 9…
She’s still in her unhappy marriage because the time wasn’t right to leave…

Hope you told her where to stick that advice.

OP posts:
Wheresthebeach · 04/01/2025 23:15

No man will ever put up with you

Our marriage is happier when your not here

Thisinfuriatingplace · 04/01/2025 23:16

My brother and sister were her blond little angels, ‘I suppose your alright. Hearing last year I was having rape counselling, you need to get over this it’s not like he killed you did he? All from my mother

CountTo10 · 04/01/2025 23:17

These are the worst things my mother has said. My Dad hasn't really said anything awful.

When I was raped by a masked man who broke in to my house at night holding a knife to my throat, insinuated it was my fault as I was sleeping naked in my bed that particular night so he 'couldn't help himself. Also the fact he'd broken in in the first place must have been because I'd been walking round the house naked and he'd seen me. I didn't but even if I did it didn't make it my fault.

Told me I was being ridiculous when I found out the father of my 2 children and partner of 25 years was having an affair with a family friend and walked out. I was distraught but she told me I was being ridiculous and needed to pull myself together as we weren't even married.

Actually maybe the worst thing is what she didn't say. She didn’t believe in praising children. Apparently it makes them big headed and stops them working hard 🙄. This meant throughout my childhood all I heard from her was criticism and negativity.

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:17

Thisinfuriatingplace · 04/01/2025 23:16

My brother and sister were her blond little angels, ‘I suppose your alright. Hearing last year I was having rape counselling, you need to get over this it’s not like he killed you did he? All from my mother

That’s unforgivable. I’m so sorry.

OP posts:
BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:21

CountTo10 · 04/01/2025 23:17

These are the worst things my mother has said. My Dad hasn't really said anything awful.

When I was raped by a masked man who broke in to my house at night holding a knife to my throat, insinuated it was my fault as I was sleeping naked in my bed that particular night so he 'couldn't help himself. Also the fact he'd broken in in the first place must have been because I'd been walking round the house naked and he'd seen me. I didn't but even if I did it didn't make it my fault.

Told me I was being ridiculous when I found out the father of my 2 children and partner of 25 years was having an affair with a family friend and walked out. I was distraught but she told me I was being ridiculous and needed to pull myself together as we weren't even married.

Actually maybe the worst thing is what she didn't say. She didn’t believe in praising children. Apparently it makes them big headed and stops them working hard 🙄. This meant throughout my childhood all I heard from her was criticism and negativity.

That’s terrible @CountTo10. I’m so sorry she didn’t support you.
My parents were also proud of the fact that they never praised my siblings and me and they were always quick to tell everyone about our faults in front of us. My sister wasn’t good at anything and I could never accept I was in the wrong.

OP posts:
allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 04/01/2025 23:23

@BradleyGreenToes well frankly, my sister and I only went to my mother's funeral to make sure she was cremated!! make of that what you will!

BradleyGreenToes · 04/01/2025 23:24

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 04/01/2025 23:23

@BradleyGreenToes well frankly, my sister and I only went to my mother's funeral to make sure she was cremated!! make of that what you will!

That made me laugh!

OP posts: