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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU - Retracted Mothers Day Treat?

302 replies

mummytippy · 31/03/2025 12:20

So a few weeks ago my BF asked me if I’d like to go out for Mother’s Day (his treat) if I had nothing planned with my 18 yo DS who is still a college student and living at home. I said I didn’t know what I was doing as not yet discussed it with my DS. Usually my DS will usually just get me a card as not earning and we don’t go out since my Mum passed away 3 years ago. When my Dad was alive we’d all go out on Mother’s Day and he would treat me, my Mum and my DS. I thought offering to take me out was a lovely gesture from my BF and I was really looking forward to it. As the time drew nearer, I asked him if he’d like to ask his Mum and also if it would be okay to take my DS, so 4 of us. He said he thought it was a lovely idea and even remarked it would be both mums and their sons. He knows I’m struggling since the loss of my parents and that I’m struggling with the menopause in that me and him won’t have children of our own. I also had a miscarriage just before my DS was conceived and I think about that baby on Mothers Day too. My BF has grown up children. He booked a table for 4 at a local pub. This was also the first time my DS was meeting my BF’s elderly parents too. I was really looking forward to it all and felt happier he’d asked his Mum as he is very lucky to still have her and she is lovely. She was also very excited. Anyway, all was well with me until after we sat down, drinks were chosen and he headed to the bar. I went with him to help carry the drinks back to the table but upon being asked if he wanted to pay for the drinks, or open a tab for the table, he asked me what I’d like to do while he secured a tab with his card. As we walked away from the bar I said ‘what do you mean, I thought this was your treat?’ He said he was sorry he had said that and yes it was. This was while walking back to the table. It wasn’t resolved and I was very confused so after we’d all decided what to eat we returned to the bar together to order the food. He said he would get it and I could transfer my share to him? Again I said I thought this was a treat but because now I was upset/shocked/annoyed and still confused (all at the same time) and I’m currently short of money (which he knows) I said I can’t afford to transfer you money so I’ll just get it on my credit card and tapped my credit card. The amount included the drinks. We then went and sat back down and I felt really upset but obviously put a brave face on things as his Mum was there and my DS who surprisingly was very chatty were smiling away. I was so upset I could not look my BF in the eyes. For me the occasion had gone from a treat for me to us now going 50/50 which is what we normally do. From the pub we returned his Mum home and spent an hour there with his Dad too so my DS could also meet him. My DS loved them. Anyway once back at my house I told him how I felt about us splitting it 50/50 when originally it was him inviting me out for a treat, and his answer was that that was if it had been just the two of us. So I asked how could that be, was he going to ask his Mum to pay for herself? Was it because I’d taken my DS? and he didn’t want to pay for him, but I’d asked if I could invite him and he’d said yes. He said he thought I’d have realised this changed things. I told him no I hadn’t. I said unless he’d have said to me that because it wasn’t now just the two of us so would I be happy to now go halves I was left feeling like I’d caused my own Mother’s Day treat to unravel and no longer be a treat. He said he wanted me to see his point of view and apologised. To add to this the pub took a £20 deposit for the table on booking on his card which they have not deducted from the total bill which was £60. He now has to go back to the pub to have the deposit refunded. Am I being unreasonable to think the original offer of lunch out being on him should still stand as I do feel very disappointed. As it stands the cost for me and my DS is £30. My DS wanted another drink so I sent him to the bar with my card to tap for that. My BF currently has the receipt to take back to the pub to get the deposit refunded. Last night I did not sleep as this has upset me so much and I’m feeling very resentful.

OP posts:
Truetoself · 31/03/2025 12:24

Probably more of a misunderstanding? Although I can understand you feeling the way you do

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 12:25

He should've paid for yours as originally intended.

Why on earth did you think inviting your adult son would mean he had to pay for him too?

BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 31/03/2025 12:29

You changed the meal from just the 2 of you of course that changes things.

StartAnew · 31/03/2025 12:31

It was a communication problem. BF assumed one thing, you assumed another. He must have assumed you would pay for DS as you suggested him coming, and perhaps he felt that you were two groups of two once his Mum joined in.
£60 for lunch with drinks is a very inexpensive treat for 4 people on Mother's Day but I see why you are upset because you thought he was offering something lovely for you - which he was, at first.
By the sound of it, it was lovely apart from that - DS and Mum getting on is brilliant.

pinkdelight · 31/03/2025 12:35

£60 is a good deal for a treaty meal for four. That aside, clearly it’s a comms issue with you both having different assumptions and not discussing it fully first. I agree with him that his offer was for you and him to go out (odd for Mother’s Day but you liked the idea so that was nice of him). Then it changed when you made it about other people coming, and shouldn’t have assumed he was fine to fund a meal for four as a treat to you. He should’ve paid for his mum at least, but you should’ve paid for your son. Ideally he’d pay for himself and both the mums, but again you changed it from the original offer so it’s not him that retracted the treat so much as you doubled the bill. If it was £60 for four of you and he paid £30, he’s still paying what he’s have paid to treat the two of you. But you invited two other people so I guess that’s his thinking that you pay half. It’s all a bit picky over not a large amount so arguably he should’ve sucked it up. But you both need to be clearer in future I guess.

Bogginsthe3rd · 31/03/2025 12:36

So you thought that however high the numbers of people attending were, BF would pay for all as mother's Day treat ?

Ddakji · 31/03/2025 12:36

I’m afraid that I also took the treat to mean a treat for you alone when it was going to be just the two of you. Then you basically invited two more people (your suggestion to invite his mum).

Anneta · 31/03/2025 12:38

Could your BF easily afford to pay the whole bill or was he is being careful not to overspend?
It seems like a misunderstanding because his original genuine offer to treat just you was more than doubled in price when you include multiple drinks too, with your suggestions to include not only his own mum but your adult son. In that scenario you are being unreasonable to expect him to foot the bill for everything.
I would expect you, his mum &/or your son to share some of the costs by perhaps offering to buy a round of drinks each or pay for dessert.

PaintYourAssLikeRembrandt · 31/03/2025 12:39

He offered to take you out, you suggested adding another couple of people, so it's fair enough that he didn't want to pay for 4.

If you are skint then you can't just decide to invite other people to dinner and expect him to pay for them too.

Iwanttenofthose · 31/03/2025 12:40

Yes he invited you out and then you invited two more people, that does not mean he automatically pays for everyone.

KrisAkabusi · 31/03/2025 12:41

It went from two people to four. Of course it changed things!

Inmydreams88 · 31/03/2025 12:42

I think you were wrong to assume he would pay for everyone when it was you who invited your son, not him.

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:42

The person I’d be disappointed in is your son who not only saw no need to treat you but was happy to be treated (by you or your BF).

ZookeeperSE · 31/03/2025 12:45

A miscommunication. If I’d invited my adult child along there no way I would be expecting someone else to foot the bill for them though, and would have made it clear I’d be paying for them.

kweenkweenie · 31/03/2025 12:45

Yabu to invite your son and assume someone else to pay for him. If you have no money you should have asked beforehand. Your son is an adult, which makes you even more yabu.

Sofiewoo · 31/03/2025 12:46

What a drama over nothing. You can’t just invite more people out for a meal when someone else offered to pay, it’s also not up to your BF who’s not the father of your almost adult child to treat you on Mother’s Day!
You have blown a pretty minor misunderstanding way way out of proportion.

pikkumyy77 · 31/03/2025 12:46

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:42

The person I’d be disappointed in is your son who not only saw no need to treat you but was happy to be treated (by you or your BF).

Ridiculous. How is an 18 year old being treated by someone older any kind of problem ?

Springforwardatlast · 31/03/2025 12:46

I understand that inviting your son changed things but he should have made that clear when you told him your son was also coming.
I think the way he handled thing at the pub was not diplomatic or caring towards you.

MissUltraViolet · 31/03/2025 12:46

Poor communication and lots of assumptions.

He asked to take you out and treat you. You then asked if your son and his mother should come too and neither of you had the conversation about how that changed things payment wise then this happened.

No clue what his finances are like so without that info, I think you should have paid for you and your DS and he should pay for himself and his DM. Ask him to send you his half.

kweenkweenie · 31/03/2025 12:47

You are being a cf, in this case.

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:48

pikkumyy77 · 31/03/2025 12:46

Ridiculous. How is an 18 year old being treated by someone older any kind of problem ?

On Mother’s Day - having your mother pay for your meal out is problematic on my view.

FortyElephants · 31/03/2025 12:49

It's all a bit petty for adults old enough to have grown up children but I do appreciate money can be very tight. Technically speaking you could have offered to pay for your DS since you added him to the booking but since it was supposed to be his treat he should have covered you, him and his mum. I think it was really petty of him to not include your DS in his treat. Is money really tight for him?

ohdearagain2 · 31/03/2025 12:50

Your first line was “So a few weeks ago my BF asked me if I’d like to go out for Mother’s Day (his treat) if I had nothing planned with my 18 yo DS….”
I interpreted this as if you did not have plans with your son on Mother’s Day he would take you out - I guess because you might have felt upset about your mum? You then added two people to his gesture - I just think it’s a misunderstanding

pikkumyy77 · 31/03/2025 12:51

Celebrations that involve money are difficult for young people without money. OP said he would usually give her a card because he is not working. He was asked out—should he have refused and avoided her on that day because of your rule?

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 12:51

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:48

On Mother’s Day - having your mother pay for your meal out is problematic on my view.

I agree.

And just like his mother, he didn't even inquire about who was going to pay for him.

It's a pretty basic question.