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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:
kweenkweenie · 31/03/2025 12:51

Where did you eat and drink for only £15 per person OP?

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 12:52

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?

He should at least have mentioned he's skint and asked who was going to pay for him.

kweenkweenie · 31/03/2025 12:52

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.

GiraffeCup · 31/03/2025 12:52

I'm surprised you thought he would pay for your son.

honeylulu · 31/03/2025 12:53

It's a bit of a mess but I would say:

Your boyfriend should not have retracted the offer to treat you.

You should not have invited your son and assumed he would also be treated.

Your boyfriend should have clarified with you when agreeing you could bring your son that he would need to pay for himself or you would need to cover his share.

Your boyfriend was still being vague the first time you asked him whether he was still treating you. He said yes but didn't clarify the position with your sons bill and then wanted you to split the whole bill anyway, so you actually got NO TREAT. He should have covered 3 people (himself, mum and you) and you should have covered one (your son).

It sounds like he changed his mind and conveniently blamed you for confusing matters, despite having plenty of opportunity to address this himself, and he's ended up with a better deal than he originally proposed.

ItsCalledAConversation · 31/03/2025 12:54

This is an unholy mess for the sake of £30 quid OP. Just let it go. If you’re short on money then next time make sure you’re clear on who is paying for what, before you agree to go out.

Vaxtable · 31/03/2025 12:55

I would tell him that it was his treat but you will pay for your son so he owes you £15

Then I wouldn’t go anywhere with him again

zoemum2006 · 31/03/2025 12:56

Gosh I thought the story was going to be the plans had been cancelled last minute and you had no treat at all.

The money is an admin issue that you guys will need to be a bit clearer on in the future.

Rainydaysandwellybobs · 31/03/2025 12:56

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:48

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

If he's not earning where is he supposed to get the money from to pay for a meal at a pub?
Give him a break, he's 18 not 38!

Also, where the heck can 4 people have lunch and drinks for £60?

PinkyFlamingo · 31/03/2025 12:57

You thought he should pay for your son?

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:59

Rainydaysandwellybobs · 31/03/2025 12:56

If he's not earning where is he supposed to get the money from to pay for a meal at a pub?
Give him a break, he's 18 not 38!

Also, where the heck can 4 people have lunch and drinks for £60?

He could have arranged something at home. They only had the dinner because the son made no plans to honour his mother. He’s 18, not 8.

OriginalUsername2 · 31/03/2025 12:59

He wanted to pay for a meal for two, you made it a meal for four. You should have checked that paying twice what he offered was okay. Miscommunication, that’s all.

You’re emotional because you’ve been through a lot and this day has meant a lot to you in the past. Make up with him and have a cuddle I say. It was lovely for him to think of you on Mother’s Day tbf.

BoredZelda · 31/03/2025 13:01

McSpoot · 31/03/2025 12:48

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

If you have invited your 18 year old out for a meal, the expectation is you pay, no matter what day it is. It would be a crappy thing to do to invite them and make them pay.

@mummytippy I understand both points of view here, but it was just a miscommunication. I can see how it jarrs that you ended up paying for your own meal, but the price seems reasonable to me. If you don’t have the money to pay him back, just tell him that and say you’ll pay next time you go out.

I don’t think it’s worth falling out over.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 31/03/2025 13:01

It’s a miscommunication, more you at fault than him. Cheeky to assume he’d be paying for your son, inviting him obviously changed things. I think you’re reaction to this is OTT considering you were very presumptive about him paying for your adult child as a Mother’s Day treat.

Kattuccino · 31/03/2025 13:03

I agree that inviting extra people changed the dynamics from him 'taking you out' to him 'taking his mum out' and you taking your son. I think you were a bit presumptuous to assume your BF would pay for all four of you.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 31/03/2025 13:06

He offered a treat to the value of 2 meals, cost £30. He paid for 2 meals, cost £30.

You added 2 people to the outing, cost £30. You paid £30.

If you see your share of the bill as being for the 2 people you invited, you still got the original treat of having your own meal paid for.

You both need to be better about communicating, especially when plans change. But he didn't actually do anything wrong apart from not raising the money question when you raised the additional people question (you didn't raise the money questuon either).

ForeverPombear · 31/03/2025 13:08

He offered to take you and him out for a treat, you added two other people on which is doubling the bill. I wouldn't have expected him to be paying for that.

MuddyPawsIndoors · 31/03/2025 13:10

Rainydaysandwellybobs · 31/03/2025 12:56

If he's not earning where is he supposed to get the money from to pay for a meal at a pub?
Give him a break, he's 18 not 38!

Also, where the heck can 4 people have lunch and drinks for £60?

If he's not earning then he need to ask who was going to pay for him.

You don't just rock up and assume.

WaltzingWaters · 31/03/2025 13:13

Sorry, I think by inviting more people you changed things.

On another note, £60 for a Mother’s Day meal for 4 and drinks sounds incredibly good value! So he picked a good spot to go.

Coffeedreaming · 31/03/2025 13:16

Has he plenty of money? If he does then he’s being very stingy.

I can’t stand cheapskates but I guess it depends how money usually works in your relationship.

Pretty shit of him on Mother’s Day when it was supposed to be a nice treat for you though

CurlewKate · 31/03/2025 13:17

Do people seriously expect non working 18 year olds to pay for restaurant meals for their parents? Mother’s Day or not?

hopeishere · 31/03/2025 13:20

I’d not get so upset about it. It’s great your son got on with everyone. Going from two to four was tricky and it’s not unreasonable that he couldn’t afford the whole bill.

Coffeedreaming · 31/03/2025 13:21

CurlewKate · 31/03/2025 13:17

Do people seriously expect non working 18 year olds to pay for restaurant meals for their parents? Mother’s Day or not?

Agreed. My parents would have always paid for me at this age.

And in fact still always offer to now even though I’m 40! Bless them

Imbusytodaysorry · 31/03/2025 13:23

@mummytippy he could have said yeah sure let’s take your ds ( you pay ) and I will
get the rest. .
otherwise he hasn’t treated you for Mother’s Day .
i wouldn’t go out for a meal though and pay for everyone except one person. That’s not good form

XiCi · 31/03/2025 13:24

So he suggested the meal as a mothers day treat for you but then didn't treat you at all and you had to pay for yourself? Yes that's really shit. Unless he is struggling financially I would have also expected him to pay the £15 for your DS as that is a kind gesture. I know my DP would have done this. If he is not struggling for money it's disgusting that he let you put the bill on your credit card knowing you will be in debt for the meal he suggested as a treat. I probably wouldn't see a bf again after that. I hate stinginess and couldn't bear to be in a relationship with a cheapskate

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