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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Selfish parent.

90 replies

twennysum · 30/04/2025 21:52

Hey guys. This is a long one but honestly I just need to get everything out and I don’t want to be judged by my friends for feeling this way.

My mum is currently going through divorce for almost 3 years now because her and my dad are disagreeing heavily during the financial dispute. I won’t go into too much details about the divorce but I feel like since the divorce started there’s been an unhealthy reliance on me as her daughter. I’m in my early twenties (not older than 24), I graduated in 2023 and luckily I’ve been working a full time job for just over a year now. However during this time she has asked me to take out two loans amounting to almost £20,000 so she can pay for her divorce, lawyers and investigators. I have to pay £420 a month back and Because I’m still living at home things are “okay” but I’m only on NHS Band 3!! And I really want to move out soon And save but with the cost of living and salaries not being the best I don’t even know how I’d survive. £420 is essentially bills and grocery money for the month but now that £420 I would have used for bills is going towards a loan that I am not benefiting from whatsoever. Let’s also add the fact that she doesn’t work and refused to get a job all this time because she wants to get as much money from my dad as she can and if she works it will ruin it for her (her words not mine). So as-well as having this loan she will also ask me for money as-well occasionally for groceries etc. I don’t mind giving her money but honestly I work HARD for my money. And she refuses to get a job for selfish reasons. I hate my current job but feel so stuck due to my financial situation. I feel pressured to do overtime to see if I can make up that money but I’m so tired. We also share a car which is super inconvenient sometimes - bear in mind this is MY car aswell and she uses it. Again I don’t mind her using my car but also it would be better if she actually worked and saved up her own money so she could get her own car. Over the years I have felt myself becoming so numb and resentful of the situations she’s put me in. It feels like the parent child dynamic has switched - I’m the parent and she’s the child. It’s really bad and it’s affecting me mentally and emotionally. I can barely look at her anymore. Her presence irritates me. I lock myself in my room. When I hear her room door open and I know she’s coming upstairs sometimes il just pretend to be asleep so she won’t disturb me. I’m embarrassed having to do that at my age. She’ll come into my room every morning. Sometimes wake me up from sleep and ask me to help her sort and print her divorce documents. Just overall idk I feel just SO numb and pissed off. Like I’m supposed to be focused on building my own future and career and establishing myself to be a fully independent adult but it seems like all she wants me to do is be nose deep in her divorce matter. Not to mention she can be really rude, entitled and demanding sometimes aswell which makes the whole thing worse. I reckon if she wasn’t taking her anger out on me I might not feel as pissed off. And she wonders why I don’t tell her anything nowadays or why I don’t speak to her much. I have nothing to say anymore. She needs to get her own life.

Anyways I suppose there’s nothing I can do I just really needed to get this out of my system. Like surely this isn’t normal. Sometimes I feel bad for feeling this way but honestly this has been happening for a long time. Maybe someone out there can relate to my situation in a way. Idk. But thank you.

OP posts:
jeaux90 · 08/05/2025 07:10

Listen love you need to make sure the loan forms part of the “debts” on the financial order so you get paid off when the house is sold. This means you need to ensure your dad knows this information too. It’s really shit of your mum to expect you to keep this a secret. And yes get yourself out of there!

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 08:12

twennysum · 07/05/2025 23:38

The loan payments are going toward a divorce that has nothing to do with me so I’m not sure I understand your comment

im just asking what you are paying to your parents/mum to live in her home? It’s normal for a full time working adult to contribute to food/council tax/energy bills/rent etc
where i live it’s over £1000 a month to have a room in a house.

maybe you are paying something though, as I am the only poster who has raised this I think, so may be I’ve read it differently/wrong.

if you’re only paying £420 a month in total, then that it a really good deal.

would it be more palatable for you to give her the £420 for your lodgings, and have her use that to pay her loan off?

maddening · 08/05/2025 08:38

Is she having to fight as your dad won't just go 50/50?

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 08:50

maddening · 08/05/2025 08:38

Is she having to fight as your dad won't just go 50/50?

I’m also thinking this - why does only your mum need help paying for solicitors? Their pot is still joint.
to me, this all sounds quite fishy. The op has had loads of support, unanimous except me!, but I’m thinking the mum might have a different side of the story.

Pillarsofsalt · 08/05/2025 08:57

My dh was put in a similar position by his own mother. He eventually realised how manipulated he had been, paid off the debt by throwing every penny at it and moved as far away as possible. Do not give your mom any more money!

thinktwice36 · 08/05/2025 14:48

@twennysum I would absolutely speak to your dad and ask him to ensure - if it is legally possible - to endure that any financial settlement agreed includes a direct repayment to you of the outstanding loan balance?

x

maddening · 08/05/2025 17:10

thinktwice36 · 08/05/2025 14:48

@twennysum I would absolutely speak to your dad and ask him to ensure - if it is legally possible - to endure that any financial settlement agreed includes a direct repayment to you of the outstanding loan balance?

x

Or ask your dad why your mum does not have access to family money

whistlesandbells · 08/05/2025 18:10

I think the poster up thread asked you what do you pay in terms of rent for living at home? Do you repay the loan that was used for your mum’s divorce and do you also pay rent on top of this? Do you pay rent for where you live to one or both parents?

Btw, I think it is appalling you were asked to finance a parent’s divorce.

Whatonearth07957 · 08/05/2025 18:12

Agree with others this needs to be a transparent documented loan as part of divorce. Maybe get a charge put on house so you get repaid when it is sold?

OliveWah · 08/05/2025 18:19

If your Dad pays for your car insurance, then surely the insurance policy only covers you? I can't imagine he will be paying extra to cover the car insurance costs of a woman he is in the middle of divorcing? You definitely need to check @twennysum, as if your mother is not insured on your vehicle, you can be charged with allowing your vehicle to be driven without insurance. Additionally, if she has an accident and writes off your car, or damages someone else's car, who's going to pay for that? Not her, I'd bet!

twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:46

ASimpleLampoon · 08/05/2025 00:25

This is financial abuse. Please get help for that.

Trying 🥺

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:47

maddening · 08/05/2025 08:38

Is she having to fight as your dad won't just go 50/50?

She doesn’t want 50/50 tbh she wants to keep the house and have spouse maintainence etc it’s so long 😭!! 50/50 would have been easy

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:49

Talkingfrog · 07/05/2025 23:58

I would see if you can speak to someone such as citizens advice.
If working for the NHS I assume you are in a union. Membership may come with some form of legal advice you could use.
If you don't want her to use the car anymore, can you remove her from the insurance. Make sure you know where both sets of keys are, and tell her she has been removed from the policy. If she then finds a set of keys and driving she is doing so without consent. If you did it at renewal of the policy you could tell her you have done it to save money on the premium.

Re savings - either tell her you have used into them because you are paying back the loan, that you don't have any, or that they are in long term savings accounts that you cannot access.

Yes someone else has suggested this aswell. Luckily I have a union so I definitely think it would be worth speaking to them about such. Thank you so much for the rest of your advice, ill be implementing this soon coz I’ve had enough x

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:50

jeaux90 · 08/05/2025 07:10

Listen love you need to make sure the loan forms part of the “debts” on the financial order so you get paid off when the house is sold. This means you need to ensure your dad knows this information too. It’s really shit of your mum to expect you to keep this a secret. And yes get yourself out of there!

Ooooh this is such a smart comment! I didn’t even think of this. That way I’m guaranteed to have this loan paid off! Thank you so much xx

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:53

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 08:50

I’m also thinking this - why does only your mum need help paying for solicitors? Their pot is still joint.
to me, this all sounds quite fishy. The op has had loads of support, unanimous except me!, but I’m thinking the mum might have a different side of the story.

They each have their own solicitors. They are in financial dispute as they can’t agree on how to split finances. She doesn’t work. I didn’t want to put full details of the situation as I wouldn’t want her to potentially come across this thread and know I’m talking about her.

appreciate you taking time to comment even if you aren’t in support.

OP posts:
maddening · 08/05/2025 22:54

twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:47

She doesn’t want 50/50 tbh she wants to keep the house and have spouse maintainence etc it’s so long 😭!! 50/50 would have been easy

Why doesn't she have access to family money to fight her case?

twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:55

Pillarsofsalt · 08/05/2025 08:57

My dh was put in a similar position by his own mother. He eventually realised how manipulated he had been, paid off the debt by throwing every penny at it and moved as far away as possible. Do not give your mom any more money!

omg really! That makes me feel better about what im
going through. I just feel really alone! I’m glad he got out tho and hope he’s doing much better! It’s mad how in hindsight I realise how much I’ve been manipulated with all of this :( absolutely no more money will be coming from me!

OP posts:
maddening · 08/05/2025 22:55

What money is dad using for his case?

twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:56

thinktwice36 · 08/05/2025 14:48

@twennysum I would absolutely speak to your dad and ask him to ensure - if it is legally possible - to endure that any financial settlement agreed includes a direct repayment to you of the outstanding loan balance?

x

Yesss this is an amazing idea il do this thank you! I can’t afford this much longer with my band 3 salary! X

OP posts:
Itsoneofthose · 08/05/2025 22:57

She is completely breaching any of your boundaries. I can only hope when the divorce is settled that she repays you so you can clear the loans but it sounds incredibly unlikely. Will she find a reason that she can’t do that- ie pull at the heart strings and manipulate you in some way. You’ll be building good credit by repaying these loans but that’s the only thing you’ll be getting from it. You’ve worked hard and she’s taking advantage. Awful. Can you seek talking therapies from your GP?

twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:58

maddening · 08/05/2025 22:54

Why doesn't she have access to family money to fight her case?

I have no clue. I suppose family money has never been my business as I assumed as adults and parents they’d have their finances in order 🤷🏾‍♀️ I don’t even know if there is family money

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 22:58

maddening · 08/05/2025 22:55

What money is dad using for his case?

I assume from
his own salary. He is very high up in his job so he makes a lot of money

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 23:00

It’s not that I’m not in support, it’s just useful to try to see it from all angles.

what I’m trying to get at is that if your mum needs a loan for £20k to pay her solicitor, then your dad would have spent the equivalent, or thereabouts, on his. How has he got £20k and she hasn’t? They’re married, what’s mine is yours. Is it possible that your mum has been abused/controlled?

twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:00

whistlesandbells · 08/05/2025 18:10

I think the poster up thread asked you what do you pay in terms of rent for living at home? Do you repay the loan that was used for your mum’s divorce and do you also pay rent on top of this? Do you pay rent for where you live to one or both parents?

Btw, I think it is appalling you were asked to finance a parent’s divorce.

My parents don’t want me to pay rent. They want me to save money from my own salary so I can have enough to eventually buy. A house or have a deposit of my own to rent somewhere. But I’m thinking of moving out soon so my main worry was the loan money + rent and bills on top of that. Starting Salaries in my field are not great but the loan makes it harder to survive if I was living alone which I want to do soon. I know I really hate it tbh it’s not right x

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:01

Whatonearth07957 · 08/05/2025 18:12

Agree with others this needs to be a transparent documented loan as part of divorce. Maybe get a charge put on house so you get repaid when it is sold?

Thank you il bring this up with my dad so that it’s documented and il be guaranteed to be paid off x

OP posts: