Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:03

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!

Oh it covers me him and my mum as I got the car when I was 18 so it was a sensible decision at the time just in case either of them needed to drive it. Funnily enough she did have an accident with it twice and the insurance has increased like crazy since then 😭 sigh

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

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?

I know honeslty it feels like there’s no boundaries. Even yesterday I was asked if I could dip into my savings… it’s getting abit too far now. Honestly I can’t wait for the divorce to be over it’s such a massive stress. She does start crying and I suppose I feel bad so it’s really difficult. And lol I am on a waitlist for therapy tbh so I’m looking forward to it x

OP posts:
kiwiane · 08/05/2025 23:06

Tell your dad and they both need to leave you out of their relationship. Your mum is awfully manipulative to refuse to work herself but fleece you. I doubt she’s spent the money wisely if she’s using private investigators. Do whatever you can to get either of them to pay off this loan as it’s going to make it hard for you to move out even into a house share.
You do need to keep up the payments as defaulting will mess your life up even more; I’m so sorry for you being put in this position. Whenever you are able then I’d move away and have very little to do with this awful woman.

twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:09

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?

100% I get that. My dad is toxic aswell Ngl. She could have been definitely financially controlled and abused especially as she’s been a housewife. But the problem is she isn’t working at all and is expecting me to fund her divorce by taking out a loan and even asking me to use my savings. Like I don’t mind helping out but it feels like it would be much easier if she could also get a job to help aswell instead of relying on me. I’m only on nhs band 3 and I commute into london for work so it’s really hard for me. He works full time and has. A high position in his job so im
sure he pays from his salary. Hope that makes sense

OP posts:
Itsoneofthose · 08/05/2025 23:09

twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:05

I know honeslty it feels like there’s no boundaries. Even yesterday I was asked if I could dip into my savings… it’s getting abit too far now. Honestly I can’t wait for the divorce to be over it’s such a massive stress. She does start crying and I suppose I feel bad so it’s really difficult. And lol I am on a waitlist for therapy tbh so I’m looking forward to it x

That’s good, it sounds like a huge strain so it will be good to talk it through. Without stating the obvious maybe your mum has some traits of a dependant personality. It’s too huge of a weight for you to carry and as you already identified, the dynamics are all wrong. It’s an awful position to be in as no doubt you love her very much and want to see her too well. It just sounds like your wings are being clipped a lot here.

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 23:10

‘My parents don’t want me to pay rent. They want me to save money from my own salary’

you’ve written ‘my parents’ but actually that must only be your dad. Because if you paid your mum rent, like many working adults do when they remain at home, then she wouldn’t have needed to ask you to get a loan out.

I think just do a bit of digging before you tell your dad anything.

twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:12

kiwiane · 08/05/2025 23:06

Tell your dad and they both need to leave you out of their relationship. Your mum is awfully manipulative to refuse to work herself but fleece you. I doubt she’s spent the money wisely if she’s using private investigators. Do whatever you can to get either of them to pay off this loan as it’s going to make it hard for you to move out even into a house share.
You do need to keep up the payments as defaulting will mess your life up even more; I’m so sorry for you being put in this position. Whenever you are able then I’d move away and have very little to do with this awful woman.

I know. Honestly the money hasn’t been spent wisely at all tbh. She is very dependent and I feel just choked right now but at the same time when she’s crying and all emotional I just feel the need to help. I can’t be heartless. It’s just difficult place to be in but I’m just praying it’s all over soon so I can be free from all this debt:( and hopefully move out. Thank you for your comment and advice x

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:13

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 23:10

‘My parents don’t want me to pay rent. They want me to save money from my own salary’

you’ve written ‘my parents’ but actually that must only be your dad. Because if you paid your mum rent, like many working adults do when they remain at home, then she wouldn’t have needed to ask you to get a loan out.

I think just do a bit of digging before you tell your dad anything.

yep. Thank you just tryna navigate all of this

OP posts:
twennysum · 08/05/2025 23:15

Itsoneofthose · 08/05/2025 23:09

That’s good, it sounds like a huge strain so it will be good to talk it through. Without stating the obvious maybe your mum has some traits of a dependant personality. It’s too huge of a weight for you to carry and as you already identified, the dynamics are all wrong. It’s an awful position to be in as no doubt you love her very much and want to see her too well. It just sounds like your wings are being clipped a lot here.

She definitely is dependent and it feels like a lot. Talking to someone would definitely help! I’m on the waitlist for therapy but in the meantime I just needed some advice from people coz I didn’t even know what to do. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words tho I really appreciate it x

OP posts:
CalmFawn · 08/05/2025 23:19

OP, I just wanted to say I know how you feel. My mother pressured me into taking a loan for £13,000 out got her years ago (and then got me to borrow more 🫣) so it was nearly £20,000. She missed payments, I had to make them up. I paid for most of them and it was just awful. It took around 6 years but finally paid it off.

i did go attend therapy around our relationship/ boundaries and being a people pleaser. We’re much better now with very firm boundaries and I’d never give her a penny now. Very proud that I say no!

good luck, it’s a difficult situation!

SunnyViper · 08/05/2025 23:21

I can see why your dad is divorcing her. What a nasty piece of work she is.

arethereanyleftatall · 08/05/2025 23:22

I’m possibly getting carried away in my head, but I’m getting a bit panicky on behalf of your mum.

‘Aibu? My husband wouldn’t let me work when we had children as he wanted me to do all the housework and childcare so that he could progress his career. He kept all the money he earnt and would never agree to a joint account. I don’t have, and have never had since children, a penny to my name. I was trapped. After so many years out of work, I don’t know what job I could get now, and I’m frightened to go for an interview. I’m not good enough, my husband has told me for forty years I’m not good enough. We’re getting divorced but I don’t have any money for a solicitor. He has got a good one. My adult DD is living with us but I’m not allowed to accept a penny from her. I don’t know what to do. All I can think of is asking if dd will get a loan for me’

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 08/05/2025 23:38

twennysum · 07/05/2025 23:39

Yes I’m trying to be very evasive with the whole savings thing. Also I don’t even know if she has insurance tbh. If your talking about car insurance then she doesn’t pay for that, my dad covers my insurance thankfully

Don’t be evasive, just outright lie. You don’t owe her honesty after the way she has treated you.

faithcrowley · 09/05/2025 03:19

Not the same situation, but there are similar behaviours and a similar dynamic with my mother. It’s very painful when you start to see your parent in a different light and feel badly about it. Even if your mum has felt trapped, as a PP has suggested, that isn’t an excuse to treat you in this way, and it’s absolutely understandable that you keep going from feeling resentful to sad and back again.

I would really recommend reading the book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. This book wasn’t a fix all but it did help me to feel validated and accept the negative feelings I had, and helped a little in understanding why she is the way that she is.

Sending hugs 💐

PurpleReindeer2 · 09/05/2025 07:12

Make sure she pays you back every penny that the £20k loan has cost you including the interest costs. Hopefully if the house is sold you can have it paid as a lump sum. Good luck OP and don't lend her anymore money.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread