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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Boyfriend made awful first impression with my parents and blames me

648 replies

MerryLeah · 28/07/2025 15:26

My Boyfriend met my parents for the first time yesterday and it was a disaster.

This was arranged weeks ago and at the time, I said to him that as he had a planned day out for a friends birthday the day before, that we could decline and find another date. He was absolutely adamant he’d feel fine on the Sunday and that he wouldn’t be drinking heavily, even saying this would give him an excuse to be home early.

Fast forward to Saturday, he gets home to mine (don’t live together but he was staying here) later than he says (just gone midnight) and is steaming drunk, but still tells me he will be fine the next day and ‘hangovers don’t affect’ him.

We were meeting my parents at their house for a roast and turned up as agreed mid-afternoon. My boyfriend uses the loo twice in the first 30/40 minutes (for 5+ minutes each time) and again in the middle of eating lunch. He said to me his stomach was playing up from the day before.

He initially declined any alcohol when my parents offered but eventually said he would have some, and this was just as if he was topping up as after a couple of bottles of beer he perked right up but wasn’t making a lot of sense in terms of what he was saying.

My Dad asked him about his friends and what sort of things they do for a living. He said that some of them haven’t really grown up much and still live for the weekend. He worded this really inappropriately ‘their Saturday is a day out in town for a few beers, football, a curry and a brass’. I could tell from the look on my parents faces they were really taken aback.

When we got home I told him that I felt he let me down and he was really defensive and said it was a stupid choice of date given he had a friends birthday the day before. I told him he didn’t have to go on this date and even if he said on the morning he was unwell, we could have cancelled.

AIBU thinking this is all on him? I don’t know what more I could have done. To pre-empt some questions, we are coming up to 5/6 months together and we’ve not had any issues up to this point.

OP posts:
CatChant · 29/07/2025 19:14

“When someone shows you who they are believe them the first time.”
Maya Angelou said that and she learnt it the hard way.

LouiseK93 · 29/07/2025 19:15

Was he being sick on these bathroom breaks? If not are you sure he wasn't doing cocaine?

UnlimitedBacon · 29/07/2025 19:15

Get rid. He’s a twat.

SereneSquirrel · 29/07/2025 19:17

MerryLeah · 28/07/2025 22:00

He isn’t responsible for what his friends get up to, they are old friends he hardly sees.

🙄

Best of luck with this dickhead, OP.

Huxley1234 · 29/07/2025 19:18

You’ll laugh about this in the future if you end up staying together. We all make mistakes. I’ve been married 50 years and learned a long time ago that no one’s perfect. Give him a break and let him apologise to your parents.

suburberphobe · 29/07/2025 19:21

FFS OP.....

Get your self esteem off the floor.

As mum to an adult child I'd be horrified he couldn't be on his best behaviour.

He's showing you how he is and how he will be if you end up with him.

Louoby · 29/07/2025 19:21

Which was booked first? The roast or the night out? I would have been completely embarrassed by his behaviour and probably would bin him off. He didn’t show a lot of respect for you in front of your parents nor any respect for your parents.

Frugalgal · 29/07/2025 19:24

Arran2024 · 28/07/2025 17:00

"Brass". I've learned sth new today.

It's an old school term, used by men who are comfortable talking casually about use of prostitutes.

Redragtoabull · 29/07/2025 19:26

Sounds like a scene from Football Factory when the junkie football fan meets his 'birds' parennts from Penge. Crikey, they're still out there!! The mind boggles. Ditch aka FF style and kick it to one side, it's off 😷

Snackattacked · 29/07/2025 19:28

Redragtoabull · 29/07/2025 19:26

Sounds like a scene from Football Factory when the junkie football fan meets his 'birds' parennts from Penge. Crikey, they're still out there!! The mind boggles. Ditch aka FF style and kick it to one side, it's off 😷

At least they didnt stay overnight at the parents - otherwise she might be witnessing a scene from Trainspotting.

TooBigForMyBoots · 29/07/2025 19:30

Snackattacked · 29/07/2025 19:28

At least they didnt stay overnight at the parents - otherwise she might be witnessing a scene from Trainspotting.

😂😂😂

Brendahollowayreconsider · 29/07/2025 19:30

Redragtoabull · 29/07/2025 19:26

Sounds like a scene from Football Factory when the junkie football fan meets his 'birds' parennts from Penge. Crikey, they're still out there!! The mind boggles. Ditch aka FF style and kick it to one side, it's off 😷

Yip I thought this sounds like a scene straight out of The Football Factory film.

Huhuhuhu39272 · 29/07/2025 19:32

A man who doesn’t keep his promises
A man who seems to drink to the point of oblivion
a man with friends who drink and have no respect for women (you are who you hang with)

Run

berightorbehappy · 29/07/2025 19:34

One of my ex’s ( six year relationship ) managed to get into a fight on the tube before meeting my mum .. and arrived via A&E late and with stitches in his head . She was less than impressed ! He was really apologetic and totally took the blame for ruining the first impression . Your BF not taking the blame would be the red flag to me .
p.s. my mum grew to love my bf and even when we split up she still sang his praises .

MorrisZapp · 29/07/2025 19:36

Brass is rhyming slang for 'brass rubber', ie a scrubber. Fucking vile.

BunnyLake · 29/07/2025 19:39

Frugalgal · 29/07/2025 19:24

It's an old school term, used by men who are comfortable talking casually about use of prostitutes.

I’m glad to say I’ve never heard a man use the expression.

BunnyLake · 29/07/2025 19:42

berightorbehappy · 29/07/2025 19:34

One of my ex’s ( six year relationship ) managed to get into a fight on the tube before meeting my mum .. and arrived via A&E late and with stitches in his head . She was less than impressed ! He was really apologetic and totally took the blame for ruining the first impression . Your BF not taking the blame would be the red flag to me .
p.s. my mum grew to love my bf and even when we split up she still sang his praises .

The not owning it and apologising is a very big flag.

Everyone makes mistakes but if you can’t take accountability then you are of weak character.

OonaStubbs · 29/07/2025 19:43

It's a very outdated term. Maybe it's come back into fashion, I don't know.

Huhuhuhu39272 · 29/07/2025 19:46

Oh I forgot

A man who blame shifts and doesn’t own his own words or promises

I can’t believe men like this are even still getting chances. Time for evolution and their removal
from the gene pool.

Retiredfromearlyyears · 29/07/2025 19:46

Oh no! If you were my girl I would be very afraid for you. He is not nice! He 's let you down badly in front of the people he should want to respect him ,if not like him. It sounds like his hearts not in your relationship. He had a cheek to blame you ,this won't improve, especially if he's doing it this early in your relationship. Drop him from a great height!! Take care of yourself!

Horses7 · 29/07/2025 20:04

Sadly he has little respect for you or your parents but is back peddling fast because he still wants you on side.
His behaviour would be a huge red flag for me - cut your losses and throw this one back.

Whatsitreallylike · 29/07/2025 20:05

MerryLeah · 28/07/2025 15:30

Yeah, he said last night he didn’t know why he said it.

@Oasisagiger both early 30’s

Oh 😳
I legit though you meant they enjoyed watching a particular brass band and was wondering why your parents were making a fuss 🤣🤣

AuntMarch · 29/07/2025 20:07

CleaningAngel · 29/07/2025 16:56

What's London got to do with it, I know what a brass is and I am from no where near london

Absolutely nothing, just others have said it must be regional.

ZenGarden89 · 29/07/2025 20:07

It’s a hard no from me @MerryLeah. If he cares about you and values you then he wouldn’t have made such an arsehole of himself. And to be honest, the reference to prostitutes in such derogatory terms gives me the ick. He’s not that invested and I’m sure your parents won’t mind in the slightest if you dump him.

DoggingDave · 29/07/2025 20:14

Cut him some slack the lads probably got wind of him meeting the fockers. Then made sure they gave him a good send off and got him right f**ked up. Let him apologise to you and your parents and move on everyone makes mistakes.