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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

When to call an end to a friendship, or am I being harsh?

35 replies

Hellskitchen24 · 07/11/2025 06:19

I’ll keep this brief. Friend I’ve known for 10+ years. Since I’ve had a baby, we’ve completed drifted. She’s been estranged from her adult children for a few years now. I have supported her through this and am always the one to initiate contact; she never texts me, never asks how I am since I’ve had the baby, and only I have initiated trying to meet. So far all of these attempts have been ignored. I just get a text back a week later saying how awful it’s been for her. I try and encourage conversation but it’s always just one text back and anything else is left on read.

I appreciate she’s been having a hard time for years but I’m bored of trying now. Is it time to give up? Or should I be more supportive, and keep doing what I’m doing? It’s a completely one sided relationship at the moment and it’s draining.

OP posts:
Blessedtobehereinthisworld · 07/11/2025 07:42

Is she drinking or are one or both dc alcoholic?

if it is your friend then you have your answer. Her only friendship is likely to be with the bottle. That’s what addiction looks like.

Hellskitchen24 · 07/11/2025 07:43

Blessedtobehereinthisworld · 07/11/2025 07:28

You don’t have to keep messaging her - it’s not your job to keep her relationships afloat. It must be incredibly painful to lose both of her children op, and to hear all about your baby.

Leave the door open for her to get in touch when she can, and you should get on and enjoy your baby and some new friends that share this stage with you.

I imagine she must be extremely depressed, she is going through the equivalent of a double bereavement of her own children op. I hope she has professional support.

Edited

Yes I see this. Obviously this has all been going on long before my daughter (who’s 6 months) was born. I barely mention my daughter so it’s not that. This is despite the fact she said she wanted to be really involved.

OP posts:
Hellskitchen24 · 07/11/2025 07:44

Blessedtobehereinthisworld · 07/11/2025 07:42

Is she drinking or are one or both dc alcoholic?

if it is your friend then you have your answer. Her only friendship is likely to be with the bottle. That’s what addiction looks like.

Edited

She’s a drinker.

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock000 · 07/11/2025 07:47

Yes, let it end.
She will help to make the effort to repair the friendship, if she notices.

Blessedtobehereinthisworld · 07/11/2025 07:50

I would let this friendship go op, she doesn’t have the capacity for true reciprocal friendship.

You deserve to have friends that are interested and care for you.

I would message her and say you have tried really hard to be a good friend to her but she has lots going on in her life, and you will wait for her to make contact when the time is right and pull right back.

She may need to hit rock bottom before she addresses her addiction, and what it is doing to her closest relationships.

LindorDoubleChoc · 07/11/2025 08:04

It sounds like you would be better off with more friends of your own age let her go OP.

Blessedtobehereinthisworld · 07/11/2025 08:33

Op you are a new mother, enjoying time you will never get back with your baby - I wouldn’t waste any more time on this. Be happy, enjoy your baby

NeedToUpTheExercise · 07/11/2025 08:43

And there we have the nub of it. She isn’t responsibly drinking, she’s been outspoken and unkind to her DiL, she’s lost her AC and doesn’t value your friendship. Walk away OP.

ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 07/11/2025 11:05

So she’s an alcoholic who has fallen out with her own children about it and treats your friendship as a totally one way source for support for her without ever offering support to you in return. I can be a bit of a mug when it comes to trying to help people who won’t help themselves, but even I can see she’s not worth it. Stop chasing after her a focus on building new friendships with other new mums.

Hellskitchen24 · 07/11/2025 14:42

Thanks all. I think I’ll just not contact her unless she contacts me, but I expect that will be never.

OP posts:
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