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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Our lives being run on partners mother's life!

113 replies

Elephant788 · 31/12/2025 18:26

So my partners mother lived with us for 4 months after lockdown and she gave everyone so much hell, from refusing to wash and only agrees to wash every 4-6 weeks. That caused such a stench. I wad expected to guve her a shower myself whilst I was in early pregnancy, and that meant lifting her etc as she had a stroke few years back.
All that was not appreciated, she used to curse me like butter wouldnt melt, She would be verbally abusive and called me and my grown up daughters names. I spent most of my days in tears and suffered.so much stress at her hands. I lost that pregnancy. My Partner would say well shes old and shes angry because she had a stroke.
Fast forward..., she moved out and lives in a bungalow 20mins walk away - she has now been diagnosed with dementia. Here is the issue -My Partner is in seriously in denial about the dementia to be point where even if her mobility is poor, poor memory, can't make any decisions, always falling in that bungalow (ive now refused to go and manually lift her up), shes incontinent of urine and faeces but he refuses to entertain any talk of a home at least to give her quality of life. She has Carers 4.times a day but she refused washes and still smells badly.

For context when I met my Partner he moved in my house and am a sole owner. I feel that he doesn't want his mum to go in a home because he'll lose inheriting her house when she dies as the Council would expect it to be sold to cover the care.
We were with her at Xmas and id booked a meal out. I paid £480 for the meal and my Partner didnt even offered to go halves. His mother wanted to pay something and he kept saying to her mum its already been paid for - I asked him why he was saying that as it hadn't been. She was kicking off in the restaurant, wet herself and was parting so loud and laughing about it...

Now we were suppose to eat at our local pub tomorrow for New Year day lunch but my Partner has now cancelled this late this afternoon, because she is still kicking off and if we went alone ( I have a 20 year daughter from my first marriage and two girls with him 6 and 4), apparently she'd miss out! So we cant go. He was meant to be paying for that, so thats cancelled.

Instead he says he is bringing her here to the house and he will cook!

AIBU after all I've been through to feel like my life is now determined by this woman and now shes ruined Xmas and now ruining New Year too?

Can I refuse for her to come and ask him to go be with his mum for New Year lunch. Normally I wouldn't mind supporting him with her but she's not a nice person. Even her neighbours don't speak to her so shes very lonely.

Thanks for reading and allowing me to rant❤️.

Am on the verge of thinking about splitting with him and asking him to leave but I dont want to raise kids alone when he's out there but the situation with his mum is draining and he gets very anxious and gets all over the place which affects the dynamics here.

Basically she rules and dictates what happens to everyone. I equally blames him too! Do I ask him to move in with his mother so I can breathe? Ive suggested this snd he refuses claiming he loves me🙄

Don't ask about love please,it doesnt matter t

  • the issues are summarised above

Thanks again if youve read this far Xx

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 12:00

I am doing the lunch with the girls and he said he'll be with his mum.

At your house or hers?

Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 12:01

Ive suggested he moves out temporarily to give us space but he refuses

You need to be a lot more firm.

'I don't want to be with you any more-you don't make me happy and I don't see any future with you. I want you to move out of my house by the weekend'

moderndilemma · 01/01/2026 12:06

Surely the way for his Mum not to go into care (and to avoid the house being sold) is if he moves in with her and becomes her carer and companion (in addition to the support she already recieves).

Maybe sometime, after the death of his Mum, when things are more stable for him and his anxiety is less, you both might want to rekindle the relationship - although once he has his own money and property you might find he's less interested in sharing yours??

If he is not willing to move in with his Mum, then it sounds like for the sake of her welfare, a care home is the only option. That would leave him potentially with no stake in any property, not his Mum's, and certainly not yours. I'm not surprised he's anxious and stressed. But he does have choices.

Elephant788 · 01/01/2026 12:14

Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 10:55

This.

You hold all the cards here-this man is vile.

Do you own the house outright-as in you have paid off your mortgage?

No i still have a mortgage

OP posts:
Elephant788 · 01/01/2026 12:15

Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 12:00

I am doing the lunch with the girls and he said he'll be with his mum.

At your house or hers?

Hes cooking now here am just so tired and dont want him kicking off in front of kids

OP posts:
SnapAndFartAllDayLong · 01/01/2026 12:29

Why are you allowing him to cook for her at YOUR house?? Tell him to f off and do it at his mother's house! You shouldn't have to come back to a messy kitchen as I imagine he won't tidy up etc. You need to be more firm and if you want him out the house, put your foot down and tell him his out! If he kicks off, ring police 👮

Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 12:29

Hes cooking now here am just so tired and dont want him kicking off in front of kids

Well, I think you'll be a lot less tired if you ask him to leave, then neither he or his mum will be your problem any more.

It doesn't sound like he is bringing any happiness into your life.

Shinyandnew1 · 01/01/2026 12:42

Is he likely to wash up? Care for his mum when she has a toileting accident? Or will tha be your job!

gamerchick · 01/01/2026 14:54

If you want him out and he threatens the police then tell him to go ahead and call them. They'll remove him, especially if he kicks off and if he kicks off and doesn't call them, then you ring them yourself.

I understand what it's like trying to get rid of a parasite. I had to get married to my now husband to get rid of my ex.

It's rough at the time but I would do it again in a heartbeat to get rid of him.

Bimblebombles · 01/01/2026 16:16

Take the mother out of the equation here - you're clearly unhappy in the relationship and need support to end it. Call Women's Aid for advice and / or the Police. I would also contact his brother if you have the means to do so and inform him how bad the situation is with the mother so that he can help push for the care home.

BuckChuckets · 01/01/2026 16:35

As soon as he goes out for any reason, get the locks changed!

Anyahyacinth · 01/01/2026 18:30

This man is a licencee in your home and you can just ask him to leave

TheSunRisesInTheEast · 01/01/2026 22:09

I'm sorry, OP, but I've just re-read all your posts and all your animosity towards your partner is due to you not liking his mum/not liking how he interacts with his mum/his reluctance to put her in a care home. It sounds like you were happy before she became an issue with her dementia, despite not being married you are a family unit and even the title of your dilemma is about your "lives being run on partner's mother's life." I know from experience how difficult it can be caring for someone with dementia, having disagreements with your partner about his mother is bound to cause arguments, especially if you feel he is always fighting her corner and you feel unsupported and sidelined. He is having to watch his mum gradually fade away mentally, one day she won't even know who he is, that is heartbreaking. You don't have any loving feelings towards her, so it is very difficult for you to sympathise and you see her as a wedge between you and your partner. He loves you, wants to work on your relationship and your children are sadly caught up in the sadness of it all, they love you very much, they love their dad and probably their grandmother, so I expect it's all very difficult for them. Please ignore the people on here telling you to leave him, leave him, leave him. It sounds to me like you still have a relationship worth saving, you've just become overwhelmed with feeling unappreciated, undervalued and playing second fiddle to his mum. There may well be more to your relationship than you've posted, if he is at all abusive to you, either verbally or physically, then I'd say run for the hills, but from what you've posted that doesn't seem the case, ok you argue, but who doesn't have disagreements from time to time? Think long and hard about throwing in the towel, this is your life, people on here (myself included) can offer advice, but only you know the ins and outs of your relationship and your living arrangements. Sending you a virtual hug and wishing you all the best for 2026 💐

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