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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mothers emotional abuse.

10 replies

Tiggermad · 01/01/2026 20:09

I am mid fifties. Happily married 2 DC now adults.
My mother has been emotionally abusing me for years and I can no longer take it.
She is mid 80’s and very fit and well. She is widowed with friends and she has an active social life for her age.
i wrote on here before about how she spent all of my dads inheritance in less than 3 years then expects me to subsidise her regular meals out etc.
She has expectations and no matter what I do it’s never good enough.
She regularly asks for money then gets nasty if I don’t give this.
she usually targets me at times of happiness or birthdays, Christmas holidays.
Earlier in the year we fell out because she pestered me on holiday for me to send her money. When I questioned what it was the she became abusuve saying she would cut me out of her will. She constantly tells me I don’t do enough for her. I took her on holiday last year still wasn’t enough.
She bombarded me with very unkind texts. But she asked me for forgiveness so I did and we got in contact again. I’ve helped her with many things both at home and financially.
I had her over for Christmas Day dinner, spoilt her with presents etc. She said she had a lovely day.
So today less than a week after Christmas it started again.
Me and husband were due to go away for birthday this weekend. however I’d didn’t fancy travel so we cancelled the trip and husband organised a meal for both of us in a very expensive restaurant in our local city.
I informed her of my changed plans.
Within minutes I’d received a text asking if she was invited to our meal.
I replied not as husband had planned it just the the 2 of us and explained it’s very expensive. Our DC won’t be going. They are both fine with this.
She doesn’t usually come to my birthday meals also she is mid 80s and we plan to spend several hours in our city before the meal.
ive been bombarded with very unkind messages most of the day today.
She’s called me a liar when I said DC weren’t going and it was just the 2 of us, asked what she’s done to deserve no invite, been sarcastic. When I stopped replying She then started telling me she loved me and asked me not to shut her out.
ive kept any responses very unemotional and fact based .
I cannot take this anymore. It’s upset me today and I know Husband keeps saying just ignore her but why should I live with this constantly ?
Its happened many times over the years since my Dad passed.
They had a very unhappy marriage which was violent most of the time.
ive told her I need distance for now. She then asks what she’s done as she was being nice ??
How do you walk away from your elderly mother but how can I live like this ?? It will only get worse as she gets older.
For info she presents herself as kind and charming to outsiders but her mask slips if they ever upset her.
I know I can’t walk away but how can I manage this ?

OP posts:
dentalflosser · 01/01/2026 20:20

Don’t feel guilty for saying no. The meal is for you and your husband OP and a treat. Your Mum sounds like she is trying to wheedle an invitation as she knows it is an expensive place to go and expects to be included.
I think this is going to be ongoing and I have a lot of similar experiences as you have described with my MIL who has Olympic gold for passive aggressive behaviour and bullying.
Don’t respond to texts or messages like this, you are entitled to time with your own family and it sounds like you have already given your Mum a fabulous Christmas.

ThirdStorm · 01/01/2026 20:36

A normal response would be “just the two of you, that sounds lovely, have a nice time”. Guilt tripping for an invite not ok. But you know this. Sounds like her manipulation of you isn’t working as well and she is realising it. Can she cover her basic financial needs or is there really a problem?

Purplewarrior · 01/01/2026 20:40

You can walk away.

SunMoonandChocolate · 01/01/2026 20:52

I would be inclined to tell her that she was an adult when your Father died, and should have had the sense to know that blowing through whatever he left her so quickly was stupid and reckless, and that you are not her personal cash machine, so in future she needs to live within her means in the same way that you have to. Then stick to it.

When my Mum was in her 80's, she said that with her pension, and the various benefits she was entitled to, she had more money than she knew what to do with. So while your Mother may feel had done by, she's obviously not living within her means, and needs to cut back on her meals out, etc.

With regard to your birthday meal out, just hold firm, tell her she wouldn't have been invited if you'd gone away as planned, your DH wants to take you out for the day, and then round it off by spoiling you with a romantic dinner for TWO, and sorry, but no she's not invited on this particular occasion, and neither are the kids, and if she accuses you of lying one more time, she won't be invited to join you in anything ever again! If she makes a fuss, I'd just say 'Mum, I've explained this to you, you're not stupid, so let it go'. Then ignore any further messages.

It doesn't sound like you have anything to feel guilty about OP, so please don't let her continue to make you feel bad. Your Mother sounds selfish in the extreme, and should be counting her blessings, as at her age there are many, many people who are suffering from ill health, which often leads to friends dropping out of the picture, and then leaves them lonely. Whereas she appears to have her health, good friends, and a daughter who has up until now, tried her best for her, but it seems that as far as she's concerned, nothing you do will ever be enough for her. Stick to your guns OP, she may be elderly, but that doesn't entitle her to be rude and demanding.

pandarific · 01/01/2026 21:08

Realistically, grey rock and as low as contact you can get away with. Her being a horrible person will escalate as she gets even older and may be indicative of cognitive decline if getting worse. Get on to the elderly parents thread and see about getting her to the gp and get the ball rolling with carers. Block her number if she becomes abusive, unblock periodically to check up on her.

Hoppinggreen · 01/01/2026 21:12

Yes, you absolutely CAN walk away and you should
What is stopping you?
She won't change so you deal with her nonsense or the guilt in ignoring her, pick one

mdinbc · 01/01/2026 21:13

I wouldn't give her any details about your day to day. The fact you are going on a birthday dinner with your DH should be enough, you didn't need to tell her is was a fancy restaurant. Obviously she thinks you have money to spare, hence her requests.

Try to ignore her texts, just tell her you are busy. Keep in regular contact (weekly or every few days depending on your past routine), but keep it breezy and change the subject if it gets too personal or demanding.

Endofyear · 01/01/2026 22:26

I voted YABU because you absolutely can walk away from her. You don't have to keep subjecting yourself to this abuse.

Tell her you no longer want any contact with her and block her number. Yes she will probably complain about you to all her friends and family but so what? You know the truth and their opinions don't matter. She is reaping what she's sowed - please don't let her keep abusing you.

Concentrate your energies on you own family, your friends and those who love you and bring joy into your life. You only have one life and you deserve happiness.

Gingernaut · 01/01/2026 22:30

I informed her of my changed plans

Why?

For a monster like this, do not volunteer any information

UnhappyHobbit · 01/01/2026 22:35

Im sorry that you’re in this situation. I’m glad you can see how your mother is treating you. Now is the time to start asserting your boundaries. To put it bluntly, she probably needs you more than you need her. Don’t entertain any accusations of her lying, call her out and say you’ll leave her to it as she clearly feeling delusional.

Emotionally unintelligent people won’t change, you can only change your reaction to her.

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