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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Feeling hurt

32 replies

ByRareGreyDuck · Yesterday 11:16

Hi Mumsnet.
For some context, my mum died of cancer when I was 15 and my sister 10. My dad got with a woman after six months who was not nice and never tried to get to know us (they broke up for a week once when I was about 16 and my dad said "of course she always resented the fact that I had you two" then got back with her). He was loving but very often angry (now as an adult diagnosed myself I can see it was unchecked neurodivergent rage) but he has made many decisions I will never understand.
He paid for my uni trip to new York when I was 19 (about £800) and I lost my passport just before so couldn't go. I was cursing myself and so upset but he was furious and took my sister to Venice without me, to "teach me a lesson".
Now I live 300 miles away from him and sister which is not ideal, I miss them very much and sister often makes the journey up and stays for Christmas every year. I've recently had a baby and she has met them many times but my dad only three. He missed DCs first birthday because he had come back from bali 3 days before and didn't want to make the journey.
Now he and my sister have gone to Berlin together, without asking if I and baby wanted to come (I don't expect anyone to pay for me but he is well off and retired, and took 40k off mine and my sister's inheritance from our maternal grandmother to pay off a car he'd bought). I recently went to the Cotswolds as DH's uncle has a house there and asked my dad if he wanted to meet up at a bird park to see us and DC. We were an hour away. He said he was having lunch with his brother. He could do that any day.
Now both my dad and sister are sending me photos of them in Berlin. I've had one holiday abroad in ten years and am feeling a bit left out, more because they're spending time together than anything else. AIBU?

OP posts:
rainbowstardrops · Yesterday 16:57

strictlybusinessuntildecember · Yesterday 16:46

TBH you sound a bit bitter and petty

as a parent I’d be really pissed off you were so careless about your passport before a trip I’d paid for and certainly wouldn’t be in a hurry to invite you on another holiday

No she doesn’t. She sounds hurt. And quite rightly so.
Why should she be punished for ever more for losing her passport when she was at uni? She’s the one who missed out on a great trip!

ByRareGreyDuck · Yesterday 17:00

LoveWine123 · Yesterday 16:55

But you were the one that moved away, is that right? Personally I would be more concerned about the lack of effort, but you keep mentioning money in every example you give. His money are his to spend and you never going away abroad is not for him to manage.

I was replying using that one example as my sister being the same about money, my main issue is that he doesn't seem to care.

OP posts:
ByRareGreyDuck · Yesterday 17:02

Arabelllllllla · Yesterday 13:30

Sorry I didnt read that he missed your DCs first birthday as well?? I'd be really upset about that one. You can't force ppl to be good grandparents but it still hurts. I'd be backing off considerably if I were you, to protect yourself and DC.

Yes! Came the week after. I think it was partly due to the rest of the family not being keen on him

OP posts:
ByRareGreyDuck · Yesterday 17:03

JustAnotherWhinger · Yesterday 16:50

It’s still worth looking into. If your grandmother died after your mother then it’s not always as simple as it going to your mums estate.

and if you got some of what she left then I would suspect you were due it all.

how old were you when your grandmother died?

I was 25 x

OP posts:
ItsWoudHaveNotWouldOf · Yesterday 17:13

Your father will never be the man you want him to be OP, and you need to come to terms with that.

Some of the things you've mentioned though, I think you're looking at unreasonably.

If he'd paid out £800 for a trip and you then carelessly lost your passport so his money was wasted, I should think he was very annoyed. I can see why he then wouldn't want to pay out more money to take you to Venice. You were an adult so not like he was leaving a child at home.

Also with the trip to Berlin. It's not typical for parents to take their adult children away once they've moved away and had their own family. You seem to take things very personally.

Lastly, you chose to move 300 miles away. It's sad your dad doesn't make the trip up to see you, but it's not his job to pay for you to visit him. You're making your own way in life, you have your own family and need to stand on your own two feet now.

You appear to be expecting something from your dad that you're never going to get. Accept that he isn't and will likely never be the man you want him to be.

ByRareGreyDuck · Yesterday 17:39

ItsWoudHaveNotWouldOf · Yesterday 17:13

Your father will never be the man you want him to be OP, and you need to come to terms with that.

Some of the things you've mentioned though, I think you're looking at unreasonably.

If he'd paid out £800 for a trip and you then carelessly lost your passport so his money was wasted, I should think he was very annoyed. I can see why he then wouldn't want to pay out more money to take you to Venice. You were an adult so not like he was leaving a child at home.

Also with the trip to Berlin. It's not typical for parents to take their adult children away once they've moved away and had their own family. You seem to take things very personally.

Lastly, you chose to move 300 miles away. It's sad your dad doesn't make the trip up to see you, but it's not his job to pay for you to visit him. You're making your own way in life, you have your own family and need to stand on your own two feet now.

You appear to be expecting something from your dad that you're never going to get. Accept that he isn't and will likely never be the man you want him to be.

Fair enough with paying for things. I think it just hurt me, my sister once talked about a show they went to see in London as if id been there and I had to remind her that I wasn't. They are sending me pics of them together having a nice time and it's a bit like...oh ok.

OP posts:
TheSandgroper · Today 00:50

JustAnotherWhinger · Yesterday 16:50

It’s still worth looking into. If your grandmother died after your mother then it’s not always as simple as it going to your mums estate.

and if you got some of what she left then I would suspect you were due it all.

how old were you when your grandmother died?

I agree with having a poke around, getting the will and reading it properly and then perhaps getting legal advice. Even from Citizens Advice.

If nothing else, it may make clear to you, sadly, your father’s opinion of you.

Oh, and, if you are feeling guilty about your dad right now and being a good daughter etc, stop.

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