...to think my mum is a little unhinged!

[onemoresleeptillchristmas]

Have name changed incase I'm recognised! And a bit long, so sorry!

My mum doesn't/rarely babysits. Emergencies only. Her stance is, "I'm XX years old and I don't see why I should have to do anything anymore that I don't want to do, and I don't want to babysit." Which is her prerogative of course, but...

yesterday, we were on a rare social outing together and bumped into a couple who neither of us has seen in years and we chatted. Turns out that the husband and I have been attending the same social event for the past 3 months.

My mum then told them that I had asked her to join me at said social event (HUH???!!! I did no such thing!!!! - although I did suggest that it might be the kind of thing she'd like to try when she retires!!!) and said she'd turned me down because otherwise i wouldn't be able to go as she babysits!!!! NO SHE DOESN'T - my husband stays at home with the children!

WTF!!! Crazy woman! Clearly that's the kind of crazy sh1t she tells her friends and forgot that I was standing in front of her (as was my husband).

Not babysitting is one thing, but lying about it!!!!! ARGHHH!!!!!

either she is a bit loopy or she feels guilty about not babysitting - my mum says similar things and I'm convinced she feels guilty about living abroad half the year.

I've no doubt that you are a little bit right about her feeling guilty. This couple were clearly very doting grandparents and spoke lovingly of their own DGC and my mum had very little to say.

However, if that is the case there is a very simple solution... my mum doesn't live abroad for half of the year, in fact she lives 3 miles down the road!

So I'm going with loopy!

Does seem a really odd thing to say with you standing there.

My mum also does this - saying things that are completely untrue, including in front of people, like me maybe, who know she's talking rubbish. I actually think she sort of believes in a weird way that she makes it true by saying it. A bit like a small child. I think it's emotional immaturity. The moral is, teach your kids to be honest, at least with themselves!!

I would have pointed it out tbh. I can't stand lies.

How bizarre.

next time you go you can ring her up and say 'as you said you babysat...'

Sounds to me like she was trying to paint herself in a good light to these people, telling them how much she'd like to see them at this thing, but she can't as she is doting grandmother, and she can't let you down.

She probably assumed you'd never find out.

Has she even babysat once while you went? Then it would be a wild exaggeration rather than an outright lie

Do you think she's maybe in the habit of using babysitting for you as an excuse to get out of stuff she doesn't want to do? And forgot you were there when she said it.

My exH used to talk bullshit to try to impress people, even in front of me who knew it was BS. And then he would wonder why I thought he was a pillock.

pmsl @ your mum .shes bonkers ! id have just told her friends thats shes full of shit and she never babysits . i honestly dont know how you didnt fall out laughing.

YANBU. Unhinged? Yes. A big giant liar? Most definitely!!

You could tell her that she'd better never tell that lie in front of you or DH again or you'll immediately denounce her as the HUGE liar that she is.

Thanks for that, I do feel slightly more sane now!

I think she does think that by saying things she makes them true. It's not the only outrageous falsehood she's ever claimed to be the truth, just the only one she did that day and the first for a couple of months (to me at least).

Her usual audience for these is normally just myself, my DH, my brother and his DF so I think it was hearing her say one to someone else that shocked me the most!

I'd love to challenge her but doesn't back down and will argue that the sky is orange to avoid looking like the one in the wrong.

What did you? I'd have said 'you've never babysay, DH does it for me' and waited to see her response.