Please or to access all these features

Mental health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Is a beating/degrading normal?

15 replies

AtLastEarwax · 20/01/2021 18:05

Hi all,

I'll try and keep it brief and I'm sorry if my post seems disjointed. There's always so much more information in my head and it seems to make sense to me when I type it!

So, my family is me, sister, mum and step dad. My step dad is my sisters real dad though.

So anyway. I was testing as a child. Fought with my sister a lot. I would be the one who would get the blame. There is an 8 year age gap. This would be smacking. Then I wised up to it and would run for it if I knew he was coming - sometimes he'd pull me down the stairs, sometimes he wouldn't catch me. He's protective of my mum. Which is good obviously. If I said something horrible he probably would get me if he over heard me. Once he got me and beat me on my bed and I honestly remember feeling fright. I was probably a tween then. As a teenager I was awful - granted. I was independent and didn't really or need anyone, I thought I knew everything. I used to be in my room all the time and they would put my tea to the top of the stairs and that was fine. If it was me now with my children they wouldn't eat unless it was with the family. Maybe they didn't want the ordeal of an argument. I stopped going away with them around then, England holidays anyway never consisted of me from then on. My mum and sister still go now but I don't get an invite. Not saying like big up me, I should be invited but I would love to be just asked. As I grew older my sister obviously did and would tell him not to hit me. So she saved me a few times. Other times it was spitting in my face though or saying like your lucky your a girl otherwise I'd beat the shit out of you. Those things she couldn't stop. I got a job in a florist at 14, just faffing around at the weekend. I did 8 hours on a Saturday and Sunday so to me I was loaded!!! I saved up money to buy an exercise bike - being a fat knacker. I didn't tell anyone though I just did it. Anyway when he saw it he laughed and I shrugged it off. It was a sitting duck for comments though so I got rid.

Anyway, my mum. So if I told her something had happened when she was not there then she would ask what I had done. If something had been said she'd ask what I'd said to him first to deserve it. I once did tell her how unhappy I was and she just said that without him we would have nothing - he's a millionaire and my real dad isn't - he's a working man. So that's that. Things are strained. We don't really talk. My mum mentioned in passing that he tapped my sons hand and I came down on him like a ton of bricks and he said how stupid I was etc etc and I said it's simple, stop it or don't see him. He's not really left on his own though and if something is said it's picked up on straight away. I don't fuck about, I call a spade a spade and I'll square up to him if it's my children. ALL DAY.

Anyway but my question is, is this normal of the age?? I'm talking 20 years ago. Everyone back in the day was hit weren't they?? Hubby finds all this shocking. He thinks it boils down to a lot of my mum guilt over everything. My regrets of choices in life that I don't want my children to make. The fact I can't hug anyone apart from hubby or the kids and I make it well known. If someone hugs me I'm like an ironing board. It's hubby's reaction playing on my mind though. What does everyone else think? To me it's normal, I was the step child as well that's the other thing

Thanks

OP posts:
tellthem · 20/01/2021 18:09

20 years ago general smacking was much more normal yes, like on the bum/legs of a child but that level of beating /degrading/spitting at someone and threats have never been normal no..

tarapinn · 20/01/2021 18:13

No. That is totally NOT normal. It was physical and emotional abuse.
And your mother should be ashamed for not protecting you.
My dd is 16 and pushes my buttons - a LOT. And her stepdads. But she has never, ever been hit.
I'm so sorry this happened to you. And sorry that you think it's normal Sad

user1174147897 · 20/01/2021 18:16

No, that was not normal. I'm sorry.

That was abuse 20 years ago and it's abuse now. That's why you're traumatised.

Shakirasma · 20/01/2021 18:16

Not normal at all. Your step dad was abusive and your mum enabled it.
DD1 is in her 20s and smaking was definitely frowned upon and thankfully dying out by the time she was born.

sadpapercourtesan · 20/01/2021 18:16

No, it was never normal. It was appalling, and violent and damaging, and it's not surprising you have lasting issues as a result. Nothing you could have done would have justified his treatment of you, or your mother's negligence.

I had a similar stepfather and a violent mother and have my scars as well Flowers

Shakirasma · 20/01/2021 18:18

And as for an adult spitting at a child, that has never, ever been okay. That's monstrous behaviour!

Butterymuffin · 20/01/2021 18:20

No, that was not normal even then. It was horrible and abusive. My dad would never have dreamed of behaving like that. I am sorry you were treated so badly. Flowers
I wouldn't leave any child of mine with him and your mum, sorry. He is a disgusting bully and she enables it.

sadpapercourtesan · 20/01/2021 18:24

Not wishing to me-rail, but in case it's helpful; I still saw my mother and stepfather regularly and had them as an integral part of my life until I was in my 30s. I somehow tamped down on all the resentment and trauma and convinced myself I was being mature and doing the decent thing...until DS1 was about 2.5 and I started to see their horrible toxic patterns of behaviour affecting him as well. That was the driver for me to stand up to them, and I now have no contact with them at all. I think that's fairly common for adult survivors of abuse who then have their own children.

Wearywithteens · 20/01/2021 18:40

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

nocoolnamesleft · 20/01/2021 19:01

20 years ago, this would have been considered abusive. I am sorry.

ABitOfAShitShow · 20/01/2021 19:28

Agree with what has already been said. He treated you incredibly badly and your mum should have protected you.

So sorry you’re going through this - and have gone through this. As someone with my own family issues, I really recommend having some counselling with someone who understands the subject well. Flowers

AtLastEarwax · 20/01/2021 21:14

Thankyou all.

I did used to speak to my mum a lot. She is very self centred. Has to make a lot about her. Even my sons birthday party she made a song and dance how ill she was to everyone and then when she turned up everyone like cheered for her. The kind of person who portrays the doting person.

This pissed me off and I don't actually know why but it did. So my birthday is Christmas Eve and pizza is our fave food in our house. We were also going out that night on a Santa trail so we decided to get the kids to have a nap in the afternoon. We ordered the pizzas and said come round about 1pm but she said it was 'too early for her to eat' so I said ok fine no worries. She was supposed to be here at 5pm before the Santa trail but the Pharmacy didn't have her prescription ready so she had to wait for that. We were setting off for the trail at 5:15. Anyway she turns up after we got back and said we've got your presents and I genuinely had forgotten it was my birthday I was too busy thinking about Christmas Eve boxes and all sorts. So she thought I was being ungrateful and she started crying. She bought me lovely gifts and off she went but I just couldn't help thinking it was still dictated by her. The time she could make it, when it was to early for her to eat etc. However a week later she was taking fish and chips and cream cakes round to my aunties for her bd. Is that to 'look' good??

Back to speaking to her though, I only do when she rings me. I occasionally ring her if I need to tell her something but other than that I don't bother and if she doesn't pick up the first time I don't try again. If she rings then I'll answer but I don't call back.

The thing that gets me the most was my sister was never hit or spat in the face. Many times I would walk out with a bag at 11-12 at night to go to a friends or wherever and they never looked for me, txt me, rang me. I would get hubby (as he's the only one who can drive) to follow any of our children or even drop them off somewhere just to know they are safe. I could have been snatched, raped and murdered and no one would have had a clue. Was that down to not caring? I suppose we will never now. The police even picked me up once and I lied and said I was living with a friend. Times were different I suppose. You know I tried my hardest. I got 11 GCSEs, 2 A-Levels and a BTEC. I moved out at 18, married at 23 and had my son at 29, then my twins at 31. I worked from 14, started my own business, bought my own house. My sister dropped out of school in year 8, had private home tutoring (paid for by them) got her 3 GCSEs, lives at home, doesn't pay a penny for anything, rent, shopping, sky sports, phone bill and is 24.

If at this stage in my life I can never get acceptance then I never will. My invite to their mother and daughter holiday has gone for a burton but I suppose least I can say ive achievements

OP posts:
Branleuse · 20/01/2021 21:22

Absolutely not normal.
Its a testament to your strength and resilience that youve thrived despite them

sadpapercourtesan · 20/01/2021 22:31

I relate to so much of your story, I wish I could give you big hug Flowers

You have the opportunity to build a better, stronger and more loving family for your children than these broken, dysfunctional people provided for you. I've focused on that, and it's been very healing. Mine are 16 and 18 now and I'm sometimes floored by their self-confidence and zest for life....part of me thinks "I did that", and it feels fucking great.

AtLastEarwax · 20/01/2021 23:32

Thankyou, definitely, I live for those children and although times are hard with the housework and sharing my time between them I never ever spend a day where I don't kiss them and tell them how much I love them. I thank them for implanting and choosing me to be their mummy 😂😂😂 I'm going to make sure when they are teenagers I'm there giving them educated advice on their life's and futures etc not just leave them on all nighters watching people puke up purple shit from god knows what they had taken. Thankfully in one way I was popular at school so least I was out most of the time or I had somewhere to go

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.