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Parents of adult children

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Mom keeps calling me evil - am I that bad?

15 replies

baumbb · 04/06/2025 02:32

From an adult 31 yr old daughter ~ So today, my mom called me evil again because I told her I might not be able to have time to go to lunch with her tomorrow.. honestly I could. But our relationship has been rough lately. Every single time we’ve met up, we’ve had an argument. I am fine up until she starts judging and falsely accusing and trying to force me into a correction that comes from a misconception.. also, I’ve always been more of an introvert who’s kept to themselves. I don’t even go out with friends. Her and I are very different too.. but since my late twenties I have made an effort to spend more time with her. But it’s hard and I need to vent out why…

last Mother’s Day, my mom wanted me to go to church as a family with her. I am a follower of Jesus but I feel a certain way about church so I don’t really go. But this time, I said okay. I wanted to make her happy. On Mother’s Day I had to work, but I promised to go the next week. She agreed. I still brought her a gift in the evening after I was done working.. to which she responded , “ please take this back. Why did you buy this, you need to have sense. Why did you bring me flowers, I don’t need any of this, take it back now.” With an angry and annoyed tone. That upset me, so I just left. We were supposed to watch Korean dramas but I just didn’t want to be around her at that point. She proceeded to call me hateful, evil, bad, unloving daughter. So I blocked her. She does this all the time and I just can’t take these words anymore. They hurt. But she apologized later and I let go of the situation.. the next week when she picked me up for church, my partner of 5 years came along too. The judgement began as soon as I got in the car. She was hard staring at my partner through the rear view mirror, asking, “why don’t you wear a hat?” In her usual unsatisfied tone, Every time he does wear a hat, she tells him to not wear a hat. This was a bad start, and due to our bad streak, we couldn’t tolerate it. So we went back home…

after Mother’s Day, I had a real bad eczema flare up. All over my face and I ended up with an infection. I was worried my mother would overreact and didn’t want her to see me until it was better. She refused to respect that boundary, came over to my home and walked right in my room. I hid under the covers telling her it’s best not to see me right now. She whipped off that blanket and gasped “oh my God!! You need to go to the hospital!!” I told her I was already seen by a doctor, and that more stress and panic only makes my symptoms worse. I freaked out and told her she needs to leave because I need to rest. She accuses me of drugs immediately, so I get even more angry. She pushes her knuckle into my head angrily, and this time I push her out my bedroom door. She accused of me not even seeing the doctor, and I showed her my prescription. She then calls me possessed and I have a demon in me. I get more upset at her, and while ignoring my cries to stop and leave me alone, she prays “in tongues”. I tell her this stress is going to make my eczema worse, and she tells me I’m programmed by my partner.

she lacks respect for my partner even though he’s the only reason why they are still able to keep their business going. My dad has had cancer, treatment making him unable to do the labor of carpet cleaning, my partner has been helping him every day without asking for any pay in return and On top of still making money at his own job. We just get help with rent when we need it as we are staying in a condo she owns and rents to other people. I’ve been taking classes so I can get a better paying job. But whenever I talk about moving, she accuses me of abandoning her. When I have lived elsewhere, she’ll send me videos of her crying and saying she needs me back. And with my partner, well she hates him. Says he’s bad when he’s done them no wrong. She thinks he’s the reason why I don’t want to be around her, when she does these things that push me away herself. She doesn’t treat me like an individual. She blames anyone around me, even my dad and sister sometimes, for just being the way I am. And my whole life, I just wanted her to accept me and not judge harshly, thinking the worst, so we can have a good relationship. But now I’m at a point where I can’t even be around her without problems and I kind of want to give up so I can get my life going. She puts me down and tries to manipulate me into thinking I’m bad so she can take more control of my life. Or am I wrong? She’s done this since I’ve had enough consciousness of my own. I’m just done with her calling me evil for no real reason and making me feel awful for simply not wanting to go to lunch with her. what is the best thing to do here? I also just can’t leave my dad hanging, and she refuses to retire a year early. Even saying he might need to work several more years. He is physically incapable! She calls me evil, but the way she acts is almost evil in my opinion. :( I’m just at a loss with her. And counseling doesn’t work.. whenever we’ve had one, she just doesn’t like what they have to say. She just wants to be right and everyone to circulate the reality she wants. She tells me she doesn’t love my dad either and he gets treated with a lot of anger and resentment.

I don’t know what I want out of this post, but I just feel like I need to vent. And I don’t know what a normal relationship with mom is like. Maybe some advice and reassurance is what I need. Am I the bad one here, for not wanting to be around her? I know I am a very sensitive person, but I do love her and I want a good relationship. I just don’t think that’s possible without me just putting on a double personality.

OP posts:
ZiggyPlaysGuitarrr · 04/06/2025 02:44

I'm sorry you've got such an awful, abusive mum. None of this is normal and please know none of it is your fault. I think you need to distance yourself and get therapy.

baumbb · 04/06/2025 02:55

Thank you for the reassurance Ziggy. I am aware this isn’t normal but it’s hard to not be affected by it. I’m not looking for people to toot my horn, I just wanted to know what other moms may think of this situation and maybe what is best to do. It’s hard to just leave her like that but I feel like I have no choice. Even my therapist long ago said the same.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 04/06/2025 02:57

You are not the bad one here.

Your mother is insane.

Stop talking to her about your life.
Stop sharing your plans and ideas.

Get therapy!!!!!!!!
Stop trying to make her love you and accept you.
She is not a normal person and she never will be.
She only wants you close in order to abuse you.

Make plans to leave, with the support of your therapist.
Get help disengaging from her emotionally and psychologically.
Get help escaping the enmeshment. The relationship you have with her is egregiously unhealthy.

Leave.
Do not tell her where you live.

Ignore her crying and all the rest of her attempts at manipulation. Even if she turns your entire family against you, do not get sucked back in again.

mathanxiety · 04/06/2025 02:59

I am the mother of adult children and if I behaved toward any of them as yours behaves toward you, they would be completely justified in never speaking to me again.

spoonbillstretford · 04/06/2025 03:02

Try this thread @baumbb 💐

www.mumsnet.com/talk/relationships/5332584-may-2025-we-took-you-to-stately-homes-thread

baumbb · 04/06/2025 03:09

Thank you everyone! I’m happy there are mothers out there who understand. This does sadden me.. because I know what I have to do. But it is hard because there are good times. And times where she is so nice, and loving and generous. But she almost seems like two different people.. my half sister couldn’t even stick around. Lives in Germany now and only visits holiday every other year. Maybe I need some hard boundaries like that. I just need to be financially stable (and confident) to do this which will be easier if I don’t get put down all of the time. Thank you everyone ❤️❤️

OP posts:
ThatLimeCat · 04/06/2025 03:34

No, you're not bad or evil. Your mum has some big mental health problems which aren't your fault. I don't really have any advice for you - I am guessing you're Asian and I'm not really in a position to give advice as I know the cultural expectations around family are different. It might be good to see a counsellor and get advice on handling the relationship with your mum. I agree you need to seek independence from her.

EllasNonny · 04/06/2025 03:56

Please allow yourself to realise you don't have to keep going back there to be punished. Just because she gave birth to you does not allow your 'D'M to bully you. You're an adult and have agency here.
It's not a matter of tooting your horn. You could be horrible and it still wouldn't be her job to critique every breath you take.
Nothing you could do entitles anyone else to abuse you. Even if you committed a crime, the law would decide your sentence, not her.
If she can't behave in a civil manner, you need to stay far enough away that she can no longer be so mean to you.

Francestein · 04/06/2025 04:52

I suspect your mum doesn’t just have mental health problems but is struggling to exist in the modern world where you live. It sounds like she has some ideas and traditions about children that seem very old fashioned by our eyes, but may also stem from her traditional customs. I think you should move further away from her so that she doesn’t have access to you.

baumbb · 04/06/2025 05:25

I am half Asian and my dad is American. And my mother is very old fashioned Korean. She does have some of those old values but she also did have trauma at an early age. Her mother died when she was 8, and her father left her and her siblings to be taken care of by extended family. This is where I guess her worry of abandonment comes from. She denies she has any trauma from it. She is also half North Korean. Her father and his family escaped during the war and it was brutal. She probably has some form of generational trauma as well. This is why I feel bad and try to have understanding, but I can’t really help her case and can’t expect her to change. I wish I could, but she’s just going to keep doing what she does until I seperate myself. She has a lot of fear in her that drives her decisions and i avoid doing the same.

OP posts:
baumbb · 04/06/2025 05:30

Her unhappiness with her marriage and friendships also gets her to seek fulfillment from me, and guilts me when I don’t satisfy that. If I had thicker skin, maybe i could take it, but I’m at my wits end here. Need to move on. Thanks again everyone.

OP posts:
Noshadelamp · 04/06/2025 05:59

And my whole life, I just wanted her to accept me and not judge harshly, thinking the worst, so we can have a good relationship @baumbb

As a daughter of a toxic mother, I understand this. I've felt like a little puppy constantly going back to my mother thinking this time I'll get the love, I'll do enough to please her

But it's not dependent on anything I do, and the same for you. Once I realised this and really felt it deep in my bones, I felt free. No more trying to pander to the beast.

Now as a mother with a daughter a de year suiunfe then you (and a teen daughter), I can't imagine treating them like this.

Our children are emotional our possessions to treat as we please.

Yes your mother has trauma but that doesn't mean you have to be abused by her.

It's completely ok to block her and keep her blocked. You will feel guilty but that eases with time and a lot better than the abuse you've been suffering.

Newnameformenow · 04/06/2025 06:11

This is not normal or acceptable.
My aim as a mum is to unconditionally love and support my kids.
Of course it's complex and she has issues but she is causing you harm.
Hopefully you are at the beginning of a long journey with this realisation.
Every small thing you do to look after yourself bolster your own confidence and independence will help, if you don't feel ready to do anything drastic yet.
I suggest you develop your own life as much as possible, establish/maintain strong friendships - sounds like you are taking steps towards improving your job prospects/financial independence already.

Francestein · 06/06/2025 00:13

I think you should explain that you live in THIS world and that she simply exists here because she has refused to engage with therapy and deal with her past. Establish some clear boundaries by telling her that it is not your responsibility to make her happy - that’s an impossible task. The only way she can be fulfilled is to find her own peace.

BobbyBiscuits · 06/06/2025 00:21

She sounds incredibly controlling and awful.
I honestly think you need to try and move out of her condo ASAP.

She thinks she's got some kind of hold upon you partly because of your living arrangements and the fact she's helped you with rent.

Is it feasible for you to get an apartment with your partner, or a flatshare with friends?
Even a small bedsit on your own would give you freedom.

She sounds very unhappy but I doubt she'll take your advice to seek therapy. I hope you can do so yourself if you haven't already as growing up with her must have been pretty difficult.

You can do nothing right in her eyes so I would step back from trying to help her or appease her and focus on building your own independent life where she can't interfere to such a degree.

I wish you the best x

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