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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Really worried about my neice

35 replies

Pffft · 13/03/2011 09:45

This may be a long one, I have name changed(not because any of you will necessarily know my normal 'name' but because it's a 'name' I use all over the internet and I don't really want my personal life made public)

Right...My neice,out of the blue, asked if she could come and live with me about 8 months ago. My initial response was'hell no!' My sister, her mum, is 10 years older than me and moved to Ireland when I was about 11, so contact with her and her family has been sporadic. I would say I had met my neice about 7 or 8 times until the point that she asked if she could come and live with me.

Whilst I was considering her request she sent me an email saying that she was moving to England, but would be moving to stay with friends on the south coast (I live in the midlands). I have to admit to feeling relieved.

Fast forward a couple of months and I get a phone call from her, begging me to let her stay. She is intelligant and articulate and claimed that she really wanted to move to me as there was better job prospects. I thought about it, and eventually agreed.

I redecorated my spare bedroom for her, bought her a bed and a wardrobe, new bedding, and did everything i could to make her feel at home (I am a single parent).

As soon as she moved in I suspected she had other motives. It became clear very quickly that the real reason she had wanted to move here was because she had met someone on the internet. I wasn't hugely happy with this, but supported her and took time off work to take her to the job centre, to a local training centre etc. I asked friends if they knew of any jobs for her, checked the local press etc. She has never made ANY attempts to find work.

She is the laziest person I have ever met. I have to nag her weekly to have a bath (I gave up once and after 4 weeks she smelt so bad that I insisted). When she first moved in I showed her where the washing basket was and said that if she put her dirty washing in there I'd do it. I have not washed ANY of her clothes (including underwear) for over 6 weeks now.

Right, to the crux of it. Just after Xmas i confronted her over her lack of hygiene and the fact that she seems to have very little respect for me or my home. It was at this point that she admitted she was pregnant. I have to confess that I did read her the riot act a bit. I was so cross that she had been so stupid (and she was stupid, she was regularly having sex and using no contraceptive). We discussed her options and she said that she could not consider termination and that she would be keeping the baby.

I have told her in no uncertain terms that I can not have a newborn baby in the house but that I would support her in finding somewhere to live and with sorting out furniture for her and the baby. She said that she felt this would help her 'sort herself out'(?)

Fast forward again to now. She still doesnt bathe, she does nothing around the house, she has just come into a bit of money (about £200) and has spent all of it on getting stoned, going clubbing with her mates and paying for a flight home - not to see her family but to go out for a weekender with some friends).

I am so worried about this baby. She has referred to it as 'the fucking brat' she has no maternal instincts towards it. She has not concept of basic personal hygiene or the harm that she is doing to it by taking drugs and drinking.

I suppose what i'm asking is, what can I do? I am brutally honest with her. I have talked to her repeatedly about all of the issues. I have told her that if she continually stinks like she does (she also claims she doesn't use deodorant because of all the chemicals - she doesnt see the irony of that statement and blowing all her dole on weed) then eventually, with her increased contact with health professionals someone will say something. Will they though? Will anyone notice? Don't know what I want people to say really, just wanted to get it all down.

OP posts:
BigBadMummy · 13/03/2011 09:48

Blardy hell. What a nightmare!

I dont really know what to say, to be honest.

Can you talk to your sister? This really shouldnt be your problem.

PorkChopSter · 13/03/2011 09:52

How pregnant is she? Is she having any antenatal care?

Pffft · 13/03/2011 09:59

My sister is what you would nicely call 'bohemian' - she bought up 3 kids in a caravan with no water or toilet. (which is I guess where she gets her lack of hygiene from). I have told her how worried I am, but as my neice is insistent she's not moving back to Ireland, there's not a lot she can do really to help.

She's about 14 weeks pregnant, she's had her first scan.

I should say my neice is 20

OP posts:
wellwisher · 13/03/2011 10:02

How old is she?

Is she definitely pregnant? My first thought was that she made it up to get you off her back...

missmehalia · 13/03/2011 10:04

There are issues of rights and responsibilities here. You are mothering her. This also might be an illustration of why she has continued to move on from living situations when things haven't gone her way.

Unfortunate ultimatums have to be issued. Get in touch with her family in Ireland, and talk it through with them. They know her. You shouldn't be dealing with this alone, you're not actually her mother.

She has chosen a hard path, but she has to deal with some of the consequences of her choices.

If in doubt, and if she still won't listen, the last chance saloon surely has to be your local social services.

Surely you have your limits, you're already angry at her. This could get worse.

DuelingFanjo · 13/03/2011 10:07

if she's 20 then can't she get some kind of benefits/housing?

DeidreBarlow · 13/03/2011 10:07

Oh hell! What a nightmare for you.

Has she had a 'booking' with a MW? I remember getting the drink/drugs/smoking talk during pregnancy even though I didn't do any (and the MW was my mums friend so she knew me quite well). They may say something about her hygiene etc as things progress. Do you attend any of her antenatal appointnments with her?

She sounds terribly immature, does she want to keep the baby?

Lulumama · 13/03/2011 10:13

I'd get social services involved now, to be honest, especially if she is already demonstrating a total lack of interest towards the baby and is not capable of looking after herself.

have you told her mum?

Pffft · 13/03/2011 10:15

She does deperately want to keep the baby. She had a late miscarriage when she was 17 and I think that she deliberately got pregnant (without realising it if you see what i mean).

She has been open with the midwife (well she has told me she has) and told them that she smokes weed. She did start going to a smoking cessation thingy but has given that up now.

I am angry with her, you're right. We've had another blow up this weekend (which is probably what prompted me to post) because when i got up Saturday morning she had obviously skinned up at my computer desk (she doesntsmoke in the house, she goes into the garden) - but there was tobacco, bits of roach etc all over my desk and over the floor - my pc is in the living room. I don't want my dd (who is 5) living in a squat, this is my home.

She is terribly immature. Looking at her and other 20 year olds I know (friends children etc) she is more like a 14 year old. Tbh I am quickly losing any compassion I have for her and her situation, I am however REALLY worried about her baby.

As far as housing goes, she has been to see the council, as she is under 25 she is not eligible for full HB until the baby is born, so she couldnt rent privately (this is definitely a good thing, I wouldn't want to inflict her standard of living on some poor landlord). The council has set up a meeting for her at a very local homeless centre,which specialises in young mother's and children. I think this would be great for her as she would have some support, she won't have to wait so long to get a council property and more importantly,from the babies point of view, there will be people around to make sure it is getting the care it needs. Neice however is planning on clubbing her HB together with a mate and renting a flat. I could cry but I don't think I'd stop

OP posts:
wellwisher · 13/03/2011 10:23

Sorry, x-posted.

I think you need to give her an ultimatum; shape up (make it very clear and specific what that means to you: household help, daily showers, no drugs in house etc) or move out. It's not fair on you or your own dcs for things to go on like this.

Where is the baby's father in all of this?

Lulumama · 13/03/2011 10:23

her behaviour then is totally at odds with her saying she desperately wants the baby after she's had a late miscarriage previously
smoking weed, and not taking care of herself is not a good way to behave and neitehr is giving up smoking cessation.

DeidreBarlow · 13/03/2011 10:24

Oh Pfft...where isthe 'father' in all this? I assume that he is off the scene.

The meeting at the homeless centre sounds promising, would they bethe kind of people that could alert SS? I'm not sure, although it certainly sounds like they need to be involved. If she isn't listening to anyone re: the health of her unborn baby it seems highly unlikely that she is going to be able to cope once its born.

Her immaturity is apparent in the 'oh I'll get a flat with mhy mate'...does the mate have DC's? I know you say she wants to keep the baby but it seems that she likes the 'idea' of the baby. You know cute, cuddly, can dress it up. We all know the reality is so much tougher and it would seem that she couldn't cope with this. And this is where the real danger lies for the child.

Pffft · 13/03/2011 10:34

I think I might give my mate a call tomorrow, she works for SS and will be able to give me some advice. I don't want anything bad to happen, what I really want if for her realise that she needs to get of her arse and sort herself out.

What is frustrating is she can see, first hand, how hard it is. I am a single mum she sees how knackered I am all the time, unfortunately I have a dd who is an absolute dream so I suspect she thinks it can be that easy. She doesnt seem to notice that I'm exhausted from working,cleaning and taking care of my dd, she just sees the good bits.

The moving in with a friend thing is ridiculous. Her friend has a ds, who doesnt live with her but lives with its father (She has claims that this is because he evil and that her poor friend would do anything to have him live with her - I see no evidence of this, but I'm not being judgy,maybe she would) - I have pointed out that the best they could afford to rent would be a 2 bed place and what will happen when her mate has her ds to stay at weekends and what will happen when the baby is born. She just says 'oh one of us will move out'. She just can't seem to see that this is something that is going to change the rest of her life, and starting that with planning to move every 6 months is madness

OP posts:
wellwisher · 13/03/2011 10:39

Pffft, does your niece interact with your 5-year-old at all? Would you consider putting her in charge of her for an hour or two? If you don't want to go out and leave them (understandable), you could use the time to have a bath/get on with something in a different part of the house. Spending some time with a real live child may focus her mind a bit...

Anniegetyourgun · 13/03/2011 10:42

Well she wouldn't be as tired as you because she wouldn't be working, would she, and she'd have a ready-made babysitter to hand - you!

I'm a mean old cow, I'd want her OUT OUT OUT. SS won't give her the full help as long as she's got you for backup.

catinthehat2 · 13/03/2011 10:43

I think your 5 year old daughter takes first priority

she does not deserve to live in (what will become) a squat with this stranger

get rid on Monday morning, don't fall for 'boo hoo nobody cares', you have done enough

get shot

catinthehat2 · 13/03/2011 10:45

actually, I would be BOILING with rage and hatred if I were that 5 year old

Pffft · 13/03/2011 10:47

Very very occasionally, usually after I've shouted at her for leaving the house a mess etc she'll go and play something with my dd. My dd barely acknowledges that she's in the house most of the time and she barely acknowledges her presence.

I left her in a position of responsiblity once, last October I managed to get a weekend away with a friend and my dd went to her dads, this was the first weekend away i had had since giving birth. I left neice in charge of the house and dog with strict instructions that she couldnt have anyone round.

I rang her from the train on the way to tell her that i had left some money for her in case of emergencies and I could here someone in the background. I asked who it was and she said it was the TV. I nearly got off at the next stop and went straight home as I knew she was lying, but figured that as I had 'caught her out' she would sort it out. I had a phone call at 4am the next morning from my next door neighbour in tears asking me to please phone my neice and tell her turn the music down. She had music full blast from the moment i left the house till I rang her. My neighbour said she was too intimidated to go round as it sounded like there were about 15 men there and that she could hear my neice screaming. I rang her and she just said 'yea, sorry, i'll turn it down' I rang her again at 8 that morning and told her i was coming home early.

She managed to get all the people out of the house but it was trashed. I should have kicked her out then really shouldnt i?

OP posts:
Anniegetyourgun · 13/03/2011 10:48

Well... yes!

atswimtwolengths · 13/03/2011 10:54

Get her out IMMEDIATELY!

She has friends, though god knows how. Pack her bags and leave them in the hallway for her. Don't let her any further into the house.

Report her to social services, too. She sounds like she's going to be a nightmare mother.

I'm so sorry for you and so sorry for your daughter, too. Don't let this girl torment you any more. Pack her bags now.

squeakytoy · 13/03/2011 10:54

I think you have to put your own life, and that of your own daughter first.

This girl is not your responsibility and harsh as it sounds, you have to kick her out.

She is blatantly taking the piss out of you and has no respect for your (very reasonable) house rules.

mickeynminnie · 13/03/2011 10:55

your poor DD - if she barely acknowledges the niece that to me is a clear sign that she does not like her being in your house nad is trying to shut her out.

nightmare situation but I agree, you have to chuck her out as soon as you can - but what to do about the baby? sounds like a case for at-risk register really, what's honestly going to happen when it arrives? if she smokes weed and drinks heavily now, she's not going to stop when it's here. she is not fit to parent and imo shouldn't be given the opportunity to look after a baby for even a day if she carries on like this, she is very obviously unfit to do so. if she doesn't wash herself, would she bother changing nappies and caring for the baby? no good saying she "wants it" - she can't have the rights without the responsibility.

that poor baby, what is she doing to it already?

waterrat · 13/03/2011 10:56

Yes you should have. You are being far too nice here - the only way she will grow up is by learning from her own mistakes. At the moment you are protecting her from the fall out from her own selfish and short sighted decisions. In terms of supporting her, it's very kind of you to help her but it has to come only when she fulfils certain responsibilities. If she wants to move in with a friend leave her to it and don't help her with furniture. If she makes a more grown up decision and looks for work or sorts her own benefits out then help her. She will survive you know. At the moment you are enabling her and she isn't learning any tough lessons.

catinthehat2 · 13/03/2011 10:58

wow, pfft, just arrange to get the locks changed while she's out, consider it money well spent

then tell woman she is out for good, and arrange to pass on her possessions asap

I should think she's used to it

wellwisher · 13/03/2011 10:58

Ah, if she's that bad then don't leave her with your dd! Just get her out ASAP. Have you spoken to your sister about the situation?