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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

Can someone please help me through this?

17 replies

FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 12:00

I don't know where to start. Sorry it's such a long post.

My mother and I were very close growing up, right up until i had my first child. When i went back to work she volunteered to look after dd. I ideally wanted her in nursery PT for the social aspect but she said it was FT with her or nothing. I graciously accepted as it saved us alot of money.

Essentially this arrangement didn't work. Instead of her telling me she found the situation tough and for me to look into alternative childcare which i had no problem doing, she started to attack me and cause a rift.

It started with her refusing to take DD anywhere, changing her clothes, not telling me what she did during the day minor things - pushing me out. it progressed and reached a point where i found it impossible to take when she said to me she "didn't give a shit if i miscarried, its not a big deal if i did" - I fell pregnant shortly after returning to work, and that no one gives a shit if i was pregnant or not, and refusing to let me use her toilet and saying she wished my bladder would explode in me.

After this, I put DD in nursery FT and things were very hostile.

As soon as i did this, she started being nice to me and wanting a relationship again - presumably because she had no way of seeing dd. we saw each other but I felt very hurt and upset that she never apologized for wishing miscarriage on me and saying those things.

My DH one day snapped when she came round to see dd and said unless she apologizes to me (for the away she treated me, refusing the toilet, msicarraige comment, saying it was stupid a mistake i was pregannt again, etc) she wasnt welcome in our home. she said she was sorry if I felt she said horrible things.

i would like to say dh and i are both in our 30s, we are homeowners, careers etc. we can afford two children and that wa sour plan all along.

When i was in labour, she refused to look after dd and said I was being stupid for wanting DH to be there for me for support, so we paid a friend to look after her. she said hurtful things about dc2's gender and name.

3 days after i gave birth, she wanted to see dd again (wasnt bothered agbout dc2), with my sister and nephew. My nephew although almost 15 acts very immature for his age runs around our house chasing the cat, teaching dd to put things in plug sockets, doesn't act calm or sits down. I said would it be possible for her and my sister to come up separately at first as I felt very anxious and overwhelmed by having alot of people around me in a very very small central London flat (5 adults, toddler, newborn and a cat in a tiny small space). All that fits in our living room is a sofa, tv and a toybox to tidy dd's toys. its tiny. i felt overhemled, anxous and was in alot of pain from having just gave birth.

She refused so I said fine, can you tell nephew to just be calm then? Again she refused, nephew can do what he likes, poor nephew he's just a little defenseless boy, and we ended up arguing.

DH got angry with her for putting me through more stress 3 days after i gave birth and said nephew should be acting more grown up instead of like a 4 year old, and what was wrong with him being told to be calm. he said (out of anger) there are teenagers his age - nearly 15 - who are having sex with each other, let alone him who is acting like an infant.

My mother has now said DH said nephew SHOULD be going out having sex and refuses to speak to him again - he never said that, i heard him, and we have not spoken since.

It's been 4 months.

she has since called everyday to try and "reconcile", every time we got to a point of reconciling, she says she's done nothing wrong, and refuses to apologize and the argument starts again.

Today she said I am a terrible mother, I have neglected dd1 by having dc2 so close together (2 year age gap), dd1 is suffering from my bad parenting and is clearly misbehaving as a result of my bad parebting (she pushed a child at nursery. once), and that she wants to cut me out of her life for good and wants her spare key back.

I am literally in shock as to why she keeps doing this to me.

its all come as such a shock as we used to be the best of friends up until i had my first child. then it all fell apart. My sister who we never really got on with each other, hasn't spoken to me in over a year anyway.

i dont know why im posting this to be honest.... I'm going to call the Samaritans to talk to someone.... just don't know how to carry on with life with this abuse on a daily basis.

i;m not a terrible mother. I love my children more than life itself. i would die for my kids. i would do anything for them. I'm not a bad mother. We got to play groups, we do painting, I kiss and cuddle them and tell them i love them everyday....why is she doing this.

I'm rambling now sorry.

OP posts:
joblot · 23/12/2013 12:07

I'm sorry you're so stressed it all sounds overwhelming. You perhaps need to think through your options for dealing with this and decide which would work best. There'll be others along soon for more practical advice I'm sure. Can you talk it through with your oh or a good friend?

I notice you talk about being best friends with your mum. That can cause problems I think- friends fall out and maybe the lines are blurred? Sorry I cant be more helpful

FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 12:09

Thank you for replying joblot...i honestly dont know what else to do.
i spend each day crying after she calls me to say something hurtful. its takes a few days to recover then she calls again.

I have 3 very good friends who have been very supportive as it DH. but i miss the mother i used to have. i dont know her anymore, i feel like shes gone.

what shall i do?

OP posts:
joblot · 23/12/2013 12:15

Could you be more assertive? But kind, given none of us like criticism. Assert your viewpoint and be clear how you feel. Always best rehearsed or without emotion.

I think first however I'd work out all the options eg- status quo, go non contact, limit and control contact etc. Then decide how to tackle. Also don't answer the phone, that form ofccommunication is obviously not working

LightsPlease · 23/12/2013 12:18

Id cut contact for a bit tbh.

FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 12:19

Thank you for the suggestion. if i don't speak to her on the phone, how would you suggest we talk? going to her house maybe? with dh?

i feel like such a mess. this all started pretty much around this time last year. I remember crying over Xmas because of this. one year later the same thing is still happening.

OP posts:
FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 12:21

Thank you lights i did for 4 months and now its started up again.

she called out of the blue being nice about a week ago, and its decended into this again.

she sents the kids a xmas present so i sent a card back thanking her and then this happens again.

OP posts:
StupidMistakes · 23/12/2013 12:37

My response to her wishing me a miscarriage would be the same as to my sisters wish I miscarried (i found out two days after she said it I had suffered a mmc) in that i was civil whilst living with my mother but wouldn't leave my ds alone with her ever. When she said can I do or take ds somewhere I always had other arrangement. Since the loss of my mother we haven't spoken and shes been cut out of my life completely. I refused to even speak to her at mums funeral earlier this year.

I should say this wasn't the only thing she had done and that her wish for me to lose my baby was after she had kicked me in the stomach

Donkeylovesmarzipanandmincepie · 23/12/2013 12:41

The simplest and most effective tack to take is go no contact. However great your previous relationship, DM has transformed and whatever prompted this - and I bet one thing she flings at you is, "You've changed so much, and not for the better, I hardly recognise you" - now you need to protect yourself and your family.

As to why your M does this I haven't a clue but a new role for you as a mum obviously triggered something in her. You and DH are a team, she has to attack both of you and will alternate between being conciliatory and aggressive to keep you hoping she's going to mellow again. Quite an age gap between DN and your DC1. Did she have a lot of influence over your sister, was your sister happy to defer to her?

You are doing a fine job don't let M make you doubt yourself. Don't tie yourself up in knots trying to rationalise her behaviour. Your M may fear you as an adult woman and parent judging her as a parent and finding her wanting. So she becomes very critical and puts you in your place. Who needs the drama. Step back.

BabyMummy29 · 23/12/2013 12:53

I've had similar experiences (but nowhere near as bad as yours) with my mother over the past 4 years.

She has promised me over and over again that she won't be nasty to me. I have believed her but she goes and does it again and again.

Finally I've had enough and will maintain minimum essential contact with her. I fell a lot better for it and people say how much happier I look.

Maybe this approach won't work with you Feelinglow but I hope you can get over this

FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 14:06

stupidmistakes i'm so sorry for your much - I hope your sister was apologetic after that. Horrendous.

donkey yes! She says this exact thing - how I've changed so much, and how it's all my fault. She won't ever accept the blame. When she started looking after dd1, she had moved out of the family home and retired all in the same month, so think this might have been a trigger for her changing, but why a year later is this still carrying on? I feel so hurt.

She kept saying to me during my pregnancy that I must be suffering from PND. First of all I wasn't depressed during pregnancy, although I did cry a lot at her behavior. Second of all how could I have PND when I was still pregnant? She kept trying to say I was depressed and not a fit mother to dd1, let alone be prepared for dc2.

My sister has always had issues with me. I'm 15 years younger and according to her its not fair im the tall, thiner, pretty one. i have NEVER said I was these thing (apart from the fact that yes, i am taller. so what), SHE has always said these about me. she's also called me a whore before because when i was at university i used to go clubbing with friends. this apparently made me a whore. she also got divorced from her exh and wanted daughters. I'm happily married and have a girl. I have never EVER rubbed these things in her face, but she has always kept me at a distanced, complained about me and kept me at arms length. According to her, I'm the reason she has had an unfair life.

i think she readily jumped at the opportunity to side with my mother and not see me.

babyMummy I've tried keeping comntact to a minimum. In a year, i've seen her about 5 times, and in the last 4 months only once for 2 hours. I never call her as it always leads to awful arguments with me crying my eyes out for days. i emtionally cant deal with it anymore.

she sent me a card on my birthday so I called to thnak her - she didn't pick up. she sent the children xmas presents so i sent a card back, she calls and she starts attacking me again. the latest being she wants her spare key back and wants to give mine back to me. i said fine, and when i do she starts getting vicious with me.

Obviously i dont want to never see her again in my life, but i don't think I can continue this "relationship" anymore. she's not willing to let anything go, she's started to attack DH now and says hes not welcome in her house, and everytime we get somewhere in reconciling, she starts yet another argument.

I'm exhausted I barely eat, i barely sleep, I look a mess. and I think her wish of me becoming depressed could very well happen if this treatment continues.

I'm so sorry for rambling, thank you all for letting me talk and for listening.

OP posts:
Donkeylovesmarzipanandmincepie · 23/12/2013 15:21

From what you say DH has backed you to the hilt, you have two lovely DCs, so these two women are if you like 'extras'. We can't act the way others dictate - no matter how much they tell us off for not dancing to their tune. And if you think they will moderate their behaviour when seeing your DCs , forget it.

DSis and DM are grown women behaving like mardy teens, they feed off each other's grievances. Twelve months is a long time for this aggravation. No amount of tears has had any effect. Now's the time to change tactics. If they can't be nice, ignore them.You wouldn't tolerate unkindness or hostility from strangers or acquaintances, would you? Get caller id on your phone so you know who's ringing.

Writing all this down helps. Typing or writing you can get it out of your system. Take a moment, breathe in, breathe out: tell yourself this is all right, you are rising above any annoyance, you are calm, you are calm. Dry your eyes, focus on your own family.

varigatedivy · 23/12/2013 15:35

Oh you poor thing.

I suggest you cut contact.

You don't have to see or speak to anyone who treats you like this.

I'd have a period of time with no contact- don't speak to her if she rings, simply say you don't want to talk and hang up.

After a period of time then if you feel ready to let her back into your life, do so on your own terms. tell her that any more behaviour like before will end the same way- no contact.

I don't know if you have a father or if your mum lives alone but she sounds as if she has issues- real mental health issues- or she is just a very nasty piece of work- maybe jealous of you and making you 'pay' in some way for her own unhappiness in life.

Take control and don't put up with this.

FunkyBoldRibena · 23/12/2013 16:05

Sit down with your DH and discuss what your options are then get a plan together or either telling them how it's gonna be or going no contact. You have to do something - you can't continue like this.

BabyMummy29 · 23/12/2013 16:09

My mother will do something to upset me and then gets in touch as if nothing has ever happened. That's why I keep to minimal contact, However if I was in your situation I'm afraid I would cut contact completely.

I know this isn't what you want but it might make her realise how horrible she has been and how much is affecting you

muddylettuce · 23/12/2013 16:19

I just wanted to say that as someone on the outside ie. With no experience of this sort of 'toxic' behaviour from parents that a normal mother would NEVER say any of those things, they would not pick fights with your husband nor favour one grandchild. I am gobsmacked from reading mn that people like that exist. I would stop contact immediately for the sake of you and your children. So sorry you are feeling like this at Christmas when it should be a celebration of family... Forget about her and celebrate you, your dh and your children. X

Clutterbugsmum · 23/12/2013 17:29

Sorry you mum and sister are bring like this.

I would get your DH to return her key as requested and a letter stating that neither she or you sister contact you again. And you will contact her if you want to. And any further phone calls of the nature she has been making will be reported to the police as hassassment.

Get a phone with number display and do not answer calls from either her or your sister number.

You are a good mum and are doing a good job with your children.

FeelingLow100 · 23/12/2013 19:10

Thank you all so much. Its helped writing down jow o feel and have someone listening to me. O really appreciate it. I don't know why this has happened and the fact it's got progressively worse and continued for a year has almost broken me.

My friends cant believe it as she was so loving to me at my wedding and has now turned into tjis person who says such hurtful things. Everything os my fault and every time we make any progress her voice actually changes becomes cold and hostile and she restarts the argument.

She wants nothing to do with my dh so he can't return the keys. I'll post them.

She's divorced from my father who I have a surfacey relationship with - he didn't see me for over 13 years due to alcoholism and MH issues.

My mother has had a terrible childhood and horrible marriage. She said if I had her life I would've killed myself. Its almost as if she's trying to make me depressed to prove sge was right about me having another child. She seems to want to cause me hurt so I will breakdown.

I don't understand how this has happened. I miss the mother I used to have. The one that loved me. I feel like I'm grieving.

Thank you for letting me get this out.

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