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Relationships

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

my mum, bit long sorry, she hates my dp

17 replies

sheepgomeep · 04/09/2006 11:11

I know there has been a few threads about mother /daughter relationships so I'm sorry if this goes on a bit/ please bear with me,
It's taken me a longtime to pluck up courage to write this as its breaking my heart really.

My mum has always been a very difficult person to get along with, as a small child I found it difficult to please her and growning up at times was hard.

she could be a very manipulative person.

she put my brothers in care when I was five saying that she didn't want them only me, this caused a lot of heartache for me and my brothers as I was told that they were dead and I was never to mention them again or she would put me in care too! I've maintained contact over the years with my eldest brother who I get on with quite well.

She met my brothers kids once and proceeded to tell people about how 'ugly' they were and how they would never compare to my kids

she has never met my other brothers family.

my mum has to be always right and when I was 14 I got quite down over things in my family, I started self harming. My mum saw the marks and said that self harmers are sick in the head if the doctors found out what I was doing they would lock me away in a mental hospital. I have never forgotten this

Aged 16, on a family holiday I started getting panic attacks everyday, my mums reaction was one of anger. After a bad one at a barbecue my dad cooked, and I couldn't breath, my mum exploded threw her dinner at me, yelled 'you selfish bitch you've ruined our holiday, get in the f*ing car, the hospital will sort you out, you stupid cow' The doctor was so nice and the look of concern on his face as my mum ranted at him is one i'll never forget cos afterwards he said to me 'does she always react like that'

I found out afterwards that my mum has suffered painc attacks too but i'll never understand her reaction.

She would hit me at the slightest thing, she had two affairs and nearly broke my dads heart, she would call me 'evil bitch' and would tell friends that I so depend on them I would never leave home.

When I was 18 I got out and went to uni. I was with ex by then (in same uni)I got full time job in the holidays to make ends meet. I worked constant nights and was never allowed out to socialise at all. Her attitude was 'we haven't seen you for 3 months you should be all for us now. How dare I make friends and want to go out'I was expected to clean the house everyday until it was spotless, so I had to have 4 hours sleep then get up and do the housework before she came in from work. once when I came home in the middle of the night form work, I got into bed and then needed the loo, so I went very quitely.she woke up went mad, called me 'a whore! selfish bitch you are doing this deliberately, I can't cope with you anymore, this is my house not yours etc etc until I was near hysterical myself
I used to then on keep a cup by my bed so I could piss in it in the middle of the night

she had a go at me one night an hour before I went to work and it was pretty nasty. I broke down in work and confided in this girl who urged me to come out for a lunchtime drink to get me out and she helped me phone my b/f to tell him whats been going on. He came down the next day and we spent the night in my uni town in his flat. my parents followed me to the station though screaming insults out the window,

She used to demand that I spend every xmas with them, if I didn't my b/f would never be welcome in the house.

when I got pg with ds ( we were living with his parents then) she would go on about not having a house. She would say 'I'm not having that baby being brought up there, I don't like his parents etc' she threatened on numorous occaisions to kidnap me and the baby and bring us down south to live, saying 'you will thank me for it in the end' and 'the law is on our side you know, grandparents have rights' WTF!!!!

when ds was born she was ok but still prone to nasty comments, like oh he is really mine isn't he, I have technically brought him up' er no!! don't forget to feed him well you know how forgetful you are!!

she did mellow out a lot over the years although she would at times have her moments like put me down in front of b/f treat him like shit and slag of his family to his face, but laugh in a fake way and say oh I didn't mean it don't be so silly ha ha ha. Weell we're not laughing.

until now

I have a new dp, been with him about a year. My parents were ok at first with him until a few months ago. Then

My dad started calling him thick (dp is dyslexic and struggles also with his speech sometimes)

I got 'well he isn't career minded is he' He works in a supermarket so bloody what

he confided in them over a few things, he got on with them quite well esp my dad, they used what he told them against him

My mum writes up reports on criminals can't go to any details. She saw a file on his family and that started her off

Bearing in mind that although dp comes from a bad area and a bad family he's beena good boy, never got into real trouble and always worked, my mum started calling his family rough and common and I shouldn't mix with people like that.

she made a big fuss of his girls, now she don't like my dp, she slags them off calling them thick and ugly and vacant, completetly blanks them too. They are only 4 and 3 and are gorgeous kids.

at a wedding we went to she caused hell for my dp by being on his back all the time. He is claustrophobic at times and at big do's he gets panicky. He goes very quiet and snappy and I justleave him too it. My mum starts and says if he dosent leave then we are we can't stand him anymore, its about time you dumped him he's a waste of space.

It all gets sorted and the week after the wedding we move house. I'm in a right state and my parents offered me no help at all they live a mile down the road. If it hadn't been for dp ex and her family we never would have managed to move in time as they really helped. My parents did have the kids overnight though at a push from me though and I was an hour late my fault.

@she loses it then screams insults down the phone, called dp a 'f*ing animal, rough common, said his ex's family were animals inc his girls and I was becoming like them.

since them they haven't bothered with us at all, they never phone, ring, I have to go down there, they won't come to the house. My mum told me that until dp was willing to mould to 'our family's high standards' then they didn't want to know and they can't bear to be in the same room as him.(oh and once he accidently burped and farted in front of my dad (my dad does it too) and that is another reason why they won't come near us)

I can't begin to tell you how upset this is making me. I really thought she had changed but no, I'm pg now too and I can't tell her i'm too scared She will demand I have an abortion. she has done countless others stuff to but this is too long already. I feel really scared because I have no other family apart from them and it will be just me, dp and the kids from now on.

my ex has always maintained that my mum has the problem not me and she was jealous of my achievements. dp thinks she walks over me but I can't help it, this situation is making me miserable

over the years since

OP posts:
SKYTVADICT · 04/09/2006 12:14

I don't know what to say sheepgomeep.

No advice just loads of sympathy. I cannot imagine being in such a situation as yours.

I think you need to put yourself, your DP and your kids first coz she sounds like a mad woman to me. Don't be scared of having no family, DPs family sound lovely and I'm sure there are lots of people out there without mother and fathers and you sound like you would be much better off without yours.

Hope you feel better for writing it down

Blu · 04/09/2006 12:23

SheepGoMeep, you have a very very hard time - everyone reading this will know that you have been a lifelong victim of a very badly emotionally abusive mother. it isn't your fault, none of it, of coure it isn't. But as far as I know, one of the main and most damaging aspects of abuse is that it makes you doubt your own version of things, or doubt that you deserve anything better.

I am not surprised you are so upset - and it may help to have some profesional counselling. Have you ever talked to your GP about your panic attacks and your mother? If you talk to your HV / GP you may well be able to get some counselling on the NHS.

And lots of experience from people here who know far more what they are talking about than me.

I am pleased you have people on your side in RL who know that you are not the problem, your mother is!

dinosaur · 04/09/2006 12:28

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

serenity · 04/09/2006 12:32

I'm sorry, I have no idea what to say, but just wanted to do that virtual hugging thing that everyone hates, here goes . Sheep, your Mum (I'm sorry) sounds completely rancid, my intial and overwhelming reaction is dump her and run. Don't expose yourself or your family to this crap anymore. I actually believe your brothers got the best deal out of life, being put into care and I never thought I'd ever think that. I hope that you can get some good advice, and try and sort this out

meowmix · 04/09/2006 12:34

I tend to agree with your dp. So this woman who makes your life a misery won't come to you? Good. Just because someone is your parent doesn't mean you have to tolerate this kind of abuse. Really sounds like counselling would help.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 04/09/2006 12:37

Sheepgomeep

You are the victim of a toxic emotionally bullying mother. She certainly has deep rooted issues regarding males, she put her two boys in care when you were young. All her behaviours are those of a toxic parent, you may want to read "Toxic Parents" written by Susan Forward as it may give you some insight. It is not a cure all by any means but this woman writes at some length about such people and how they operate with regards to offspring.

None of this is of your making or your fault; you cannot and should not have to take ownership of your Mother's issues. They are hers to deal with and she cannot or will not deal with them.

I would also suggest professional counselling.

saadia · 04/09/2006 12:54

sheepgomeep sometimes when a person is in a situation they can't see things clearly and just reading your post I, like everyone else who has responded, am very very sorry that you had to endure such an awful time. I can understand that you love your mother and are loyal to her. Most children have love and loyalty for even the most awful parents, and also I guess a sense of guilt which others cannot really understand.

But I would suggest, like others have, that you look into getting counselling. Your mother sounds dangerous and she has really damaged you. Don't worry about not having her in your life. We only get one life and she is making you miserable and it can't be good for your kids to have her in their life.

Hopefully counselling will make you feel stronger and more able to deal with life on your own terms. It has made me so angry reading about how she treats people.

wartywarthog · 04/09/2006 13:10

sheep, so sorry to read this. lots of virtual hugs.

perhaps it's for the best that she's not around much at the moment. she seems to cause so much damage when she is. i think you need to get some help and talk about this. there's lots of abuse that you've experienced that you need to work through.

sheepgomeep · 04/09/2006 16:42

Thank you all so much for your replies.. and your hugs just reading what you all written makes sense and is a great comfort

Attila I've heard of the book by toxic parents and I think I will get it, its been recommended by a few people. Is it good?

I never thought that what my mum has put me through can be termed as abuse but looking back through my post its made clear to me that it is and you all have confirmed it. It's a load of my mind to know that maybe its not me.

Blu you said 'one of the main and most damaging aspects of abuse is that it makes you doubt your own version of things, or doubt that you deserve anything better'

Thats so true, I sat after wards and thought , my mum was fond of saying things then backtracking or changing events or dates to make me look stupid or make me think I'd imagined everything.

I never thought of councelling either.

I also used to think that my brothers had the lucky escape too until I found out that one of them had been sexually abused in the care home they went too, not long after they were put into care. They were aged nine and eleven.

Another thing I've just thought of.

My mum was very supportive after my ex left me and I got down and for 15 months we got quite close.I recovered and met dp and started standing on my own two feet again and spent time with both dp and my parents. Due to circumstances I just couldn't see my parents 3 or 4 times a week, I cut it down to 2 and dp came with me quite often but I phoned them nearly everyday and was always texting my mum.

She didn't like this one bit. She accused dp of taking me away from her and 'changing' me. she told me I was getting fat again and My house was a mess.

She also once threatened me with social services and to get the kids of me, tried to twist my mind by saying that social services would give them out right custody because i was a mess.

But whats really really hurt me and what I am scared off to is that she has told me I am slowly killing my dad and that I am making him (and her) very ill.

He has emphysemia and copd (lifelong smoker!)and bad back, and is quite frail at times. She said if all this stress and worry that I am causing them kills my dad she will never forgive me and it will be my fault.

she has alwayd made out that everything is my fault 'oh we are soo worried about you, its making us ill' I feel guilty about everything I do.

OP posts:
saadia · 04/09/2006 21:40

sheepgomeep it sounds as if she gets something out of you being dependent on her. I think she wants to keep a hold over you. I'm sure there are many parents like this who don't realise that this is a very warped kind of love. It does sound as though she has severe emotional problems. Blaming you for your parents' illness and anxiety just sounds like a convenient way for her to avoid facing her own problems. Really hope you can get through this.

fubsy · 04/09/2006 22:06

Agree with all thats been said so far. Your mum's behaviour is definitely abusive and has been throughout your life. She sounds mentally ill, but of course to get any help she would have to admit it, and she sounds like the sort of person who could convince other people that she was absolutely fine. However you dont have to put up with that, and counselling would definitely help you, and perhaps help you to understand her. At least you have been strong enough to come through this and recognise that her behaviour towards you is not acceptable. Be strong and remember that you have friends on MN if it gets tough. BTW NO-ONE should try to make you have an abortion ffs that is only your decision to make.

Blu · 05/09/2006 23:52

Sheep - that whole 'you re killing me / your father' blackmail is also CLASSIC emotional abuse. She is trying to make you buckle to her will through the sheer weight of guilt she piles on to you.

Emphysemia is (sadly) your dad's health problem, not you!

I am so sorry and shocked to hear about your poor brothers.

She has caused a lot of damage and pain, your Mum. I wonder what made her that way?

sheepgomeep · 06/09/2006 11:05

I know she was abused as a child herself, my grandparents were terrible to her, my grandad was an alcholic and used to beat them both and her mum was like my mum is now.

When my mum was 13 my nan had a baby boy which sadly died at 3 days old. Nobody's fault as thier was something wrong with the baby but my nan instantly blamed my mum for the baby's death, saying if she had been a better daughter/ hadn't caused her stress etc, the baby wouldn't have died etc. My mum has never forgot this and it has haunted her since.

She went on to have an abusive 1st husband (my brothers dad)

you can see the pattern emerging

OP posts:
fubsy · 06/09/2006 20:55

Sheep - you're going to be the one who beaks the pattern, aren't you? You are the first one who has enough insight to see that you cannot destroy someone else's life just because yours was bad. In some ways your brothers got off lightly because she obviously could not love them because of their father's behaviour, so the sent them away. however she has kept you to vent her spite on. Please seek counselling, and try to have as little to do with your Mum as possible until you feel strong enough to stand up to her, or to live your life your way. xx

lemonaid · 06/09/2006 21:31

sheep -- your father is a lifelong smoker and is living with a mad woman. Whatever is making him ill, it isn't you.

Cassoulet · 06/09/2006 22:01

it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you it's not you.

(Cut and paste, enlarge font size, print out, stick on fridge.)

She is poison, you deserve better.

spanner180271 · 06/09/2006 22:35

agree with everyone - get out and away and live your own life. youre under her control and shes dragging you down. my dh had a similar upbringing and he turned into a better person once he stopped seeing her.sad tho it is you can do without this kind of family.

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