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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

DS girlfriend

55 replies

Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 09:55

Let me start this by saying I do not get involved with ds relationships and only ever offer advice when it’s asked for, and just on the situation, not the person.

He came home unexpectedly last night and asked for a private chat.

He is 20 and had been seeing a girl not, not for long at all. They were friends for a while before they started seeing each other. She is his first proper girlfriend.

He was due to stay all weekend at her house as her parents are away (her parents invited him to stay).

Ds came home last night saying that he’s had to break up with her as he thinks she is very controlling and he didn’t like the way things were going.

It came to a head yesterday as he facetimed us in the afternoon while at her house. I had text him earlier and said his little sisters had got certificates from an activity and if he had time, could he quickly facetime them when he was free as they wanted to show him (he’s very close to his younger siblings, age 2 and 8).

Anyway, he called them for a few
minuets, all good.

Apparently, this caused lots of upset. She was very angry that he spoke to them on her time and she ended up crying and throwing things saying she couldn’t believe he told other women he loved them (me and his sisters, just “love you, see you tomorrow), and if that ever happened again, she would smash our faces in.

He walked out of her house when she said that and came home, he was so shocked.

Two of their friends were there as well, ds said they were texting him after they left saying you were right to leave, they had calmed her down but they couldn’t believe what she had said and had left shortly after.

Ds said it was the final straw, there’s been other incidences recently where she has told him she doesn’t want him speaking to certain women at work, which is impossible given what ds does (she’s in the same career and knows the people she told him not to speak to), he only had instagram for a hobby he does but he said she demanded a few weeks ago that he had to hand over his phone check his messages when ever she asked and she had got angry a few weeks ago when I text ds while he was with her (it was just a funny photo I sent to ds and MIL, I wasn’t expecting a reply), she was shouting at him to give her my number so she could have a go at me. He didn’t, he told her she was overreacting and said he cut that date short.

Anyway, I just told him that he was right to walk away. And that he’s right to feel uncomfortable if someone is acting in a controlling way and that none of the things he told me are normal or acceptable in a good relationship. He spoke to dh too who obviously said all the same things and told him that if someone tries to alienate you from friends and family, it’s a huge red flag. Which ds said he already knew which is why he ended it.

He’s just a bit gutted. It’s not a great experience for your first relationship, is it? He says it’s put him off dating for a long time.

I am also very glad that mutual friends were there yesterday so that he’s got their perspective too.

I just feel a bit shit for him really and I hope dh and I handled it okay - I’m glad he can come to us with things like this.

OP posts:
Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 09:56

And I know I shouldn’t call a 21 year old a girl, I should have said woman.

OP posts:
Beamur · 12/03/2023 10:03

Your son has really good judgement and boundaries. You should be proud of him.
He will get over this but not dating for a while must be quite appealing!
He might need to be a bit on his guard for her initially trying to get him back and potentially turning unpleasant. She sounds very intense and not in a good way.

Beelezebub · 12/03/2023 10:06

You’ve done a good job with him.

No, it’s not a good experience, but it would have been far worse if he’d stayed.

AllOfThemWitches · 12/03/2023 10:07

Yeah she sounds completely nuts.

Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 10:08

He said he blocked her number and he’s not on social media.

But they sort of work together (they are on the same degree apprenticeship, just on different rotations at the moment so thankfully not working at the same place).

He said he’s put him off dating people he works with too.

OP posts:
shivermetimbers77 · 12/03/2023 10:10

Crikey! Sounds like a lucky escape and hopefully better luck next time!

Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 10:10

AllOfThemWitches · 12/03/2023 10:07

Yeah she sounds completely nuts.

Yes, but I didn’t say that to him.

MIL went through the mill with SIL and boyfriends when she was younger, the best advice she ever gave me was comment on the situation, never the person.

OP posts:
padsi1975 · 12/03/2023 10:11

I hope my kids exercise such good judgement when they are older. Well done him, well done you. I watched a doc about the first woman to be convicted of coercive control in UK. Harrowing stuff. He was right to get out of that situation.

Twoshoesnewshoes · 12/03/2023 10:12

Sounds like he and you did really well in the situation.
fish and chips and a bracing walk!

Zanatdy · 12/03/2023 10:19

Good on him, jeez she sounds unhinged. He’s telling his mother and sisters he loves them, that’s good right? She really needs therapy

Tescoland · 12/03/2023 10:20

She would smash your faces in? She said this? I think she has some serious mental health issues to work through. If anyone threatened me like this I would have a word with them, not just for myself but for others who follow in the future. Some people have to be put in their place and be told that their behaviour is unacceptable.

Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 10:24

Tescoland · 12/03/2023 10:20

She would smash your faces in? She said this? I think she has some serious mental health issues to work through. If anyone threatened me like this I would have a word with them, not just for myself but for others who follow in the future. Some people have to be put in their place and be told that their behaviour is unacceptable.

Yes.

He said he was so shocked he said they were finished, got his things and walked out.

He showed me the text from the mutual friend saying they were both so shocked that she said that and left too once they had made sure she had calmed down.

OP posts:
PaigeMatthews · 12/03/2023 10:26

He said he’s put him off dating people he works with too.
this is a positive imho.

rainbowstardrops · 12/03/2023 10:38

Good on your son for not tolerating that batshit craziness! He's had a lucky escape OP

Lindy2 · 12/03/2023 10:41

Your son has made the right choice. Let him know that you're proud of his good judgement and strength to walk away when he knew it wasn't right.

When he's had a bit of time reassure him that there is plenty of time to find other girlfriends and a good relationship should be fun.

It's not a great start for your DS into the world of dating but at least it was a learning experience.

Bunnyishotandcross · 12/03/2023 10:47

Congratulations on raising a great ds!
Head screwed on and respectful to his family.
Distraction is the key now. Keep him busy!
And hopefully he makes the decision to block her for good.

PonyPatter44 · 12/03/2023 10:48

He has excellent boundaries and this woman doesn't sound very well at all. It's good that their friends saw it all as well.

mrstea301 · 12/03/2023 10:50

Good for him! He's obviously been brought up well and has a good head on his shoulders to have such solid boundaries in place and be able to stick by them. And if it's given him food for thought about considering the impact of dating people in your workplace etc, then that's a good thing too! Great advice from your MIL too!!

Seriously though - imagine saying you would smash the face in of your partners mother and younger siblings, simply for him telling you all he loved you? And her wanting to have a go at you for sending him a funny photo? What on earth would she have actually said to you? ConfusedWhoever gets into a relationship with this person is in for a rough ride!

JudyGemstone · 12/03/2023 10:57

Wozwers 😬
you might expect that sort of emotionally dysregulated behaviour from a 14 year old in their first relationship but in a 21 year old?! An indication of personality difficulties I’d imagine.

He is well rid!

viques · 12/03/2023 11:01

Oh well done him. As others have said he has shown good boundaries, but has at the same time not blown this up more than it needs to. He is right about not dating people from work, it can all get a bit incestuous and with blurred lines of confidentiality and professionalism. He needs to widen his circle of acquaintances, hobby groups etc. He sounds a nice kid, he will find someone who deserves him.

LifeunderMarrs · 12/03/2023 11:09

Wow your poor DS!

She clearly has some serious mental health issues and I think it's important that you reassure him that the majority of women aren't like this!

SpaceBunInstaHun · 12/03/2023 11:16

Well done him for recognising this is awful behaviour he shouldn't be putting up with and well done you raising him that way 👏
She sounds deeply damaged and honestly terrifying.
I know you don't want to be a pushy parent but you'd be wise to keep him steering clear of this.

TheCatterall · 12/03/2023 11:22

@Goawaypeppa does he have some techniques and things ready for dealing with her in the work place? Does he have decent HR dept in case she tries making problems or is there a manager he can confide in? She sounds like the kind of person who won’t take this well and I wonder if she’ll start making waves at work.

id ask him to document and screenshot some of the messages if there are anything and write up a log.

321gogogo · 12/03/2023 11:24

Well done to him.

Startling behaviour from the young lady though, makes you wonder what kind of environment she was raised in.

Also, love that your son still tells you and his sisters he loves you

Goawaypeppa · 12/03/2023 11:32

TheCatterall · 12/03/2023 11:22

@Goawaypeppa does he have some techniques and things ready for dealing with her in the work place? Does he have decent HR dept in case she tries making problems or is there a manager he can confide in? She sounds like the kind of person who won’t take this well and I wonder if she’ll start making waves at work.

id ask him to document and screenshot some of the messages if there are anything and write up a log.

Yes, he has to be careful because of the job they do.

But it’s muddied as it’s a degree apprenticeship. They are doing this full on, sometimes harrowing job but they are also students. So when they have study leave and they are all in one place learning together for a few week, they do what students do and get into relationships.

OP posts: