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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

I met my biological father and my mother…

4 replies

User747847373737322 · 02/07/2024 17:10

Seemed okay about it at first but not sure she is now. I’m trying to keep them separate but I want to be honest with my mum as she raised me. I’ve met him in person once recently.

my mum had admitted that she made it really hard for him to see me when I was small and he was heartbroken but he did cheat on her and she was young and heartbroken too. A long time has passed. I’m not craving a close relationship with him, just to meet him, be on good terms and closure if possible. He seems like a decent guy. She also admitted that male relatives had threatened him to stay away. Yes he did cheat on my mum which was wrong but was it right ti keep him away from me? I do not know. But then could he have tried harder?

my mum said she wanted to come with me when I met him. I said no I wanted to go alone.

she also talked about how heartbroken she was. I get it, I really do but I’ve 30 years have passed. She’s married with 3 more kids and he’s married with kids also.

I feel like saying it’s not really about your heartbreak anymore.

he never paid maintenance but my mum never told them who my dad was - back then getting income support was different and they’d try get it out the dad first before paying benefits. But she said she didn’t know how my father was.

she says she wants to ask him for backpay and I am like wtf!

she seems to be making it about her and not me?! I feel torn.

she never spoke much of him growing up but she’s been telling my younger half sisters a lot lately she never told me and I feel a bit put out by that.

I get he was never there and she raised me and I appreciate it but I’m just confused keeping everyone happy!

she also said if I meet my half siblings then I’d still have to be closer to my half siblings on my mums side but I’m not overly close to then anyway as they are a lot younger! I’ve not met my half siblings in bio dads side but they aren’t as young as my siblings on mums side. We might get on well as friends. It’s not a competition and yes undoubtedly I’ll probably always be closer to the ones on mums side growing up with then albeit them being younger. I doubt I will be close to siblings on dads side but it’s like she doesn’t want me to know them.

anyone else been through this?

OP posts:
SixFifteens · 02/07/2024 17:43

I get he was never there

Because she ‘made it hard for him..’ and male relatives threatened him to stay away.

You missed out on having your father in your life because she wanted to hurt him for hurting her, and she used you to do it.
Stop trying to make everyone happy and do what you want to do. I can’t believe she’s wanting to come to meet him, maybe it’s to control what he is able to say about her? It seems incredibly cruel of her to deny you your father all these years and, now that you’re an adult and wanting a relationship, she’s still trying to keep a wedge between you.
Maybe you need to say straight that you love her but you want to see him and need to be allowed to do it on your own terms without her guilting you about it.

Starflowerblue32 · 02/07/2024 17:43

Hi , this must be a very emotional time for you. I also have no relationship with my father. To be perfectly honest with you it sounds like your mum is making it all about her and her head seems to be thinking about how it was / is for her.
I have experienced something similar, it was only during a therapy session I was reminded "you have a lived experience too" you were right to meet him alone
This was about you and your relationship with your dad. Hers is separate and she needs to understand that. She made her choice not to have him around when you were younger , you didnt have a choice then, you do now. If I were you I would be reluctant to discuss your future arrangements with him . Please remember it is not your job to keep everyone happy.

Janehasamane · 02/07/2024 17:48

Op your mother is behaving badly, she always has. Denyin a relationship as a punishment is brutal, do not let her ruin it again, go your own way here with him,

Findwen · 02/07/2024 18:38

Your mum is perhaps not the best source of information as to who he was or who he is today. The choices he made and the decisions that were forced upon him by your mum and her family are long enough ago that no one is going to really be able to judge them since everyone is biased and memories become unreliable.

You owe your mum nothing on this front, meet your dad again and get to know who he is today, who his parents and siblings are/were, what his hopes and dreams are. Ask about the best times in his life. Share the same about your life with him.
Maybe you will find some common ground, maybe not. Maybe he will be a terrible person, maybe he will be a saint - regardless, take this chance to talk to him because one day he will no longer be around to have a conversation with.

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