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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

Need advice on a friend...

46 replies

DisguisedForThis · 10/06/2008 14:23

Have namechanged as there is a lot of info here.

This friend and I have been friends for 15 years, and best friends for about 10 years. We lived together for 4 years. We were always together and did everything together.

When we moved in together it was fine for a while, and then she started to be weird. We got a phone line installed, which we agreed together to do, and I was the one to organise it, so it was in my name.
The same thing happened with a few other pieces of furniture we bought on HP. We went shopping together, chose them together, discussed and agreed how much we could each afford and then 'bought' them together, but everything was in my name (she said she could not get credit).
A few weeks/months later, she decided she couldn't afford any of these things and so therefore would not be contributing to the bills. I had signed all the contracts so I was left with the bills, which I could not afford. As a result, I got into a lot of debt.
Then, her boyfriend moved in, and she continued to pay only half the rent, which I agreed to as obviously they shared a room. We also split the bills and CT 50/50, half to her and her DP, half to me. She ignored me when I tried to talk to her, and said she was busy. They would come home, stay in her room all night and I would never see them. It was very
After about a year (I know..) I realised I was being taken for a ride and told her I could no longer do it. She announced that they would have to move out.

Anyway, this was a while ago, and as we were friends I let it all go, and things were better between us, I never brought up all the things that had happened and I got on with our friendship. All fine.

After a few years, I realised I was the one making all the effort, and she would text me but that was about it. We would make plans and she would cancel them at the last minute, all the time. So, one night I told her all this and she was really upset and said she knows that she does that but she doesn't love her fiance (the same man who lived with us years ago, they have been together about 9 years now) and needs me there for when they eventually split up. She says she is going to leave him all the time, and never does.

Then, when I became pregnant she was great, our friendship really got back on track. She was brilliant, helpful, visited me a lot etc. I asked her to be DS godmother, she accepted, and came to the chapel, stood up and did the whole thing.

DS is 3.5 now, and she has only met him about 6 times. She has never babysat (though she has been asked, and many of my other friends have), she didn't some round for his birthday party (to which there were about 25 of my other friends there), She didn't come round at Christmas, and the last time she saw him was around August last year, because we met her by chance in a shopping centre.

I decided I was not going to waste any more of my time trying to be friends with her. All the effort was on my side, and I have better things to do.

The thing is, I have loads of friends, and really don't need her friendship. But she does not have friends, and she is into doing things alone, swimming, cycling, running etc. She never really goes out, and doesn't come out for any of our friends 'events' (birthdays, get-together meals, nights out, lunches etc, which we have really often).

I haven't spoken to her since December, and the rest of our friends have also stopped inviting her out with us, as she always says no (and she was also more 'my' friend anyway, she was really more friends with them through me, IYKWIM) I was fairly resigned to the fact that we were not friends any more, and was only really bothered by it because she is DS godmother.

Anyway.. last week she emailed me. She said sorry for not being in touch for a while and she hopes we are well and maybe catch up soon.

What should I do?

a) reply and say 'nice to hear from you, we are fine thanks' (short and unfriendly)
b) reply with a detailed explanation of why I haven't been in touch, and why I feel this way
c) no reply
d) other option..

I hope I have explained this well enough, obviously there is more too it but think this is enough.. and thank you for getting this far!

Any advice on how to progress?

OP posts:
queenrollo · 10/06/2008 14:30

i'd go with the short courteous option a.....

i'm a sod for always wanting to see the best in people, and have been treated badly by people over the years because i let them back into my life because i couldn't bear the thought of them being lonely or remembered the good times, and kind of shut the bad ones out.
I learned over the years to operate self preservation on this and only put effort into relationships that are two sided, and where i know my thought/time/friendship is appreciated.

I'd keep things to a minimum with her....make her do all the chasing if she is that bothered and maybe when a little bit of time has gone by you can judge whether you should be blunt with her about how you feel/felt about the way she treated you and others.

Tinkerisdead · 10/06/2008 14:45

i have a couple of friendships like this and to be honest I find my life much easier without them in it. I think the key question is whether you want to renew the friendship.

if youre happy being courteous etc then i would reply with option a. if however you are keen to get a full friendship back for the sake of your DS and her being godmother, you should explain how you feel as clearing the air would build bridges.

If its like me and you've moved on, just reply with the 2we're fine, hope your okay".

girlnextdoor · 10/06/2008 15:00

I'd give her one more chance but on your terms- don't run after her- just thank her for her text and keep it all open.

If you do let it all out and you argue, would you mind losing her altogether? would that just make you feel better but not achieve anything?

DisguisedForThis · 10/06/2008 15:01

Thank you.

I feel like I can move on easily, and also would have reservations of how well received she would be back into my family and friends if you know what I mean. Like I said, I don't particularly need her friendship, and if I never saw her again, well, it would be a shame but these things happen. It is not the end of the world, just a bit of a shame.

However, she is DS godmother, and I feel like maybe I owe it to him to try again?

One last chance maybe.. I guess if I emailed her, and told her that I was hurt that she didn't come along to see DS ever, particularly his birthday (that was the turning point for me, as we were literally waiting for her before doing the cake, opening gifts etc, and she just never came ) My mum had got her a birthday present as well as her birthday is a week after DS's. Its actually still sitting wrapped up in a cupboard which makes me feel for my mum too.

Anyway, if I explained how hurt I was by these things, and just see what she says? Although I know she will just say 'sorry'.. what else can she say really? Oh I don't know what to do..

OP posts:
girlnextdoor · 10/06/2008 16:22

If you tell her these things will it be the tip of the iceberg?

Do you really want to get this off your chest?

If so, just go for it and hang the consequences. I agree her behaviour is indefencible really.

DisguisedForThis · 10/06/2008 16:44

Thanks GND.

I would like to get it off my chest, yes.

I am concerned as well that if I just don't reply, then eventually I am going to bump into her one day, and wouldn't that be awkward.

So maybe I could just email her back and say something along the lines of:

'Hi. Nice to hear from you. I haven't been in touch because I was really upset that you didn't make it to DS birthday. In fact you haven't really made any effort to see him. Every time I try to make plans with you, you cancel on me, and the last time you got in touch with me was to do you a favour. And, that same night you were meant to meet us all and didn't show.
I don't know if we should even try again as it happens every time. I feel like I am not a priority for you, and that you only want to see me when you can be bothered. I don't need that. I have plenty of friends that actually care about me and DS and while it would have been nice if you were one of them, I just feel like you don't care enough.'

How does that sound?

God, I feel so bad. I was just on her Facebook there and she has 4 photo albums, one of which is called 'Gorgeous DSM and babyDSM' and is about 30 photos of me and DS. Although, none of which she took, they are all copied from my facebook

I don't know..

OP posts:
warthog · 10/06/2008 17:14

hmm she's good at manipulation... ignore the facebook albums - guilt-ridden / aimed at some ulterior motive.

either i'd do b or c, depending on how badly you want to clear the air.

girlnextdoor · 10/06/2008 17:19

I think that's fine.

The trick with all these types of conversations is to say how YOU feel , not lay the blame at her door- so by saying you feel hurt etc you are not accusing her of anything. You aren't saying she is a bad person- you are just saying how you feel. maybe you could ask her more questions- why did you not show up? How do you think that makes me feel? If I did that to you, how would you feel? I feel hurt etc.

just do it!

Flier · 10/06/2008 17:24

I'd do B. Its obviously been playing on your mind, she's not been in your life, you have nothing to lose by telling her exactly how you feel.

wannaBe · 10/06/2008 17:32

people who don't have children just don't see them in the same way though, and friendships do change.

She does sound like a friend in name only though, so I would reply and say

"hello, lovely to hear from you, we're all well, yes we really must catch up. Hope to hear from you soon."

that way you're leaving it to her to organize the catching up part.

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 17:41

I know WannaBe, and I could excuse her on that basis as she doesn't have children.

However, she babysits for her fiances sisters children (one is older than mine, one is younger) all the time, takes the oldest one to swimming once a week, every week. She babysits them every single Friday night, without fail. She has pictures of them on her phone screen and things.

It upsets me as I think she loves them more than my DS. In fact, she really must. I don't know why, all my other friends practically fight over who gets to babysit my DS as he is an absoloute gem of a boy.

I don't understand why she is like this.

I was always the more popular one, the louder one, and the one that got more attention, although she is much prettier than me and has this perfect athletes body. Sometimes I think she grew to resent this, as she started to be quite nasty to me when we were still friends. I have noticed that she seems now to be more surrounded by people where she is the more dominating character, does this make any sense? Maybe it is not related. I don't know.

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 17:42

Bastard

Oh well...

Flier · 10/06/2008 18:00

she's jealous of what you have and who you are.

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 18:06

Really? I had never really thought that to be true but that is interesting as another friend of mine said that as well. She knows us both.

I don't see why, she is absolutely beautiful, body to die for.

Flier · 10/06/2008 18:09

well, she loves kids by the sound of it, but doesn't have any of her own, she's not married etc etc.
For all you know she may have probs conceiving and it breaks her heart to see you and your kids, so maybe you shouldn't tell her everything about how you feel just yet.... reply and say hello stranger and hello from your godson

Flier · 10/06/2008 18:10

sorry that last bit about godson may be too harsh...

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 18:14

No, she is not TTC, she actually fell pregnant last year and had an abortion.

I don't know why she doesn't want to see him (or me) when she spends so much time with the fiances sisters children

warthog · 10/06/2008 19:19

ok, i've changed my mind. i'd do an 'a' response, non-commital but a bit why-are-you-contacting-me?

Dior · 10/06/2008 19:24

Message withdrawn

TotalChaos · 10/06/2008 19:28

a). Unless letting rip with b)would make you feel better (but with the risk that you get no apology and she decides she's the victim in all this).

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 19:29

I might feel a bit false doing that though. Like, maybe she'll think 'oh good, she is not cross with me', and then I won't really be able to bring it up again?

And you know what, she isn't really a good friend. Maybe I could just tell her that?

'Hi, glad to hear you are well. Won't be in touch again as you have proven yourself to be a bad friend'

Or some such..

God I don't know what to do.

Freckle · 10/06/2008 19:37

How about "Gosh, that's a bolt from the blue. Haven't heard from you for ages. We're all well thanks. DS had a lovely birthday. Shame you missed it. Trust you are well."

getbackinyouryurtjimjams · 10/06/2008 19:44

I agree with wannabe. Why create a fight it's just stressful. Leave the ball in her court.

Maybe her fiances sister needs more help, or maybe she's just immersed herself in her fiance's family. I think you're taking the bit about seeing another child over your son a bit personally.

getbackinyouryurtjimjams · 10/06/2008 19:45

Although the debt stuff sounds tedious and if you can't be bothered anymore I'd just not reply or give a really bland reply.

DirtySexyMummy · 10/06/2008 19:58

The debt stuff was a really long time ago, although she obviously didn't care as she continued to ask me if she could borrow money for years afterwards, normally fairly large amounts. After 'lending' her in the region of £10,000 over the years, I began to refuse. The last time I lent her anything was probably 2 years ago.

I know I won't ever get any of it back, even if our friendship were to be rekindles.

Maybe I am taking it too personally, but DS is her godson, and she literally has seen him 6 times in his life. She sees her fiances sisters children 3 or 4 times a week. I can't envisage how her fiances sister needs more help, as she is married and has a large family, whereas I am a single mum.

Even if she does need the help more than me, I am not looking to her for help, I was looking for a friendship between me and her.

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