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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

Friendship issues

9 replies

19Notts32 · 03/02/2026 07:32

Good morning. I hoping to gain an opinion from wider audience as im.constantly questioning a situation. A girl i class as my best friend has been in my life over 20 years. Our friendship has survived us both being away for periods, living a distance and now she is living 5 mins down the road I see her less than ever. I dont have a big family and consider her the nearest thing to a sister so her behaviour over last few years has really upset me.
It all changed when she had kids. Any empathy towards anyone else went out of the window. She seem to have a set routine each week that left very little time to see me. Im a mum of young kids too and 2 of them are literally weeks apart I thought it would bring us closer but I spent whole of my maternity leave trying to get time with her. She married a guy I've known for years and I hoped we would create lots of memories and kids grow up together but she has made it far from this. I dont hear from her for weeks unless I message 1st asking how she is. I maybe get odd meme sent. Most of the time when she replies its about herself. I have put so many days forward to all go out you can tell she doesnt want to. But she can see some girls she met at baby group every week. They were the 1st to know about last pregnancy. She manages to go and see her husbands friends that live miles away but can barely seem to be able to arrange a cup of tea with me. When I finally think she's really binning me off I'll see her and everything feels fine again! I've had her at mine and kids family gatherings over the years not once do I get asked to hers. When I've seen her in town or at a group with these other friends she's almost stand offish and never offers for me to join them. I've arranged several things over the last couple of years that we have been to and enjoyed yet she never seems to want to plan with me. When we meet she talks about all the other stuff she's done with the other friends. I suspect she's had postnatal depression with last 2 kids but wouldn't ever admit it to me after being dismissive to me when I struggled. I also suspect an eating disorder may be in the equation again as she looks very gaunt. I do belive she can give a different image to these new mum friends than she gives to me. The truth is I miss her and dont understand her actions. Just this week I've tried 2 different ways to suggest meeting. It gets read no answer. I dont know whether to try and confront her and risk a totally awkward situation or speak to her husband but that probabaly won't go down well. She's said some quite offensive things since being a mum to me and doesnt seem to realise how much she's changed. I can't get any time in evenings with her as she goes to bed at 8 every night. I just know I hate feeling like this with other friends there's just convo even if its tricky to meet. Do I just accept she's not interested anymore?

OP posts:
LadiDahnya · 03/02/2026 07:50

She is phasing you out and she doesnt want to be friends with you.
Apart from a long history of knowing each other why do you want to be friends with her? She doesnt sound like she treats you very nicely...

Gently, you come across needy and maybe a bit obsessed- Do you think thats obvious to her and shes trying to get away from you spend all of my maternity leave trying to get time with her
She got married and you thought thats an opportunity for you to create memories with this couple
You tried 2 different ways to meet, no answer

Do you have a husband/partner?

I think if what youve written is accuarate she doesnt want to be your friend anymore and you need to leave her be!

ChristmasFluff · 03/02/2026 08:03

I agree with the PP, that the old saying applies here and 'if she wanted to, she would'.

For whatever reason, she doesn't currently see you as her best friend, and doesn't want to put energy into the connection.

People change, and you say yourself she has changed, so she probably has more in common with the new people she has met. You don't seem to like her as she is now, and from what you have said she treats you badly, so it might help to consider why you think she owes you a friendship and vice versa?

I think if you did try to address this with her or her husband, she would likely use this as a reason to end the relationship between you completely.

For the moment at least you would be better to put your energy into newer friendships where you have more in common than only the length of the connection.

LittleCrumblyBiscuit · 03/02/2026 08:09

I’d back off completely and leave her to it. If she never contacts you, then that’s your answer.

IsawwhatIsaw · 03/02/2026 08:55

Well by not contacting you she is trying to phase this friendship out.
Do you have other friends/ interests? Make time for them

Endofyear · 03/02/2026 09:03

You may see her as your best friend but she obviously doesn't see you in the same way. Just stop making the effort to contact her and spend time with other friends. For whatever reason, she's not interested in continuing the friendship with you so move on. Life's too short to waste time on people who make no effort.

AuntiePat21 · 03/02/2026 10:09

Hard No to confronting her or speaking to her husband. Let this go. It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, people change.

19Notts32 · 03/02/2026 10:28

LadiDahnya · 03/02/2026 07:50

She is phasing you out and she doesnt want to be friends with you.
Apart from a long history of knowing each other why do you want to be friends with her? She doesnt sound like she treats you very nicely...

Gently, you come across needy and maybe a bit obsessed- Do you think thats obvious to her and shes trying to get away from you spend all of my maternity leave trying to get time with her
She got married and you thought thats an opportunity for you to create memories with this couple
You tried 2 different ways to meet, no answer

Do you have a husband/partner?

I think if what youve written is accuarate she doesnt want to be your friend anymore and you need to leave her be!

Edited

Hi. I have lots of other friends and did keep myself busy. It was just I hoped our friendship would continue after having kids. I know she doesnt bother seeing her brother much now who she was previously very close to. I think she has really struggled after having kids but doesnt ever want to admit that to me when she's been very flippant to me when my kids were small. I wouldn't say im needy I have partner and kids but not having any siblings she was nearest ive really had to a sister. It just hurts.

OP posts:
Sparklinggreen · 03/02/2026 10:37

I have personally always followed the mantra to never waste time trying to spend time with someone who doesn’t want to spend time with me.

It has always served me well, and hope it will for you too.

It sounds like it’s her loss - losing someone who does not value you is not your loss, and you are better moving on without her

19Notts32 · 03/02/2026 14:49

Sparklinggreen · 03/02/2026 10:37

I have personally always followed the mantra to never waste time trying to spend time with someone who doesn’t want to spend time with me.

It has always served me well, and hope it will for you too.

It sounds like it’s her loss - losing someone who does not value you is not your loss, and you are better moving on without her

You are 100% right it has to be equal input. There's times when its not and scales tip but it can't just be one person trying. I do care a lot and bitten my tongue so many times but sad how much she's changed.

OP posts:
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