'That never happened': Man gets revenge on gaslighting mom using the same toxic tactic she used when he was a little boy

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
May 6, 2023 6:00 PM EDT

Some folks are plagued by their childhood trauma for the rest of their lives, while others seek a different approach to the healing process: Revenge. One man on Reddit did what we all wish we had the strength to do and faced his childhood demons head on; in his case, that meant having a long, dragged out conversation with his narcissistic mother. 

As a grown man, OP was determined to try and keep his relationship with his mom on good terms, however, she made it increasingly difficult by continuing her classic behavior of gaslighting him at every opportunity. With an already strained past, the man did his best to maintain contact between his family (his wife and small child included) and his aging, belittling mother, until he finally snapped. Technically, all he really did was pull an uno reverse card on her using her own words against her. 

After she repeatedly tried to insert herself into his child's life. OP and his wife begged her not to buy him any more toys as they didn't have room for them, so when she did so anyways, they gave away the toys to their friends. Angry with their 'ungratefulness' the mom went off and trash talked them to the rest of the family and that's when OP lost it. Scroll for the full story on how OP got his revenge on his gaslighting mom and how he inspires us all to cut toxic family members out of our lives as soon as possible. 

For more toxic family drama, check out this story about how a husband attempts to teach his wife a lesson by forcing her to sit next to a crying baby on a long flight. Ouch.

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  • 01
    Font - r/pettyrevenge Posted by u/horsearound8 6 hours ago "I dont remember" is the best excuse to use on me. Now I(33m) use on you.
    via horsearound8
  • 02
    Font - This is toward my narcissistic mother(68f). Our relationship hasn't been doing well in the first place our whole lives and ever since my wife has met her, she shined a lot more light to leave my mother no contact. Many stories but one of the main ones was when I was a teen and
    via horsearound8
  • 03
    Font - had retainers, teeth aligned. My dad was up keeping everything to make sure I have great teeth but since their divorce, my mother basically had him move away from us and never saw us again. But that's a whole different story. My mother threw away my retainers just because she thought it was "disgusting" and now my teeth have gone back to where it was it was what kept my
    via horsearound8
  • 04
    Font - before I had my braces. That happened when I was 16 and when she complained about how bad my teeth looked years later, I brought up that she threw away my retainers and she always said back, "I don't remember that" Therefore to her, it never happened and I should not bring it up again.
    via horsearound8
  • 05
    Font - She used that on my wife last year when she gaslighted us and showed her true colors. My mother bought a lot of toys for our son. We declined so many times so much that it was kind of hard to accept because it took a lot of space. We decided to give them away to other people we know that has kids. Once my
    via horsearound8
  • 06
    Font - mother found out, she told our extended family that we threw them away and loved being ungrateful. My wife couldnt stand her and told her that she is never allowed to come back. I agreed. I never reached her again to talk about it but several months later, my mother called me and tried to play it off cool like it never happened. I told her I dont want
    via horsearound8
  • 07
    Font - to speak to her because of the rumor she spread to our family and wouldnt you know? She stated, "I dont remember that". I had enough. I told her that she has been showing toxic traits my whole life and I dont want her grandson to be part of that
    via horsearound8
  • 08
    Font - I even mentioned she's the reason why I had countless therapy sessions. My mother kept bringing up all the times she took care of me during her divorce and paid part of my college tuition. I told her "I dont remember that. That means that never happened". Hung up on her and even told the rest of the family on my side to fuck off unless if they ever want to hear from my side.
    via horsearound8
  • 09
    Font - +4-6 hr. ago Ah, the Shaggy defense, "It wasn't me." CoderJoe1
    via CoderJoe1
  • 10
    Smile - allmerra 6 hr. ago Congrats on cutting out that malignant tumor. Heres hoping you feel better, and she doesn't regrow. Be well and peaceful days to you.
    via allmerra
  • 11
    Rectangle - sarcosaurus 6 hr. ago *chef's kiss* Beautiful comeback, elegant execution.
    via sarcosaurus
  • 12
    Font - SmolSwitchyKitty. 2 hr. ago "The tree remembers, the axe forgets." Good on your wife for helping show you you deserve better, and good on you for setting firm boundaries.
    via SmolSwitchyKitty
  • 13
    Font - HMS_Slartibartfast +2.5 hr. ago Now to add some true petty. Call the local police and ask them to do a wellness check on your mother as "I've not heard from her in months". Preferably when you know she will be home with guests. Nothing says "I love you" like having the police knock on someone's door.
    via HMS_Slartibartfast
  • 14
    Font - . 3 hr. ago Visual-Yam-8192 Good for you. My mother pulls the same "I don't remember that" c p. After decades of tolerating her I finally cut her out of my life. I see her once or twice a year, & even that sometimes is too much. It sucks when the toxic people that have to go are family. Especially a mother.
    via Visual-Yam-8192
  • 15
    Font - +2. 1 hr. ago It f ed with me mentally for sure. I literally thought I was stupid and didn't have confidence in anything whatsoever. It had to take many friends and partners to point out the values I have that were never brought up by my family. It should have been obvious to where I'm better off. Away from my mother horsearound8 OP
    via horsearound8
  • 16
    Font - Sqyre2 2 hr. ago This is basically my mother, but she's not quite as bad. It brings back a lot of old trauma. Good on you OP, I've had to cut my mother out of my life for her to figure it out as well. I hope good comes of it, but good riddance otherwise. Good luck
    via Sqyre2
  • 17
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    via u/canva

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i-dont-remember rumors grandkid drama mother childhood revenge gaslighting wife bad parenting grandma petty revenge grandchildren trauma bad mom husband ungrateful childhood trauma family belittling Reddit bad-mother mom
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