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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to share a room on holiday with MIL

230 replies

seeitthroughmyeyes · 02/04/2024 12:01

My LT fiancé's parents kindly paid for all of us to go to new forest this year with his three nephews, sister, her husband and his parents. The three nephews are an absolute pain, they are badly behaved, rude and irritating.

I've now been told I'm no longer going to be sharing a room with my fiancé as the three boys want to share a room with their uncle. Obviously, I'm not happy sharing a room with my MIL for 4 days, although I love her to bits. I'm a grown adult.
Both my fiancé and me have agreed we no longer want to do family holidays with them because it's exhausting and we aren't exactly a big fan of children, albeit they are family.

AIBU for not wanting to share a room with my MIL and no longer wanting to participate in family holidays with them?
If so, how do we go about telling them in the future we no longer want to join without upsetting them.

OP posts:
Teentaxidriver · 03/04/2024 19:09

Be sick or work emergency. No way would I give up any holiday allowance for such madness, let alone 7 days!!! Don’t bother trying to negotiate - MIL sounds deranged

Buffs · 03/04/2024 18:57

Your fiancé needs to tell his family, in no uncertain terms, that either the two of you share a room or you’re not going. If he cannot do this, do not marry him.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 03/04/2024 18:52

I think a balancing act would be to go for a couple of days. Family means sometimes having to step outside one's comfort zone.

Missingpop · 03/04/2024 18:45

Just catch a dose of the squirts & sickness the day before and hide away from them all; say your too ill to travel so can’t go but wish them well & hope they have a great time x Then next year let you fiancé tell his family your not going because you want to do your own holiday abroad x

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 03/04/2024 18:40

Shamelessly following for MILs reaction ... 😋

mamacorn1 · 03/04/2024 18:21

I wouldn’t go, just say no. It’s important to have boundaries or it will not be a nice holiday for either of you.

Lavenderblue11 · 03/04/2024 18:18

The nephews sound like entitled little brats. They need to be told "NO it's not happening", and that's it.

NoDought · 03/04/2024 18:13

Just because kids want things doesn’t mean they should get them. That’s so weird that they’re accommodating them sharing with uncle and separating you. You are absolutely right.

toxic44 · 03/04/2024 18:11

Since when do children call the shots and tell adults what to do? Back in the day the rule was, ' "I want" doesn't get.'

Stripeysocks1981 · 03/04/2024 18:06

I wouldn’t go. No way.
also “won’t be happening” see how long that lasts once you’re there!

Jeannie88 · 03/04/2024 18:03

You're a couple so no he doesn't have to sleep with his nephews. I'm sure they will have fun together as it is xx

laraitopbanana · 03/04/2024 17:56

seeitthroughmyeyes · 02/04/2024 12:16

Yes it has, this is something they often do. It was a Christmas present. Which means it was booked and paid for prior to us knowing Easter Angry

How convenient 😅

as everyone said. A simple « no, thank you » should suffice and if not heard then don’t go 🤷🏼‍♀️.

Ariana12 · 03/04/2024 17:50

Lots of great advice. My only thought: you need to be VERY firm about your boundaries with this family. You aren't even married to him yet.

Needanewname42 · 03/04/2024 16:29

diddl · 03/04/2024 16:12

So what if they can't sell it on?

It's a bit of a non-gift isn't it really.
Hope Op and DH didn't spend a fortune at Christmas on the givers of the non-gift holiday.

Amberjane41 · 03/04/2024 16:25

glad to read your DF had said no to this. Otherwise I would 100 percent say don’t go! Are you prepared that they might try and spring it on you again when you arrive? Especially if they arrive before you. Your DF needs to be prepared for this and still say no

diddl · 03/04/2024 16:12

Needanewname42 · 03/04/2024 10:43

They don't need to go but it's not exactly a gift they could sell on either.

Can you imagine "We are going to sell our holiday to Bob and Husband since we can't make it, hope.you don't mind" 😂😆😱

Pretty sure the rooms would be swiftly reorganised thought

Edited

So what if they can't sell it on?

PeaceandCakes · 03/04/2024 11:41

She's not a child @Needanewname42

She's an adult woman presumably in her 20s 30s or older.

I also teach my children not to give people gifts they have made clear they don't want - or to try to control what they give to please themselves.

PeaceandCakes · 03/04/2024 11:39

Read the Ops post the holiday is a "Christmas Gift" they had no say in it.

We all teach kids to "be polite" say thanks and accept graciously. (I also teach mine they can return to shop or charity shop or sell on gifts you don't want) that's not so easy with a holiday in shared accommodation!
@Needanewname42 I did read it.

My comments stand.

Adults are quite capable of saying they don't want to do something. Especially when she's made the request before of no family hols.

Needanewname42 · 03/04/2024 10:43

diddl · 03/04/2024 10:34

Read the Ops post the holiday is a "Christmas Gift" they had no say in it.

Doesn't mean that they have to go!

They don't need to go but it's not exactly a gift they could sell on either.

Can you imagine "We are going to sell our holiday to Bob and Husband since we can't make it, hope.you don't mind" 😂😆😱

Pretty sure the rooms would be swiftly reorganised thought

diddl · 03/04/2024 10:34

Read the Ops post the holiday is a "Christmas Gift" they had no say in it.

Doesn't mean that they have to go!

LookItsMeAgain · 03/04/2024 08:47

This is not a MiL or PiL issue - this is a DP issue.

He should have shot down any suggestion that he was going to be sharing a room with kids if you were going. Very different if you were not going to be there but as you are, you and he are a couple and HE should be saying "Sorry folks, @seeitthroughmyeyes is here and I'll be sharing my room with them. We'll catch up with you all at breakfast and throughout the stay but my room, my arrangement."

Don't go if you don't want to. I wouldn't want to be sharing with my MiL and I like my MiL! We're just very different people.

Needanewname42 · 03/04/2024 08:45

PeaceandCakes · 03/04/2024 08:28

If you really have to holiday all together, the best way is to book 2 holiday homes.

There are quite a lot of holiday sites where there are several cottages on the same site, so you could have a place to yourselves.

However, as you don't like the nephews, why go anyway?

How old are you?

I'm struggling to understand why you and your fiance are putting up with this.
If his brother has 3 kids, I'm assuming you are all in your 30s or older.

Since when did people your age trot along for family hols if they don't want to?

Read the Ops post the holiday is a "Christmas Gift" they had no say in it.

We all teach kids to "be polite" say thanks and accept graciously. (I also teach mine they can return to shop or charity shop or sell on gifts you don't want) that's not so easy with a holiday in shared accommodation!

Ohhelpicantthinkofaname · 03/04/2024 08:41

Your DF needs to put his foot down. Surely the parents must know their kids are irritating and wouldn’t want to force them on someone against their will. Just tell you DF to say no about sharing with them. Let the parents share with their annoying offspring.

PeaceandCakes · 03/04/2024 08:28

If you really have to holiday all together, the best way is to book 2 holiday homes.

There are quite a lot of holiday sites where there are several cottages on the same site, so you could have a place to yourselves.

However, as you don't like the nephews, why go anyway?

How old are you?

I'm struggling to understand why you and your fiance are putting up with this.
If his brother has 3 kids, I'm assuming you are all in your 30s or older.

Since when did people your age trot along for family hols if they don't want to?

AnxiousRabbit · 03/04/2024 08:00

Sounds like the issue is either your neohews behaviour or you just being on a different page when it comes to kids...this isn't unusual.
Rather than not going, book separate accommodation nearby and say in future you would like your own space because you need some time alone on your holiday.