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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Me vs SiL - the most underwhelming of battles.

306 replies

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 08:39

Backstory & buckle up, it's a long one!
More wwyd than aibu but I'm confused af with this. Anyhow.

Bil is pretty awesome and so are his gorgeous wee boys. Bil and I have always had a close friendship. He not only is a terrific uncle to his birth related nephews but also adores my oldest dc. Also a lad.
When he met sil I was so happy, she was everything he wanted, she adores him, he adores her, they went on to have 2 perfect wee boys. Our boys all adore one another.
But after her last lad (they only want 2 kids, they were blessed) she was upset she'd never have "her girl" and wasn't exactly quietly hurt about it, instead more outwardly furious. She went from being very sweet to disappointed with most things and with that became passive aggression with everything. We were close, neither of us talk to MiL due to her being a deranged lunatic towards us, so we had some solidarity. We also babysat as often as they wanted, from newborn age until toddler age before sils parents moved closer to be on hand, so we see the boys less now but her parents are lovely and involved and its nice for them all. Now, last year I had my final baby and all the way through she kept saying I'd have another boy, I agreed, having had 3 already I just presumed that also. But I didn't, I had a girl.
She hasn't spoken to me, blocked dp from fb and when bil came to see his niece and sent a selfie she went apeshit at him, saying he was rubbing in her face the one thing she'd never had.
I said to him when she comes round she's a niece who will adore her and she can hopefully have some relationship with when she's ready. I left it at that.
I'm possibly being insensitive but I've struggled with baby loss and awful pregnancies etc, she had 2 wonderful pregnancies, no issues with conceiving, both pregnancies first month off pill, I think she's had it pretty good so I'm not begging her to accept my daughter, she can do one, my wee girl has all the love in the world, sil isn't hugely relevant to my 8 month old.

Now, here is where a problem has risen, I'm a sen mum with 2 (likely 3 but 2 diagnosed asd kiddos) and her youngest is showing neurospicy signs.
Not only am I sen mum, but I've worked with sen so I'm a good person to give support and a handhold whilst going through the process of getting a diagnosis and also little suggestions to help with things, so she's asked bil can i talk to her and go through things with her from visual aids and prompts, how to use social stories and fill out paperwork for her dc. All of which I'm happy to do, i have tons of books and other things here that would be useful to her. Plus, I'm not mad at seeing her, like I say - we were quite close.
But here is the thing, it's on the provision I don't even mention my daughter as she couldn't cope with it.
I'm not to even say her name, if my phone screen has her picture I'm to change it before going over to help her.

Because this is to help DN, I'll probably do it. Plus sen mum is a scary water to navigate alone at first, I feel I should comply to her rules and not upset her, but also, I feel like I'm shunning my own DD.
Like I say, it's not like she's lost a baby or is trying with no luck for another, she just didn't get the "daughter she envisaged".

Wise ones of mumsnet, wwyd?

OP posts:
HoppingPavlova · 03/04/2024 15:24

You have made my day OP. I have an (adult) child with an alphabet soup of letters for ND (all professionally diagnosed). I had the great pleasure of using the term ‘neurospicy’ with them. The look I got was utterly priceless 🤣 along with ‘that’s not actually a thing’. I responded ‘it is now’, and by golly it’s going to some get great mileage in our house😁.

SetinTime · 03/04/2024 15:20

This has to be one of the wildest stories I've heard on MN 😂😂😂

Bananagirl23 · 03/04/2024 15:12

Agree with the pps that you can’t pander to SIL’s issues - she needs to understand how dysfunctionally she is behaving. And the idea of hiding a girl’s existence within the family is all kinds of messed up - girls and women have enough discrimination to deal with without this kind of insanity!

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 03/04/2024 15:07

Love51 · 03/04/2024 08:51

"When she is ready to see me I'd be delighted to help. But if she insisting on monitoring my behaviour to the point I can't acknowledge my youngest child then it is best if we wait a while" Could you offer your SEN support direct to BIL?
Also I'd refer to your daughter as a baby / toddler /child to try get her to understand that your daughter is a person just like all the boys in the family are, not a strange exotic pet.

This exactly

Caterpillar2Butterfly · 03/04/2024 15:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

SauronsArsehole · 03/04/2024 15:01

Yeah no. Fuck no on all fronts.

aside from the fact it IS hard to accept you have a SEND child and you as a family should support each other as much as you can.

that there’s a faint possibility SILs rigidness on this could also be caused by some ND issues (faint possibility but valid point) and that she hasn’t got what she sees is the perfect family.

do absolutely fuck all until one of you grows a spine and tells SIL it’s not your fault DPs sperm just so happened to be an X not a Y.

it has been a year. An entire year and she’s still not over the fact your DPs left bollock popped out more X sperm than Y and you now have a daughter.

she needs to go and see a specialist therapist who can work through her grief of not having the daughter she wants and unpick exactly why that’s made her into an absolute plank about it.

Polominty · 03/04/2024 15:01

I’ve she this obsessed out loud with you, what on earth damage is she doing to her own boys. Does she make them feel like they are not good enough and she would like a girl? You can keep your children away from her but what about them?
She needs urgent help and your BIL needs to get it for her.

PeppermintParty · 03/04/2024 14:49

What else does or will she expect? Christmas cards and birthday cards signed from you, DH, DS1, DS2 and no mention of DD? Your DS to go and play with her boys, but never mention they have a sister?

Wishlist99 · 03/04/2024 14:44

Steer clear until she’s received professional help.

Starlight7080 · 03/04/2024 14:44

I would help her. But definitely not change pictures on phone and such . It's just encouraging her strange behaviour. She has had 8 months to get used to it. You can't all pretend your daughter doesn't exist forever. How will she react when she is old enough to understand.

It's all very weird. She needs therapy.

Elephantsareace · 03/04/2024 14:38

It'll be really damaging to your daughter to be wiped out of existence in the way she is requesting. And be bad for your son's to witness this. She needs professional help and until she gets over this, she shouldn't have contact with any of your children.

Gettingonmygoat · 03/04/2024 14:38

She won't acknowledge your daughter exists and forbids you to mention her or have a photo of her on your phone and you are willing to go along with her crazy demands ! More the fool you. Let someone else help her. In fact i think she is a cheeky cow even expecting to to help after she has ignored you for 8 months. Yes she needs help, it is a psychiatrist she needs.

FacingDivorceButSad · 03/04/2024 14:34

Under no circumstances should you agree to her conditions. She will realise she has power over you and the demand will not be a one off. Say "I understand you are upset about not having a daughter but I am not prepared to pretend my daughter does not exist. I am willing to help you as agreed but will not be meeting any of your terms and conditions. Please let me know if x date is suitable."

Apolloneuro · 03/04/2024 14:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Oh give yourself the day off from being a twat.

warmheartcoldfeet · 03/04/2024 14:33

It's really sad that your SIL is reacting this way.

Hopefully in time she can turn it around and develop a really close 'best Auntie' relationship with your daughter. If she doesn't ever have her own daughter she can revel in yours!

In the meantime, it can't be allowed that she is this cruel to an innocent baby.

Seeingadistance · 03/04/2024 14:32

DisforDarkChocolate · 03/04/2024 08:43

I'm firmly of the option you don't feed crazy.

Yep! Agreed.

SensationalSusie · 03/04/2024 14:31

Also I really like your writing style - title and explanation, great description.

Your compassion for your SIL despite her bad behaviour says a lot about you 👏

Cherrysoup · 03/04/2024 14:29

She sounds unhinged. Wants your advice on something she now needs but is making unrealistic demands re change your phone screen?! Utter bonkers. She’d get fuck all from me. She can talk to her kid’s SENCO.

Mummypie21 · 03/04/2024 14:29

She needs professional help. I have two boys and would have loved to have a girl. My brother and his wife recently had a little girl. I do feel a bit jealous but also happy that I'll be able to spoil my niece.

mamakoukla · 03/04/2024 14:27

Your DD deserves better and should not be taught from an early age that it’s okay to be written out of existence.

I am sorry that you have to work your way through this. SIL sounds tough work. It’s really good that you are sending the info and help to BIL 💐 Would he be willing to meet outside of his own home? It seems such a shame to break up a family over what most reasonable people would see as an extreme view

Sauvblanctime · 03/04/2024 14:25

Hey @Lwrenn neurospicy mama of 2 spicy kids as well here 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻

your SIL sounds batshit. Absolutely help via email, but not in person unless she accepts you have a daughter and she needs to incorporate her into the family!!

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 03/04/2024 14:25

@Lwrenn you aren’t a wet lettuce at all, just a very kind person, your dh sounds pretty awesome too!

D888x · 03/04/2024 14:24

shenandoahvalley · 03/04/2024 14:21

I see you've updated your OP, but my first thought was that if she wants your professional expertise, she's to treat you like a professional ie no "thou shalt take thine DD off thine homescreen before thou bestowest thine wisdom upon me" bullshit. (Honestly, who could actually say that out loud with a straight face?!).

That said, I wish my SILs could look beyond the ends of their noses sometimes and appreciate that I had a whoooooooole entire life before I met their brother. That I have my own history, my own issues, my own everything that aren't anybody's business but my own. I wonder if there's something going on with your SIL to explain her batshittery. It would still only be an explanation, not a reason or excuse, but it might help take an approach of "I'm going to act like a normal human being with my sons and daughter, proceed with business as usual, you just do you". Don't shy away from her, don't let her dictate, you just go ahead with a normal existence but non-confrontationally.

Beautifully worded 😎😂 love it

PurpleFlower1983 · 03/04/2024 14:23

I would send the books, leaflets, websites etc. or whatever else she may find useful but I would not go there under those terms.

TakingAMenopause · 03/04/2024 14:21

Neurospicy is my new favourite word.

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