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To Tell SIL To Stop Claiming Things?

761 replies

Addyview · 23/12/2024 04:03

I've been with DH a very long time and we have a child together, I get on well with his brother but his brothers wife is another story. She's nice enough most of the time but makes a lot of situations very awkward because of how tight she is. Whenever she comes round if I offer her something to eat she says things like "Yes, can you also wrap some up for me to take home" no matter what it is! There's a million examples I can give but she basically won't pay for anything and is always on the scrounge.
My husbands brother earns a lot of money and so does his wife so its not like they ever struggle, BIL says its just who she is and does try to stop her.
Anyway on Christmas they're coming for dinner but last year was so uncomfortable because she basically laid claim to everything she saw. Every present she saw me open she was asking if she could have it if I didn't like it or when I was fed up of it, she was pointing at things on the dinner table saying she'd take the leftovers home and telling other guests to not eat it all! It really got on my nerves by the end of the day.
She's coming this year and me and DH are both in agreement that we need to say she can't behave like that because it makes everyone else awkward but BIL has asked us to leave it alone and just ignore her because she gets embarrassed. I'm half tempted to just cancel BIL and his wife altogether if I'm honest.
I'm several years into this womans impolite behaviour and it's casting a bit of a dark cloud over Christmas because I'm dreading her making everyone else feel uncomfortable when she starts! So to me my two options are ring her in the morning and tell her to not behave that way or uninvite them both and tell BIL why. I simply cannot have another Christmas day like last years.

OP posts:
NippyNippy · 28/12/2024 21:25

Maybe SIL claimed the OP so she can't come back to update!

AngryLikeHades · 28/12/2024 21:15

GellerYeller · 23/12/2024 12:54

Have you ever been tempted to wrap everyone an absolutely awful gift, say, a half used shower gel, an old bag for life, pickled herrings… and have everyone unwrap them then hand them straight to SIL: ‘I assume you’ll want this gift too Mary?’ Just to see whether she accepts?
Im joking of course, no ganging up on her. There’s been some great advice from PPs. Good luck and please update us.

Do this!!!

BrightonFrock · 28/12/2024 20:52

OP isn’t coming back.

Mamalifehasjustbegun · 28/12/2024 20:51

Im really interested to know what happened in the end…

RadFs · 28/12/2024 20:50

Addyview · 23/12/2024 09:51

I think I've read everyone's replies so I'll answer you all here now I've woke back up. My reason for being awake so late is specifically down to SIL and the dread of her.

She's late 20s and grew up in a middle class family, no struggles but her parents are also pretty tight, nowhere near her level and her mum hates her own daughters behaviour from what I've seen.
In the past I have let her take food home because it was awkward to say no. I stopped inviting her round for coffee and a catch up because if I offered her a biscuit or a sandwich she'd ask for extra to take home and it was weird.
On Christmas I try to laugh it off and just say no when she asks for presents but it just goes further where she will then say its not my sort of thing and she'd get more out of it, I did get a little firmer by the end of the day last year but it didn't seem to deter her any. DH ate as much as he could when she asked people to not eat all of something she wanted so he could prove a point but again she would just push further.
Saying a firm no to this woman likely wouldn't do much and hasn't worked in the past. My other SIL called her a scrounger to her face once and she got upset but carried on once BIL argued back. I do think BIL doesn't see she cries a lot of crocodile tears so she doesn't have to stop this behaviour.
I don't think she has MH issues but I'm not a professional. She just gets a kick out of saving money, I've seen her stand and haggle in a charity shop, to me she has no shame in her.

I should have said no to them coming but I really like people coming. I'm NC with my own family and only my manager and his wife come that are my guests, the rest are DH family and friends.
I think today will be an awkward phone call to BIL to let him know it's either got to be addressed and her told no or they can't come. I know it's last minute to do this but the anxiety I get from the tension on Christmas day isn't worth all this.

Hi @Addyview any updates what happened?

BustyLaRoux · 28/12/2024 20:40

I wonder what happened….

Lalalalalalalalalalaoohoohwee · 28/12/2024 20:32

Interested to know how this panned out now Xmas is over?

OneShyHedgehog · 28/12/2024 20:28

I’m literally checking every 5 minutes. I don’t have a life I neeeeeed to know what happened! 🤣

Weightoftheworld8 · 28/12/2024 20:24

Please come back and tell us what happened

Hatty123 · 28/12/2024 20:17

Oh my I totally need an update on this… did SIL come? Did she behave herself? Has there been an altercation that got out of hand and she is buried in the garden? I do hope not. She sounds horrendous though, I’d frankly enjoy putting her in her place like a naughty child using the same repeated phrase… along the lines of “No [INSERT NAME], we don’t take things that aren’t ours.”
Over and over. No change in tone or wording. Like a line to a 3 year old who keeps hitting their brother or throwing their yoghurt on the floor.

As for trying to nab leftovers … I’d be saying very brightly for all to hear… “Everyone eat up! Plenty for everyone!” And if she mentions nabbing any food leftovers I’d add cheerily “oh no! Didn’t DH say? We will probably make some sandwiches with any leftover bits tomorrow and any excess can go to Boris - our neighbour’s very lovely dog who we have taken quite a liking to! Would you like another glass of water? Oh you look a little red in the face, do you need to step outside for some air? Or is it time for your medication?”
Then hum tee dum off into the kitchen to get another bottle of vino!

TinyMouseTheatre · 28/12/2024 20:07

She obviously has got her hands on OP's phone

Perhaps she's now also claimed the OP and is now their house slave? Grin

ChristmasUsername2024 · 28/12/2024 20:02

Any Christmas dramas OP?

Sparklfairy · 28/12/2024 19:47

Whatever kick she's getting from it, it's not from 'getting stuff' - it's from 'taking stuff from other people'. Which is really horrible.

Sapienza · 28/12/2024 19:29

I wonder if SIL is Mrs Popovitch in Fisk?

She obviously has got her hands on OP's phone.

TinyMouseTheatre · 28/12/2024 19:14

Newusernameforthiss · 28/12/2024 19:12

Gutted OP hasn't given us an update on this. Only one explanation... SiL took her phone! She's at home cackling with a whole turkey , 8 crackers and a new iPhone lol

GrinGrinGrin

Newusernameforthiss · 28/12/2024 19:12

Gutted OP hasn't given us an update on this. Only one explanation... SiL took her phone! She's at home cackling with a whole turkey , 8 crackers and a new iPhone lol

Deadbeatex · 28/12/2024 19:08

@TinyMouseTheatre given its been Christmas and most have a lot more going on than usual I'm still hopeful of an update lol maybe OP has been lying in a dark room for a couple of days unable to comprehend her SIL latest and will be back once she's coherent again 🤞🏻

TinyMouseTheatre · 28/12/2024 19:05

Deadbeatex · 28/12/2024 19:02

Any update @Addyview I have to admit giving this quite a bit of headspace since you posted as your SIL sounds like one CF and I'm embarrassed for her! I do understand this is your life and not mainstream entertainment but I'd be lying if I said I haven't been checking for updates to find out what happened!

The OP hasn't posted since last Monday. I doubt they're coming back Wink

Deadbeatex · 28/12/2024 19:02

Any update @Addyview I have to admit giving this quite a bit of headspace since you posted as your SIL sounds like one CF and I'm embarrassed for her! I do understand this is your life and not mainstream entertainment but I'd be lying if I said I haven't been checking for updates to find out what happened!

Pupinskipops · 28/12/2024 19:01

Is it possible that you've misunderstood her motive for this behaviour and that it has nothing to do with greed or selfishness, and more to do with a gauche way of trying to fit in?

I'm wondering whether it might be her way of trying to show that she likes what you like, or a clumsy way of trying to be polite by paying you (or your present-giver) a compliment, in the way that you might say "I LOVE your dress" whether you do or not, or reflexively compliment someone's taste in interior decor, or their cooking, etc. "Your cooking is divine - I'd love to take some home with me!" or "You have such good taste in {gift} - I'd love that!"

Just a thought...

HappyTedMum · 28/12/2024 18:58

How was she this Christmas? What did you do?

Nextdoor55 · 28/12/2024 18:50

That's hilarious I'd love to have someone like that in my family, 5 star entertainment

menopausalfart · 28/12/2024 18:44

This came up on active and now I'm invested.😝

JammySlag · 28/12/2024 18:43

update please @Addyview I’m invested now 😂

Cford725 · 28/12/2024 18:38

Exactly. Sorry we're going to Antiqua this christmas. Bye.

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