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AIBU?

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Stormed out of family gathering am I the holiday wrecker

372 replies

stormedoutaibu · 13/07/2025 00:24

DH and I are early 30s, DD is 2, on a family mini break away (staying in separate accommodation to in-laws who are DH parents sister along with naughty dog and aunties)
sister very anxious about dog and DD mixing (bit aggressive and unruly large frenchie about staffie sized so DH and I have to police very carefully) and has cried a few times about it today.
FIL rolled his eyes at me earlier for insisting my DH goes to grab DD beach shoes (I didn’t go as I’m 30’weeks pregnant in a heatwave)
MIL and FIL keep bickering

went to enjoy takeaway a their Airbnb. And my DD was sent away to dance in the lounge several rooms from where the adults were sat ‘to give the dog some peace’ and to ‘go and do it in the lounge cos of the dog’
i thought about it for 5 minutes or so and then left with my daughter as this offended me but I didn’t tell DH where I had gone but told MIL I was at a park within line of sight of the air bnb
they and my husband is acting like I’ve ruined everyone’s holiday and been the 4th reason that FIL has ever cried
all honesty I’ve had enough of the whole thing them bickering and the dog being priority over my toddler

OP posts:
Isthisit22 · 13/07/2025 09:17

Velvian · 13/07/2025 08:49

I think you need to be much firmer with your DH @stormedoutaibu . Such as;

" That's enough now. I've come here for you and DD, put up with the dog being prioritised over our child, spent my holiday with your family, ignored eye rolls and comments.

I notice that you are not cross with your family , only with me, so your being 'in the middle' does not ring true to me. What do you think you could've done differently?

I'm prepared to draw a line under it now, but I won't discuss it again."

Do not explain yourself anymore, you've done nothing wrong.

Agree with this. You need to nip his behaviour in the bud and stop bending over backwards for him.
You did a nice thing going away with his family, yet you’re still being punished. Enough is enough. Stop pandering to him. You’re 30 weeks pregnant for goodness sake— your feelings and comfort should be more important than this massive man child you’ve married.

KassandraOfSparta · 13/07/2025 09:17

I do send them Christmas presents and the like. I don't think it's unreasonable, the way she regards her dogs. They are her babies.

No. They are HER PETS.

darkenednights · 13/07/2025 09:15

I have five little humans. My sister was never able to have children. Of course my children are the most important thing to me and I'd always put them first. For my sister, her dogs are the most important thing to her and she puts them first. Trying to empathise with her, I understand these dogs are her babies and I do send them Christmas presents and the like. I don't think it's unreasonable, the way she regards her dogs. They are her babies.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 13/07/2025 09:15

People drinking more than usual, a lot of heat, late pregnancy, a snappy dog, an active toddler... to be honest I don't necessarily think anyone is 'wrong' as such but I think there are differing ideas of what a 'holiday' is. You can't have a carefree, drink-as-much-as-you-want holiday when there's a young child and an unreliable dog in the mix and one participant is too pregnant to be able to take over comfortably.

I'd put all this down to experience and decide never to do it again, OP.

LaughingCat · 13/07/2025 09:15

EstherGreenwood63 · 13/07/2025 09:03

Don't let's blame the OP for 'making a grown man cry' eh? ffs. They sound dreadful. Family holidays unless everyone has impeccable manners are a recipe for disaster. Don't ever go again.

I mean, that’s a bit of an overgeneralisation, isn’t it? We’ve gone away for a couple of weeks with our PILs/SILs/BILs every year for the last decade and while there’s points where it sometimes gets a bit strained, we all still have such a lovely time that we want to do it again the next year. And this is with a plethora of old folk, disabilities and babies/small children. We definitely don’t have impeccable manners either but we don’t fall out (maybe some minor eye-rolling/bickering on all sides at various points 😂). I don’t think family holidays are usually a recipe for disaster, though! Feels like this one is needlessly fraught with no-one giving anyone else any room to just be a bit annoying without it being a drama.

SomethingFun · 13/07/2025 09:15

Absolutely ridiculous. Dogs aren’t equivalent to human children and it does nobody any favours, including the dogs, to pretend they are. Likewise pregnant women shouldn’t have to hide and bow and scrape to people who can’t get pregnant for whatever reason.

Your dh sounds like a wet flannel and this is all a fuss over nothing. I wouldn’t be going on holiday with these in-laws again if I was you and I’d be telling dh to buck up and start putting his own dc and wife first.

prelovedusername · 13/07/2025 09:15

KassandraOfSparta · 13/07/2025 09:11

Yes the dog does sound like a nightmare - but...

It is the behaviour of the PEOPLE which is the problem. Whatever issues the SIL may have, she cannot seriously be deluded enough to think her furbaby is as important as the OP's actual baby? And her parents go along with that crazy thinking?

Well yes, she can, if she wants. And so can they. The OP can stamp her feet but if that’s how they feel, nothing she can do to change it. They all sound like a hot mess.

Boomer55 · 13/07/2025 09:12

pharmer · 13/07/2025 06:02

Why are you playing peppa pig and letting your dd dance when people are trying to enjoy a meal?

This - my little GGD, a real cutie, loves Peppa Pig - bloody thing drives me crazy 😂

Any kids dancing around, during a meal, would send me nuts as well🤷‍♀️

KassandraOfSparta · 13/07/2025 09:11

Qoopwhooping · 13/07/2025 03:34

That dog sounds like a fucking nightmare and I love dogs.

What a shit show for you. You’ll be tired and hot and bothered and no one seems to care. You need to take away from this, never to go on holiday ever again, with the in-laws. They are a bunch of idiots.

Yes the dog does sound like a nightmare - but...

It is the behaviour of the PEOPLE which is the problem. Whatever issues the SIL may have, she cannot seriously be deluded enough to think her furbaby is as important as the OP's actual baby? And her parents go along with that crazy thinking?

LittleMonks11 · 13/07/2025 09:10

prelovedusername · 13/07/2025 08:38

This is about hierarchy. SIL is their own daughter, you are their married in DIL. She outranks you in their affection. The needs of her dog, who is the equivalent of your DD, outrank the needs of your DD. When she has children, they will outrank yours.

All the rest is just drama.

The daughter’s dog is the equivalent of their granddaughter? Say what?

stormedoutaibu · 13/07/2025 09:06

LameBorzoi · 13/07/2025 05:48

I think the dog is a bit of a red herring.

SIL is stressed and miserable; is your pregnancy a bit triggering for her?

PIL are stressed and fighting.

Everyone's overtired.

I suspect the dog was a bit of an excuse to move your toddler away.

It sounds like a trip to the park was the sensible thing to do, though.

Smart. I wonder if this is exactly it to be honest

OP posts:
caramac04 · 13/07/2025 09:06

i understand toddlers and dogs aren’t always a great mix and toddlers can annoy dogs. Dogs can bite children.
As a dog owner I would have taken my dog for a walk whereby he would be less stressed anyway.
Dogs might be loved dearly but they are not children.

LittleMonks11 · 13/07/2025 09:06

Was a lot of drink being taken? Just can’t understand the SIL and FIL crying bit?! Poor DD and you. Are you still there?!

EstherGreenwood63 · 13/07/2025 09:03

Don't let's blame the OP for 'making a grown man cry' eh? ffs. They sound dreadful. Family holidays unless everyone has impeccable manners are a recipe for disaster. Don't ever go again.

Frostynoman · 13/07/2025 09:03

“I told MIL … she didn’t relay this info to DH straight”

How many issues does MiL usually create? Or is this isolated? I’d be furious with DH for not recognising the manipulation here whilst being angry about you removing yourself.

It does sound that you left in haste - no bag, phone, shoes or milk.

What do the aunties feel about it all?

WhistlingStraits · 13/07/2025 09:02

What a bunch of silly drama llamas - all of you.

moose62 · 13/07/2025 08:55

Don't worry OP, I get it...everyone loves a pile on early in the morning on MN. Basically in this situation you are outnumbered and the Ddog getting more attention than DD.
Your DH sounds like a bit of a wimp and you have said your apologies. Don't say anything else...if he can't see it from your point of view, don't go on holiday with them again. He can and take both DC, when baby is born, with him.
Family dynamics are always difficult, especially when it is hot and most of them have been drinking. So what if you think your DD is wonderful, that's a mothers job! Your DH should stop sulking and blaming you and work out how to make it better next time, or there won't be one.

Flissty · 13/07/2025 08:53

These people aren’t getting on but want to. There’s a risk they will bond over being cross at a common enemy- the only person not in the immediate family group: you. Keep as much distance as you can and, as others have said, have some days out just your family. And never go on holiday with them again.

Velvian · 13/07/2025 08:49

I think you need to be much firmer with your DH @stormedoutaibu . Such as;

" That's enough now. I've come here for you and DD, put up with the dog being prioritised over our child, spent my holiday with your family, ignored eye rolls and comments.

I notice that you are not cross with your family , only with me, so your being 'in the middle' does not ring true to me. What do you think you could've done differently?

I'm prepared to draw a line under it now, but I won't discuss it again."

Do not explain yourself anymore, you've done nothing wrong.

Drew79 · 13/07/2025 08:49

It sounds awful.
The one time I holidayed with inlaws, I realised that some people cannot grasp the concept of anyone doing anything by thereselves for even 10 minutes, and get upset if others do.

Never again!

BananaCaramel · 13/07/2025 08:46

I speak from a position of strength as a mum of two with a lovely SIL who is childless with two barky reactive doggies, which are her “babies”. I am extremely careful to give her dogs ranking with my kids - they get birthday presents, and treats when we visit them, they are mentioned in family Christmas cards. I recognise that for SIL those dogs are her outlet to be a mother, and that’s very important to her. If I treated them as “just dogs” it would be cruel given I know she’d have liked kids.

This is bat shit - dogs do not need “equal standing” with your kids, how insulting to them.

The OP’s DD trumps the dog every 👏🏻single👏🏻time 👏🏻 because she is a human being and member of the family, not what sounds like an extremely annoying pet. My BIL has a dog that he and his gf think can do no wrong and it’s the same - the dog goes away, or we don’t come - imagine risking the safety of your grandchild for a dog to be happy!

Drew79 · 13/07/2025 08:46

HeyWiggle · 13/07/2025 03:47

a small child dancing around makes me feel dizzy and a bit overwhelmed. It’s not personal, it’s just too much activity when I’m sat quietly trying to relax. Can’t see the issue with being asked to dance in another room. I hope you didn’t leave in a strop.

However complete over reaction from your DH! He’s being very dramatic about you nipping off to the park.

'Roll eyes' remove yourself from the situation then, you don't banish a small child for a bit of dancing

Snoken · 13/07/2025 08:46

Theunamedcat · 13/07/2025 08:24

Passive aggressive?

Telling someone your taking your child to the park isn't passive aggressive

What's passive aggressive is not passing the message on and allowing everyone to get worked up about a situation when you know what's happened and no-one else does

"Where is my wife and child?" "Across the park burning off a bit of energy" see? Discussion over "where is my wife and child" "i dont know they were here a minute ago has anyone seen them where have they gone?" Equals fucking drama no-one has time for

Saying that clearly DD is bothering the dog and then storming off (OPs own words) is both passive aggressive and dramatic when all the family asked was that DD went with her granddad to the other room to listen to her Peppa Pig music and dance whilst they finished up their dinner. It would have meant that the adults get a bit of downtime after a long hot day and the DD got to do her dancing where she wasn't bothering anyone.

We don't know if OPs H asked his mum where OP was, or if MIL even knew that OP hadn't told anyone so that can't really be passive aggressive.

FastForward2 · 13/07/2025 08:45

As the mother you have the power to make this holiday work, but you seem a bit oblivious to other people's point of view.

Work with your DH. Maybe take him and child away from the rest of them for a toddler-centred day, then reconvene when everyone's had a more relaxing day. Make sure you do it in a friendly way, that cannot be construed as storming off, just tell them you're doing it for the right reason, eg to give the dog (and the ILs) peace. Look at it from their point of view. Go somewhere they wouldn't be interested in (peppa pig world?).

Nosleepforthismum · 13/07/2025 08:41

I’m not sure I really understand the issue here. The dog sounds like it was controlled and on the lead most of the time around your 2 year old which was sensible of your SIL. Even on the lead, dogs can get stressed by toddlers because they are unpredictable in their movements and dancing would have heightened that. Kids absolutely take priority over dogs but it’s unreasonable to make no accommodations for the dog at all when it’s so important to your SIL and is on the holiday too. My rescue is good with kids but also gets stressed by unfamiliar ones running about so we shut her in another when we have visitors. However, if we have longer guests we have to manage her by redirecting kids playing away from her usual spots as she can’t be shut away all the time. I think your SIL was daft to bring the dog at all but you agreed to go knowing the dog was there and should have been prepared to make accommodations to keep your DD safe and the dog unstressed as possible.