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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is this a normal adult sibling relationship?

117 replies

treasurechest92 · 02/01/2026 08:45

I have siblings and we are close but not to this extent. There's a long list of things that have been bothering me, and I don't know if I'm overthinking. Friends have given mixed opinions. A bit of background and a few examples....

Dh has one sibling, they are both late thirties. I like his sister, she is a nice woman.

When I first met dh, he told me he would never move in with me as I live too far away from his sister (20 min drive).
On a weekend away once his sister was sent to hospital with appendicitis and he was planning to leave our weekend away to go to the hospital, despite her having her parents and husband with her.

His mum regularly told me that 'sisters child' is dh's soulmate.

During an argument about something entirely unrelated, he randomly told me he would rather spend time with 'sisters child' than anyone else as they are easy company (aged 7).

He once told me his ideal woman is 'homely, girl next door vibes, just like sisters name' which is the complete opposite of me, I am a heavily tattooed and not conventionally good looking woman.

On two seperate occasions where I've invited sister and kids to join in activities with us and our kids, she's been unable to attend so asked to rearrange time or day, I've been unable to due to work, so instead of sticking to original plans with me, he's rearranged and done the activities with her and I've been left out despite it being my original plan, and despite me asking him not to as I really wanted to see the kids doing it.

A conversation where sister was showing me a scar on her stomach and how much she hated it, to try and make her feel better I said my stomach is covered in stretchmarks, dh pipes up with 'scars are cool as fuck, stretchmarks are ugly'.

Once we were staying in a log cabin in the middle of nowhere, and sat outside at night and a man was watching us from across the trees and it made me really uncomfortable, I asked dh to go and say something and he refused. At a later date when discussing it, he said 'of course if sister was there I would have gone and had a word with the bloke as she would have been scared'.

The next two have both happened this week, which is why I'm writing this now.

On Christmas day night, kids were in bed and we were getting intimate on the sofa, initiated by him, both partially undressed and clearly wantong to have sex, I asked if he'd like to move to the bedroom and he said 'no, I'm going to phone sisters name'.

His sister showed up to an event wearing something I loved, I told her I love it and that I had actually been considering buying it but hadn't (as dh had said it was tacky, I didnt tell her this part). After the party, dh was gushing about how great she looked and I reminded him he had said it was tacky when I wanted to buy it and he replied 'tacky on you but sisters name can pull everything off'.

I have tried talking to him about the last two but he said theres nothing to talk about and put his headphones in.

I hate myself for thinking badly of their relationship but there are loads more examples than what I've written here. Twice this week I've seen her come up to him, lean against him and rest her head on his shoulder and it honestly made me feel a bit sick.

OP posts:
OneNewEagle · 02/01/2026 11:19

No that’s not normal and I wonder how his sister feels plus the niece part is very strange.

but regardless of whether it’s normal or not you are not been treated nicely. This person isn’t for you you deserve much better as I expect your children do too. I’d plan on splitting up and getting away from it all.

treasurechest92 · 02/01/2026 11:18

Thanks for the replies clarifying that this is a strange relationship, as he tells me it's normal and refuses to discuss any issues I have raised.
I don't think there's anything sinister about his relationship with his nephew, he used to provide a lot of childcare for his sister when nephew was small so they do have a close relationship.

OP posts:
JLou08 · 02/01/2026 11:02

I don't think it's really the relationship with his sister that is a problem. I think he is using his sister as a means to put you down. He sounds like a nasty man who wants to make you feel worthless and uses comparisons with his sister to do so.

TheCurious0range · 02/01/2026 10:57

I have a brother, this is weird. We get on fine joke around with each other a lot, and will always help in a crisis, like when DH collapsed a floor sander with a water pipe and dB came over immediately to repair it or when DN vomited blackcurrant all over her bed bedroom carpet and I shot over there with my shark cleaner. DB has rescued me in the snow, I put together some legal paperwork to help him challenge a restriction on his property. We know our strengths and help each other. We spend time together with our children. The things your husband is saying about his sister are inappropriate and odd.

PluckyChancer · 02/01/2026 10:51

He’s not ever going to magically change so what are you going to do?

You can either carry on as you are and get even more frustrated by your DH as the years roll by or you leave with the kids and start again.

It really is that simple! 🤷🏻‍♀️

SilverPink · 02/01/2026 10:50

Greentomatoes24 · 02/01/2026 10:16

Might be a reach, but I'd wonder about possible SSA when they were younger with the way he/they are carrying on.

I did wonder this. The fact his mum regularly tells OP her daughters child is her sons soulmate is weird in itself and tells you there’s probably not many boundaries in that household.

HugglesAndSnuggles · 02/01/2026 10:50

Gross. Reminds me of Nat and Georgia Simpson in Brookside. For anyone who watched it, if you know you know 🤮 🤮

Garroty · 02/01/2026 10:47

OP, he's just mean. Whether or not there is a weird vibe between them is almost irrelevant - you've listed about ten examples of him just being really unkind to you.

You deserve better than this. You shouldn't be with someone who is consistently disrespectful and unkind to you. Treat yourself better than this.

NuffSaidSam · 02/01/2026 10:44

It's not normal. It's really weird

Any chance the 'soul mate' child is his? That's what I'd be thinking tbh!

Even if we ignore all the sister stuff though, he's constantly unpleasant to you. Why are you putting up with it? It sounds like there are dysfunctional relationships aplenty in your family!

yeesh · 02/01/2026 10:43

How on earth have you managed to marry such a weirdo. He has clearly and consistently told you that his sister is more important that you will ever be, that can’t be good for your self esteem. You know it’s not normal, it’s really creepy tbh and the way he speaks about his niece/nephew is really worrying, especially when you have your own children.

EleventyThree · 02/01/2026 10:32

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 02/01/2026 10:30

The relationship is odd but irrespective of how odd / weird it is and whether there is any sexual element to it, he is being consistently rude and disrespectful to you. Doing things for his sister that he'd refuse to do for you is wrong. Prioritising his sister is wrong. Leaving you out is wrong. Saying to you that his sister is better at things or looks better or just generally complimenting her and running you down at the same time is wrong.

Any one of those examples on its own is really disgusting behaviour. But all together its sinister and nasty and consistently disrespectful

Edited

"sinister" - that's the word.

I mean, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that he's actually in love with his sister...

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 02/01/2026 10:30

The relationship is odd but irrespective of how odd / weird it is and whether there is any sexual element to it, he is being consistently rude and disrespectful to you. Doing things for his sister that he'd refuse to do for you is wrong. Prioritising his sister is wrong. Leaving you out is wrong. Saying to you that his sister is better at things or looks better or just generally complimenting her and running you down at the same time is wrong.

Any one of those examples on its own is really disgusting behaviour. But all together its sinister and nasty and consistently disrespectful

caringcarer · 02/01/2026 10:28

The relationship you describe your DH having with his sister is odd in the extreme. You were on verge of having sex and his sister just popped into his mind!

EleventyThree · 02/01/2026 10:28

What does he say when you question his relationship with his sister? Or when you tell him how much his behaviour hurts you?

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 02/01/2026 10:24

The relationship is bizarre, and he sounds like a horrible person who treats you horribly.,

I don't often say LTB, but if I were you I'd be hatching a plan to move on when I could

What are you getting out of being married to this rude and unkind plonker??

Mummypie21 · 02/01/2026 10:23

This is very strange and creepy. I'm close with my brother - he calls me every week for a chat and we send random messages/memes but no way would he act like this. His wife always comes before me - as it should.

guineaguineaguineapig · 02/01/2026 10:20

It does sound odd. I have a brother and I honestly don’t think he even notices what I’m wearing when he sees me - let alone comment on it. We get on well but we only really see each other at family gatherings or with respective wives and partners.

Greentomatoes24 · 02/01/2026 10:16

Might be a reach, but I'd wonder about possible SSA when they were younger with the way he/they are carrying on.

Daleksatemyshed · 02/01/2026 10:07

Have you talked to his DSis about this Op, just in a general way? I'd want to know if she's the same about him or if it's just him whose a bit obsessive . Quite honestly, any man who'd stop mid foreplay to call his DSis has a problem, get turned on then think of her, not on

EmeraldShamrock000 · 02/01/2026 10:03

Very weird behaviour, he is obsessed with his sister, his gentle, beautiful sister.
I dated a bloke in my early 20's who thought his sister was beautiful in a very weird way. ATT, I scolded myself for thinking he is interested in her but it was obvious that he fell in love with her romantically when they were growing up.

grinchmcgrinchface · 02/01/2026 09:54

treasurechest92 · 02/01/2026 09:39

Yes they are biologocally related.
Sisters husband is pretty chilled out, they have been together since being early teens and he has never questioned anything that I know of.

You need to call your husband out on this weird obsession with his sister. Its not normal at all. He genuinely sounds like he wants to shag her. Ick.

thepariscrimefiles · 02/01/2026 09:51

Your husband is a fucking weirdo! If his obsessive admiration was directed at an unrelated woman, you would be convinced that they were in a sexual relationship. The fact that it's his sister makes it even worse, not better. It's creepy as fuck and it would absolutely repulse me.

glendabrownlow · 02/01/2026 09:45

I had a partner for many years at a different time in my life. He was similar over his entire family. I got fed up with being an 'also ran' and he was so surprised when I left him, but it was utterly relentless. No decision about us could be made until he had run it past his family and no opinion could be formed until he asked his whole family what they thought. Nope. Yours is even creepier than this, OP. Understand that he will not change and the sister will always come first.

treasurechest92 · 02/01/2026 09:39

Yes they are biologocally related.
Sisters husband is pretty chilled out, they have been together since being early teens and he has never questioned anything that I know of.

OP posts:
Justlostmybagel · 02/01/2026 09:18

How have you married and stayed with a man, who is clearly wanking over his sister? 🤢