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AIBU?

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Would this bother you?

63 replies

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 22:32

My DH and I have been together for 8 years, married 1. My in-laws over the years have made it clear myself and my kids are not welcome. His adult 23 y/o DD also. Examples are his DD was suppose to be a bridesmaid at our wedding, bought a beautiful pale dusk dress but she turned up in a racy black one. She also presented him with a birthday present last year (the only time she got him a gift) and it was a photo album of him and her mum (they separated when she 2 so it was all old early 20s photos of them)
Anyway for Christmas his mum got a family drawing made with all the members of his family, except me. Or my children.
Would that hurt you? Or am I being a tad sensitive? DH says I am.

OP posts:
MyUsernameIsCake · 04/02/2026 19:00

SouthernNights59 · 04/02/2026 00:53

I would just continue with my own life and have nothing at all to do with them. Why on earth would you want to be part of such an awful family? Hopefully they have other family to help out when they are older, because they wouldn't be getting any help from me. My advice would be to stay away, and don't ever invite them to your house. If your DH wants to socialize he can do it at their place, and don't buy them gifts, they really aren't worth the time and effort, and once again your DH can take over that. If I had in-laws who didn't like me I actually couldn't care less.

Edited

I’d keep buying the presents, but they’d all be framed pictures of me - maybe a few would feature me and DH, but mainly just me 💁🏼‍♀️

phoenixrosehere · 04/02/2026 10:56

OP, it would bother me, but saying that I would simply match energy by stopping doing anything for them and leaving the DH to dealing with his family and SD.

If you treat people horribly, you don’t get to expect anything from them including accepting rudeness.

Give the SD what she wants and don’t lift a finger for her. She’s an adult and old enough to know better and you’re just an easier target to let her frustrations out on. Leave it to your DH to get her gifts and do things for her. She doesn’t want a relationship with you so better to accept that and treat her like an acquaintance you are polite to for DH’s sake and nothing else.

Usernameisunavailable · 04/02/2026 10:12

All these people piling on the OP are being unfair. It doesn’t sound like she’s done anything wrong and she’s not responsible for her DH’s past choices. His family sound awful. If it was me I’d go no or low contact with the in-laws and stop buying them any presents immediately. Zero effort from now on. His DD is a different case. The dress thing at your wedding would have annoyed me too and the photo album of him and his ex was pretty childish. She doesn’t sound very mature for a 23 year old. You seem to have handled things sensibly and maturely. I’d just minimise contact with her and just be politely reserved when you do see her.

SouthernNights59 · 04/02/2026 00:53

I would just continue with my own life and have nothing at all to do with them. Why on earth would you want to be part of such an awful family? Hopefully they have other family to help out when they are older, because they wouldn't be getting any help from me. My advice would be to stay away, and don't ever invite them to your house. If your DH wants to socialize he can do it at their place, and don't buy them gifts, they really aren't worth the time and effort, and once again your DH can take over that. If I had in-laws who didn't like me I actually couldn't care less.

FrozenFebruary · 04/02/2026 00:50

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 03/02/2026 23:34

I'm sad you mustn't have had a good relationship with your own Dad

How have you come to that conclusion?

Is it only adults who don't like sharing their Dad that have good relationships with them.

I think posters who think 23 year olds shouldn't have anytime 1:1 with their Dads are sad people.

Katflapkit · 04/02/2026 00:22

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:42

Yes I buy them all gifts for us, his DD refuses to come to our house. My DH meets her outwith.

I knew it. They refuse to acknowledge you and you are running around after them trying to make them like you and your DH look good.

It's a new year - take control of your time and effort. Match their energy. Stop humiliating yourself. Stop buying gifts, stop sending cards, don't arrange for them to come to your home, you don't need to be hosting such rude people. Let your Husband do it.

Isittimeformynapyet · 04/02/2026 00:05

ThePerfectWeekender · 03/02/2026 23:43

23! I had DC1 at 23. I was married (still am more than thirty years later!) with a mortgage. That child, now 31 is married to his first ever girlfriend at 16, they bought their firs home at 23.
You speaking like that, no wonder DD is the way she is. I'm shocked, and after being here a long time, that's rare.

Crikey. I really don't understand why you're so shocked.

OP has clearly stated that she's told her husband that he's not been a good father.

You're family experience is just one of millions, all of them different.

It really doesn't become you to be so superior to a woman who's being hurt by the behaviour of her in-laws.

And yes @Yellowspottysocks1 I'd be hurt too, but I hope I'd learn to ignore them PDQ. There's not really anything else you can do, apart from leave him and the entire situation behind.

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:47

ThePerfectWeekender · 03/02/2026 23:43

23! I had DC1 at 23. I was married (still am more than thirty years later!) with a mortgage. That child, now 31 is married to his first ever girlfriend at 16, they bought their firs home at 23.
You speaking like that, no wonder DD is the way she is. I'm shocked, and after being here a long time, that's rare.

Oh calm yourself lol

OP posts:
oviraptor21 · 03/02/2026 23:45

Your DH has to do a lot of work with his family here IMO.
He's trying to stick his head in the sand in the hope that this 'awkwardness' will go away.
He is the only person who can try to broker a better arrangement between you and his family. If he's not prepared to accept that it needs to be done then I'm sorry that you married him.

sprigatito · 03/02/2026 23:43

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:40

To be fair hes been in court for years getting access to his son. He's spent thousands fighting with his ex for contact.

I don't want this to be a bashing of DH. I'm asking how you would feel about the drawing. Just wondered if I was being precious or if others would feel the same.

I would definitely be hurt, and I do think these people are being deliberately cruel. You deserve better.

ThePerfectWeekender · 03/02/2026 23:43

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:28

I get that but his relationship with his DD was when he was 23 and lasted a year and he didn't have a relationship with his DS mum, it was a ONS and his family didn't meet her or his DS. I know this doesn't paint DH in a good light but apart from one other who he was with for 4 years (and no dcs) that's his whole dating history.

23! I had DC1 at 23. I was married (still am more than thirty years later!) with a mortgage. That child, now 31 is married to his first ever girlfriend at 16, they bought their firs home at 23.
You speaking like that, no wonder DD is the way she is. I'm shocked, and after being here a long time, that's rare.

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:42

Katflapkit · 03/02/2026 23:40

Out of interest, do you facilitate any gatherings of his family at your house, gifts, cards, celebration nights out etc?

Yes I buy them all gifts for us, his DD refuses to come to our house. My DH meets her outwith.

OP posts:
Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:40

To be fair hes been in court for years getting access to his son. He's spent thousands fighting with his ex for contact.

I don't want this to be a bashing of DH. I'm asking how you would feel about the drawing. Just wondered if I was being precious or if others would feel the same.

OP posts:
Katflapkit · 03/02/2026 23:40

Out of interest, do you facilitate any gatherings of his family at your house, gifts, cards, celebration nights out etc?

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:36

I know he hasn't been a good dad and Im not shy in telling him that. He has no idea what it's like being a parent 247, the hard graft of day to day life. I've told him all this already.

OP posts:
sprigatito · 03/02/2026 23:36

Your DH sounds pretty dreadful tbh, he saw his daughter once a month, and now sees his son the same pitiful amount? What a father. And he’s too gutless and lazy to stand up for you, so he tells you to suck it up instead. It’s not surprising to me that his family are dreadful too. He learned at his mother’s knee how to treat people.

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:34

I get that but her mum had an affair and left with the guy taking DD hours away (the other guy was in the RAF and moved across the country to be with him)
I get some of his DD behaviour. I have girls and I understand what she must be feeling but the dress/photo album was done intentionally to hurt me and I haven't done anything accept try and be a friend to her. I can't seem to win no matter what I do.

OP posts:
sparepantsandtoothbrush · 03/02/2026 23:34

FrozenFebruary · 03/02/2026 23:28

So, she's 23. Why shouldn't she have Sue tie and with her Dad.

i'm sorry you find the idea ridiculous, I'm sad you mustn't have had a good relationship with your own Dad.

I'm sad you mustn't have had a good relationship with your own Dad

How have you come to that conclusion?

Is it only adults who don't like sharing their Dad that have good relationships with them.

Ponoka7 · 03/02/2026 23:33

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:28

I get that but his relationship with his DD was when he was 23 and lasted a year and he didn't have a relationship with his DS mum, it was a ONS and his family didn't meet her or his DS. I know this doesn't paint DH in a good light but apart from one other who he was with for 4 years (and no dcs) that's his whole dating history.

But none of that has any bearing on him being a decent father. He hasn't been. Look at his relationship with his children, his exes are irrelevant. 23 isn't that young. His DD' education was taking off as he was approaching 30. He was the same age as his DD is now, how much slack are you cutting her?

Ponoka7 · 03/02/2026 23:29

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:17

No he hasn't adopted them, and they see their dad a lot but have a great relationship with my DH.
DH has been a 'disney dad' his DD lives a few hours away so only seen her growing up once a month and during the holidays. He's never lived with her since she was 2. He sees his son once a month at his ex's families home. His family have never met him.

So she's mourning not having a proper father while he had a great relationship with your children. She's directing her anger at you. He's got a lot to appologise for.

Yellowspottysocks1 · 03/02/2026 23:28

I get that but his relationship with his DD was when he was 23 and lasted a year and he didn't have a relationship with his DS mum, it was a ONS and his family didn't meet her or his DS. I know this doesn't paint DH in a good light but apart from one other who he was with for 4 years (and no dcs) that's his whole dating history.

OP posts:
FrozenFebruary · 03/02/2026 23:28

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 03/02/2026 23:22

its sadly only natural that she'd prefer to have her Dad to herself

Shes 23 not 8! How ridiculous

So, she's 23. Why shouldn't she have Sue tie and with her Dad.

i'm sorry you find the idea ridiculous, I'm sad you mustn't have had a good relationship with your own Dad.

TheFireHorse · 03/02/2026 23:28

Out of interest what did your DH do with the tacky drawing?

ThePerfectWeekender · 03/02/2026 23:26

From your explanation it appears DH has already had two DC with different women. Then you come along with DC.
My DB raised a DSS, who we all absolutely and treated as family. SIL had an affair and left. We were heartbroken. We haven't been allowed to see DSN since the day she left. Being generous to your inlawas, perhaps they're wary getting involved with a third family. If DB got married again and had SC I know I would be.

doitwithlove · 03/02/2026 23:24

Don’t waste time and your energy overthinking what/why dh’s dm & dd are like this. Do what makes you and your family happy. Life is too short for over thinking.