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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed about DP saying my brother has ruined our holiday?

311 replies

Lisatron · 01/06/2026 20:42

I'm currently away in Spain with DP, DD4, DS1 and my brother (22), I'm quite close to my brother and he comes over often when we're at home.

In the past he has struggled mentally, he's also T1 diabetic and while as a teen he ate alot of sugary things and didn't do his insulin and as a result he was very unwell. He's also got a habit of drinking too much which he can't do and he was once left by his ‘ friends’ when he had q hypo so I do worry about him lot, even though it's well managed he can make silly decisions especially when struggling.

Our mum mentioned to me before we left that he had been acting off again but he was saying he was “fine”, I hadn't noticed anything but I obviously kept it in mind.

We got here Saturday and it was already off to a bad start due to our flight being delayed, yesterday was good until last night when brother disappeared without saying where he was going. It turns out he was in a bar drinking on his own.

Long story short, he had a hypo and was argumentative when I was trying to help him, DP had our children with him and I was with my brother, he was eventually fine but I stayed with him in his room to keep an eye on him. He's spent the day in his room sleeping off his hangover

Dp wasn't pleased about me staying in his hotel room as the baby kept waking and he said “so much for a relaxing holidays” (as if we could get one with kids anyway) and was annoyed that he hasn't joined us so far after we paid for the holiday and has said it's like having another kid but instead we have a manchild acting like a moody teenager so tonight we've argued because he's annoyed that I'm obviously worried about my brother
he's now stormed out too after saying he's ruined the holiday

AIBU here or is he?

OP posts:
Happyjoe · 01/06/2026 22:00

Sorry, another one here, your husband is right. The very least your brother could've done is behave on this holiday, he was your guest.
Feels like the family have enabled him to act up too long. He's not a kid anymore, time he started acting better.

Xkk · 01/06/2026 21:59

You can if you want to, but your partner doesen't have to put up with your brother's bullshit. You made a big mistake taking him with you on holiday and inflicting him on your family, maybe reflect on why is your brother behaving like that. I think he is being mollycoddled by your family and he grew up to be a iresponsable selfish git. You need to cut the strings and let him get on with his life by himself otherwise he will never learn that actions have consequences.

rwalker · 01/06/2026 21:58

You’re kind of stuck because hypo’s are so dangerous you can’t just leave him to it so DH will see it as you siding with your brother

ride it out best you can don’t defend your brother

he won’t change ingrained behaviour in the short space of the rest of your holiday
ideally he’d go home but not sure if that’s an option apologies to your DH
as they say no good deed goes unpunished

ColdAsAWitches · 01/06/2026 21:55

Lisatron · 01/06/2026 21:28

We invited my brother on holiday because we are close, and yes he does come over regularly but usually of an evening when DP is at work (as he works shifts) and the dc are in bed. When my mum went away she did ask me to keep an eye on brother for her which I did as she does worry about him. Although he does usually control his diabetes pretty well most of the time.

DP also thought he could have the dc for a few hours on this holiday whilst we have time to ourselves and the dc do adore him and vice versa.

He is embarrassed today and feeling sorry for himself more than anything and has begged me not to tell DM

Never mind telling your mother, why isn't he apologizing to you and your partner? You've said his only reaction is feeling sorry for himself. He should be making things right, but you're enabling his shit behavior by completely ignoring his poor behavior and then moaning about your partner when he points this out. You're also ignoring the hundreds of votes and comments that are pointing out that you're in the wrong. Try listening to what people are saying here, give your brother a bollocking, tell him he needs to apologize and make sure he knows repetition won't be tolerated.

TeflonBoot · 01/06/2026 21:54

Team DH here. You are enabling him, he is an adult and needs to take responsibilty for his own health and behaviour.

agggtm · 01/06/2026 21:53

Your brother is spoiling things and has behaved terribly but your dh is being an arse for taking it out on you. And presumably the baby would have still cried if you were there. Who would have got up if you were both there?

MrDobbs · 01/06/2026 21:52

Obviously your brothers behaviour is ruining the holiday and it's normal for your husband to be annoyed by this. Maybe it wasn't a great idea to invite your brother etc, but, whatever should or should not have happened, I can completely understand why you can't leave your brother when he is having a hypo.

Whether it's self inflicted or not, it's dangerous but it seems people think you should just leave him to it, and get on with your holiday and looking after your kids. Instead you chose to do something that potentially prevented a very dangerous situation for your brother.

redboxerclub · 01/06/2026 21:50

It’s quite strange taking your brother on a family holiday without other adults. If there was another family member or his partner it would be ok but you have created a weird dynamic with three adults. How old are you?

He needs to stop drinking. don’t leave you kids with him he can’t be trusted. And yes he would get short shrift from me - what a dickhead. Sound like a child.

Hollycoco · 01/06/2026 21:48

Team husband.

Your Mum is babying and enabling her irresponsible adult son. You are now also doing the same.

God help his future wife, if he ever finds someone willing to put with him and his enabling Mum and Sister.

Manxexile · 01/06/2026 21:48

DysmalRadius · 01/06/2026 20:46

Why is your brother on holiday with you!??!

This ^!!!

vanessashanessa99 · 01/06/2026 21:48

Nope he is not. You shouldn't have invited your brother. He sounds a total liability who you will have to babysit the whole holiday. He needs to grow up and realise T1D means he can't just do what he wants any more. And i hope you got him insurance incase he decides to drink himself stupid and need medical intervention.

Notsosweetcaroline · 01/06/2026 21:48

Bit shitty of you op. Your brother has behaved terribly, he went out drinking on his own, caused himself to be ill knowing what would happen, he did it deliberately, your husband is now solo caring for the kids,whilst you do for your brother and it’s your husband you’re annoyed at.

how on earth is that ok, your husband is right and pandering to your brother doesn’t help him,

Missey85 · 01/06/2026 21:47

Your partner is right he did ruin the holiday his a grown man not a baby

Sassylovesbooks · 01/06/2026 21:44

T1 diabetes, when it's diagnosed young, can be challenging when that child enters their teens. They can be resentful that they can't eat/drink in the same way as their friends. My cousin's son is T1 diabetes, and was diagnosed as a child, and I remember my cousin saying that his son, was difficult with making the right choices.

However, at 22 your brother is not a young teenager, he's an adult. He knows what he can and can't eat/drink, and how important it is to manage his diabetes. Your brother chose to go to the bar and drink, all the whilst knowing, he can't due to his diabetes. He's being immature and irresponsible.

Your partner is correct, and has every right to be extremely annoyed with your brother. The first night on holiday, your brother has got pissed, caused you to have to stay in his room to monitor him and is hung over.

Your brother needs a rocket up his arse and told in no uncertain terms that he's bang out of order. He owes you all a very big apology. You also need to stop enabling your brother's behaviour, by making excuses for him.

WaltzingWaters · 01/06/2026 21:41

Yep, I’d be pretty pissed off if I were your DP.

LadyWiddiothethird · 01/06/2026 21:39

Put him on a flight home,he sounds a nightmare.What a weird thing to do,taking him on holiday with you!

mindutopia · 01/06/2026 21:39

Yeah, I’d be pretty pissed if BIL rocked up on our family holiday, got pissed and had a hypo and Dh had to go babysit him. Let’s be honest, he’s not having hypos because he’s T1. Lots of people are T1 and mange holidays just fine. I have a similar condition (not diabetes, but I need medication 4x a day or I can basically drop into a coma). I can holiday just fine, because I’m not acting like a drunken twat.

He’s being irresponsible and bringing your 22 year old brother who’s going to treat it all like a piss up on your holiday with your young children was always a stupid idea. Yes, I’d say he’s on the way to ruining the holiday and I’d be packing him off home if he doesn’t sort himself out. Lots of people with chronic health conditions manage to have lovely holidays without being twats, especially around other people’s children.

Tableforjoan · 01/06/2026 21:36

Your brother cannot be responsible for your children at all.

you need to stop babying him.
No wonder dh is fed up.

Notasbigasithink · 01/06/2026 21:34

Lisatron · 01/06/2026 20:42

I'm currently away in Spain with DP, DD4, DS1 and my brother (22), I'm quite close to my brother and he comes over often when we're at home.

In the past he has struggled mentally, he's also T1 diabetic and while as a teen he ate alot of sugary things and didn't do his insulin and as a result he was very unwell. He's also got a habit of drinking too much which he can't do and he was once left by his ‘ friends’ when he had q hypo so I do worry about him lot, even though it's well managed he can make silly decisions especially when struggling.

Our mum mentioned to me before we left that he had been acting off again but he was saying he was “fine”, I hadn't noticed anything but I obviously kept it in mind.

We got here Saturday and it was already off to a bad start due to our flight being delayed, yesterday was good until last night when brother disappeared without saying where he was going. It turns out he was in a bar drinking on his own.

Long story short, he had a hypo and was argumentative when I was trying to help him, DP had our children with him and I was with my brother, he was eventually fine but I stayed with him in his room to keep an eye on him. He's spent the day in his room sleeping off his hangover

Dp wasn't pleased about me staying in his hotel room as the baby kept waking and he said “so much for a relaxing holidays” (as if we could get one with kids anyway) and was annoyed that he hasn't joined us so far after we paid for the holiday and has said it's like having another kid but instead we have a manchild acting like a moody teenager so tonight we've argued because he's annoyed that I'm obviously worried about my brother
he's now stormed out too after saying he's ruined the holiday

AIBU here or is he?

Fucking ridiculous behaviour from an adult and he is ruining your holiday.
I. Team husband here and I'd be really fucked off with you too! You've really shown where your priorities lie which clearly isn't your children or marriage.
Can't you see that your brother is an attention seeking manchild and you and your mother have enabled this behaviour all his life,?
Wake up and start focusing in your family before your husband (and quite rightly so) tells you he wants a divorce!

JLou08 · 01/06/2026 21:34

YABU. Your brother is an adult, he didn't need a babysitter in his room all night. I'd be annoyed if I was your DH.

S0j0urn4r · 01/06/2026 21:28

Team DP. Your brother is 22 not 12.

Londonrach1 · 01/06/2026 21:28

He did ruin the holiday! Your dp is right. Yabu. Your brother is a grown adult stop treating him like a toddler..it's his decision to drink and eat things when he knows he has diabetes...

Lisatron · 01/06/2026 21:28

We invited my brother on holiday because we are close, and yes he does come over regularly but usually of an evening when DP is at work (as he works shifts) and the dc are in bed. When my mum went away she did ask me to keep an eye on brother for her which I did as she does worry about him. Although he does usually control his diabetes pretty well most of the time.

DP also thought he could have the dc for a few hours on this holiday whilst we have time to ourselves and the dc do adore him and vice versa.

He is embarrassed today and feeling sorry for himself more than anything and has begged me not to tell DM

OP posts:
Anyahyacinth · 01/06/2026 21:28

I disagree with most other posters 22 can still be an immature age. Sounds like your DB is struggling as many people do with diabetes and the demands and burdens it puts upon you. I’m not sure how your DH can complain you left him to manage and then storm off in a huff…what a hypocrite

rebus · 01/06/2026 21:25

You are completely unreasonable, and I'm struggling to understand how you can't see it.

Your dp is completely in the right. You are wrong, wrong, wrong.

Send bro home and try to salvage the rest of your family holiday if that might be possible.