Cheeky SIL

[cocomamia]

Trying to decide if I should confront SIL or let it slide... almost every time my SIL visits our home, she would 'borrow' something.

Small value items like supermarket shopping bags, or the last bag of crisps, or keychain, or a pair of scissors. That would be the last I saw of those items...

She is not stingy though, as she would often buy snacks and toys for my DC. So it's not like she can't afford those things

I don't mind the financial value, but it is the hassle of having to replace these items... not sure what I would say to her without damaging the relationship

Use your voice and say no. What is stopping you?

I wouldn't be bothered about shopping bags but why would she need to take your scissors? They are something you need to have at home so surely she needs to buy, not borrow.

Confront her and say what? You sound very petty.

Surely you just say for God's sake every time you come here, you take something! Put that down now and don't take anything again.

Just say this is the last time - can I have my x,y,z back next time you come

Next time you're at her house ask for the thing back

Is it petty though? It's the inconvenience that her actions have caused.

Compares to the grief my sister in law gives me this is small fry.

What has she done?

Interfering in my family, my work, stealing large sums of money, making up lies to create distance between her siblings and their mother, spreading rumours, pitting the kids against each other. I’d GIVE her my scissors to go away. Just ask her to bring them back, job done.

And I’m not even acknowledging the carrier bags. No one cares about that surely.

Yeah. It is petty.

I wonder if it could be a compulsion to steal. Does she actually need the things she takes? Does she ask to borrow things and not return them, or does she just take without asking?