MIL keeps taking things from my house

[TheSillyBalonz]

In recent times when my MIL has been baby sitting my 2 dd will say the Grandma has taken stuff. First time she raided our snack cupboard to take things home, one time I mentioned I had some nice paper, she said she had already taken it. Then most recently my youngest dd said Grandma had been routing through her things to find a specific toy that was a gift she had given to my youngest which she was now taking back to give to her other grandchild. They are not short of money.

This is wierd right or just me?

My FIL used to do this. It drove me absolutely spare. Anything I saw in his house that he'd stolen from mine came straight back.

Fuck no! I’d be telling (not asking) her to bring it right back, and she wouldn’t be allowed back in if I couldn’t trust her not to steal.

Taking the kids toys is unbelievable.

Don’t have her baby sitting in future. Thieving cow can’t be trusted.

@Zempy she also asked my dd to not tell us how late they had gone to sleep!

My ex-MIL did this. She just couldn't help herself. She nicked stuff everywhere. One of the worst ones was when we'd rented a holiday house, which happened to have lovely gardens, and she went round wrenching chunks of every plant she fancied as 'cuttings' - apparently completely unaware she was ruining a garden that didn't even belong to us, let alone her! She'd come to our house and just calmly rifle through your stuff and if she fancied something she'd either pocket it or say 'ooh, I'd use this, you won't, will you?' No shame at all.

My mil used to do this. Would raid my kitchen cupboards & pile stuff into a bag to take home always the chocolate, sweets, crisps, coffee?!
stopped when I told her we weren’t running a free food bank and that why i didnt mind her taking the odd thing she was heavily eating into our money doing this.

My FIL and his wife used to do this before they thankfully stopped visiting. Just used to help themselves, him particularly. Bastards were wealthier than us and always really tight with gifts.

My BIL stole a really nice shirt from me. I found out when I saw his GF wearing it.

That family are all wealthy c*nts. NC with all of them now thank god.

This is mental!

Your DH needs to talk to her.

People do this? People tolerate others doing this? Are the theiving family members well? No dementia?

This is absolutely barmy. Someone steals something from my house and I'd tell them off loudly and publicly. I would carry on for a very long time. I'd embarrass the hell out of them. They'd never do it a second time.

What did you say to her when she said she had taken your nice paper??

"one time I mentioned I had some nice paper, she said she had already taken it."

And what was your reply?

Shocked that this is apparently so common!

Your mother in law is not a safe person to have around your child.

This!

Bit of a reach there

Encouraging children to keep secrets from their parents is a safeguarding concern.

What the fuck?! I've thankfully never had this happen, but she'd not be setting foot in my house ever again -certainly not without me being there to monitor her every move. Absolutely no more babysitting. Shameless.

My friends MIL used to take all her toilet roll when she visited.

It also became apparent all the gifts she bought the grandkids were small and easily pocketable from giftshops....

She either a kleptomaniac in which case she needs professional help or she sees you or her son as her property somehow ? So your stuff is hers. Is she enmeshed with him? Does she steal everywhere? If not she can stop doing it from your house.

If it's only started happening recently I'd worry that Grandma has got dementia or another issue impacting her cognition.

Letting the kids stay up late and then saying a cheeky "don't tell your parents!" Is quite standard and really not a big problem.

Could she be unwell?

I can't remember what my response was, it can't have been clear because I never did get the paper back! Must admit I do need to improve my communication skills.

What’s your DPs view? Also think it’s weird or is this something she’s done for years.

Have to admit I had to Google what enmeshed was and I think your on to something there. I have told my husband he needs to start setting boundaries which he refuses to do, he'd rather just have counselling about his family than have to deal with the fallout.