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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to not want MIL to fly in on her broomstick in January

29 replies

foggyfig · 18/12/2010 14:36

I know that there have been a lot of MIL threads here recently so I will apologise for starting another.

My MIL and I have always had a 'polite' relationship. I have always bitten my tongue when she has criticised me or my parenting skills, until a few years ago. Have always welcomed her to my house, encouraged H to visit her, and done all the right things so that she saw the DC as much as possible.

Five years ago my dear Mum passed away. While I was in the midst of funeral preparations, all MIL could do was ring up every day to hassle H about how she wanted to go the funeral but didn't know how to get there as it was too far for her to drive. It was all about her, too bad that I was in the middle of a very tumultous time in my life.

I appreciated that she wanted to go to the funeral but did not think it was our responsibility. I wanted to be able to drive with my family so that we could have family time before the service.

The end result was that my eldest son (18 at the time) was coerced into driving her and H's sister. I was furious but held it together.

Roll on 12 months, and MIL rang up the night before my birthday and as was her habit, chatted to H, and then asked him to say Happy Birthday. That was when I lost my temper over her behaviour that had been ongoing over the previous 20 years.

H wanted us to discuss it over the phone, but I refused to. She has a habit of twisting words. Because I wouldn't talk to her she wrote me a letter. In it she outlined the fact that she never wanted us to marry, I was not a good wife, I never did family stuff (totally untrue, I did a lot of family stuff), I helped her with her husband when he needed respite care, organised family Christmas functions etc.

The upshot of this was that she decided to never come and stay with us again. Thank God, I thought.

Carry on to now, earlier in the year, MIL booked herself into a hostel to live, but hates it. Whinges about it all the time.

In January H's sisters are going away for a month. Because she hates her hostel so much H has asked MIL to come here for a week. She has said yes.

AIBU to think that she should have kept her promise and not darkened my doorstep again?

AIBU to think H is a little of line by asking her to visit before he asked me if I minded her to visit?

OP posts:
SantasENormaSnob · 18/12/2010 18:19

Yanbu

saintknickerless · 18/12/2010 18:59

No way would I let anyone stay in my home who had said (or wrote) those things to me until I had had a full and genuine apology.

Piggles · 18/12/2010 21:46

It sounds to me as if you have put yourself out to be a pleasant and reasonable DIL and your MIL has repaid you by behaving quite obnoxiously in return. If my MIL behaved like that I'd definitely be hoping she'd never darken my doorstep again.

I just can't believe your DH allowed her to get away with that letter and has invited her to stay without checking if you mind! Shock I'd be wanting an apology before I even thought about forgiving that and allowing her into my home again. The fact she is DH's mother does not give her the right to be rude and nasty to you. She doesn't have to like you and be all nicey nicey - thats her right, but uncalled for rudeness is just never acceptable or forgettable IMO.

KatieSantaPawskitty · 18/12/2010 22:45

I'd be photocopying that letter and posting it up in choice locations around the house:

Where she'll see it while sat on the loo

A copy either side of her bed

A framed copy in the lounge

Just to see if she ever mentions it at all. Sounds to me like she's got plans to stay longer than you might like OP or why else would she be doing an about turn like this?

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