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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed at MIL touching my things

91 replies

Vicky08 · 23/08/2011 11:11

We're on day 2 of a 10 day stay with PIL in their house. I only agreed to it because we'd been on holiday with my parents and it didn't seem fair to not do something with PIL too, they live a 3 hour drive from us. The spare bedroom is quite small but that's fine with me but that does mean that sometimes it's not as tidy as usual. There are four of us, my DC are both under 3 so we have quite a lot of stuff. I try to leave everything as organised as possibe but that's not good enough for MIL. She insists on going in and tidying up herself which means moving everything about, taking things oiut of the room, putting them elsewhere etc. One of many examples is that I had left the baby's bottle on the bedside table to give him after I'd sorted out my DDs breakfast, when I went back to get it it wasn't there, MIL had taken it, thrown out the milk and put the bottle into the dishwasher!!! She said she thought he didn't want it!!! I got angry and she told me that this is her house not a hotel and she can go into the rooms she wants. I realise it's her house and so I try to help her and give her as little work as possible but in mu opinion that doesn't mean she can go into the bedroom I'm sleeping in where all my things are and touch what she wants. DH said he'll talk to her but can't see much changing, there's no way I can stay here for 8 more days!

OP posts:
Laquitar · 23/08/2011 17:22

Lock the door and tell her that it is a habit you cant get rid off or some kind of psychological condition that makes you locking doors.
We might help you and find a name for it.

Laquitar · 23/08/2011 17:23

ok you suffer from LDS!

HeifferunderConstruction · 23/08/2011 17:35

some boundaries need to be put in place I think

PicaK · 23/08/2011 17:38

Is it a generational thing?

Stayed with my mil one Xmas - picked up a d&v virus that was making me feel unwell on the journey there and really took hold that night. Mortified that I threw up repeatedly but couldn't help it - too ill to get up the next day.

DH takes DS out to the park later that morning. She taps on the door - I say I'm fine, just feel unwell. She comes in, I pull the covers up and say I'm really not feeling well. So she comes over, pulls the covers off the bed, looks at me and says "it'll pass" and walks out.

She tells DH I prob just ate too many chocolates - WTF!

I sympathise but I'm useless and just took it so have no words of wisdom to offer.

sprinkles77 · 23/08/2011 17:45

It is her house not a hotel. Kind of confused as the going into your room and tidying it is what a chambermaid in a hotel does. But moving your stuff about outside your room is what a control freak does.

I'd say thanks for tidying and letting us stay. I'll try not to leave stuff lying about around the rest of the house, but with us all staying in one room it's all a bit chaotic, so please could she just leave the room alone as other wise you can't find stuff, and of course you will leave the room as you found it when you leave. If she's worried about mess, tell her anything that gets moved outside the room might get forgotten when you go. What will the baby do if you have left the bottle there!? It'll go hungry till you can get another one! Poor baby starved by own grandmother!
Definitely leave asap. And don't stay there again for a while, as least not for more than a night or 2.

WhoseGotMyEyebrows · 23/08/2011 18:43

Laquitar ok you suffer from LDS!

Who does? What's LDS?

Laquitar · 23/08/2011 19:42

WhoseGotMyEyebrows , Locking Doors Syndrome (don't google it, i've made it up)
Read my post above that Grin

kangers · 23/08/2011 19:49

vivky- I would tell her that you are here for her- because she always calls and wants you to come. But you need her to treat the room as out of bounds when you are there- OTHERWISE YOU WILL LEAVE. Give her one more chance. That is fair. If she still insists on coming in then go, and on her head be it- talk to her with your husband/partner at your side supporting you- and with FIL there too.

kangers · 23/08/2011 19:50

Ooop Vicky

fedupofnamechanging · 23/08/2011 20:02

I would have said 'it might be your home but it's my stuff you are touching'. Surely everyone knows that you stay out of a guest bedroom until they have gone.

Malificence, am horrified by the thought of my private letters being read by my mum or mil. I hate it when my mum even reads birthday cards from my dh, so have taken to leaving them in my bedroom, where I'm almost sure she won't snoop.

2rebecca · 23/08/2011 21:38

I agree she shouldn't be entering the room to move stuff around, but think some of you must live in huge houses if you have bedrooms you never need to go in to to get stuff out of when guests stay. Do you have several spare bedrooms with completely empty wardrobes and drawers?
I don't live in a hotel so all our rooms have our stuff in them. I clear some space for guests but would still have to go in the rooms to get some stuff if they were staying for 8 days.
I do regard the bedrooms as "theirs" whilst guests are with us though and just pop in (usually when I know they are downstairs) to get stuff. I would never touch their stuff.

mistlethrush · 23/08/2011 21:55

The thing is, she says that she's not running a hotel - but she's not being a gracious host either. And, to be frank, you'd get more privacy in terms of people not moving your belongings if you were in a hotel.

BootyMum · 23/08/2011 22:18

Agree with all the posters who say leave now and check into a hotel.

That will take the wind out of her sails.

Rude woman [her, not you]

YANBU!

MumblingRagDoll · 23/08/2011 22:25

My MIl did this when we had to stay there..it's unbelieble really. With so many MIL horror stories about you would think they'd make an EFFORT to be polite nd normal!

Mine was folding up my effng knickers!

HipHopOpotomus · 23/08/2011 22:33

YANBU - she sounds like control freak and/or nosy parker

SouthernFriedTofu · 23/08/2011 22:38

YA definitly NBU

BUt you are leaving so no need to worry :)

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