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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

..to want to keep my SIL at arm's length (Chapter 2!)

28 replies

Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 13:53

This is a continuation of my previous conversation a few weeks ago (see my previous posting).

MY DH agreed to write to his SIL and drafted a firm but reasonable letter to her. He keeps putting off sending it and I realise now that he doesn't want to do it. It is creating alot of tension between us.

Do I just bite the bullet and do it myself?

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ChaosTrulyReigns · 09/11/2011 13:56

Could you link to previous thread please?

MorelliOrRanger · 09/11/2011 13:57

Any link to your previous thread. I haven't read it.

However in answer to your question here - YANBU to want to do that but I think it's up to your hubby to send the letter to his sis. (this of course without knowing the whole story).

cjbartlett · 09/11/2011 14:05

Yes a link would be good
Who can can be arsed to search , lol
So you don't like your sil?

DuchessofHaphazard · 09/11/2011 14:07

Previous thread

and now I have to go into a meeting...

SkinnyGirlBethany · 09/11/2011 14:07

Is this the same sil who is horrible to your dc's? She doesn't like kids with sn? If so Yanbu she is horrid.

wheredidiputit · 09/11/2011 14:09

here Chaostrulyreigns.

I would just post it myself. Your DH knows how your SIL will react and is putting her needs above you and your dd.

blackeyedsusan · 09/11/2011 14:21

ahhh the unhinged sil who wants to be dd's mentor.

ShoutyHamster · 09/11/2011 15:06

Yes remember your first thread.

You wouldn't be unreasonable to send it yourself... because this is an issue which very much affects YOU. And you want, quite reasonably, to get it sorted.

Sit down with your DH and point out that SIL is what she is. Him ignoring the situation (or trying to) or (worse still) writing letters as a sop to you and then staying firmly on the fence won't make the situation better, it will make it worse because SIL will still be mad and unpleasant but in addition to that, YOU will start to lose respect for him and start to believe that he puts her peace of mind above yours. And that is a dangerous position for him to try and take.

Point out that how to deal with this situation has been much discussed, and a solution has been found. If he does not want to stick to what has been decided, and to send the letter (or any sort of communication which tells her where to go), then that is his decision, but a letter will still be sent, because YOU will send one. Point out that it is your right to do so - she has been and is badly affecting your life, and potentially that of your DD. He isn't in control of whether a letter gets sent and whether your DD is kept away from her or not. That's the bottom line.

Of course, it would be better if it came from him. That would have a double benefit:
-it would have more credence in SIL's/MIL's eyes and give less space for comeback;
-it would reassure you and DD that he is on the side of your own family and does not support her unreasonable behaviour.

So you could say, choose. If you don't send a letter, I will - and it will have to be quite a different sort of letter - because basically it will have to cut contact with BOTH of them, PERMANENTLY. Because if the letter comes from you alone, it will merely inflame SIL - 'You're taking my brudder away!' - and you refuse to deal with that. So you will have to state that you no longer wish for either of them to be in your lives. Needless to say, you then assume that SIL will ramp up the manipulation tenfold, and that will ALL be on his plate, because you will have NOTHING FURTHER TO DO WITH IT. So if he wants to pile on his own stress - simultaneously inviting an onslaught from SIL, as well as completely undermining his own marriage - be your guest. You'll at least know where you stand when it comes to him supporting you and DD, when the chips are down.

If a letter comes from him, it has more strength in their eyes, and (as discussed) allows for the possibility that MIL can still be a part of your lives. That is of course the much nicer and less stressful option.

I know what I would decide if I were him. Shame on him, actually - and silly man - acting like this really isn't going to make this problem disappear.

Your main aim I assume is to protect your DD from her craziness, so if you keep that in mind you can't go far wrong. Thank God for distance eh?!

worraliberty · 09/11/2011 15:17

No, you would be very very wrong to send it.

If you want to send one then send a letter you've written yourself...or better still, ring your SIL and speak to her.

It sounds to me from reading this OP and reading your other thread, the problem is more between you and your SIL and MIL and your DH appears to be caught in the middle.

If there's a reason he doesnt' want to send it, you should respect that imo.

Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 16:09

Sorry guys, here is the link:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a1333845-AIBU-to-want-to-keep-my-SIL-at-arms-length

OP posts:
Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 16:10

Yes, that's the one

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Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 16:16

Many thanks Shoutyhamster. That sounds like a balanced solution

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Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 16:18

No, sorry - Must be another SIL problem! I should have posted link, but it's there now, I think.

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Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 17:26

SORRY - HAVING TROUBLE PASTING THE CORRECT LINK. WILL TRY AGAIN

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Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 17:29

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1323504-AIBU-to-want-to-keep-SIL-at-arms-length

OK - THIS IS THE CORRECT LINK. PREVIOUS ONE IS INCORRECT. APOLOGIES FOR ANY CONFUSION.

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worraliberty · 09/11/2011 17:35

Well I've read all your SIL threads now and she obviously causes you problems.

However, the one thing I've notice amongst all those threads about her is the you don't like her and you don't like how she treats your kids etc....

There seems to be little or no mention of your DH's feelings towards his own sister.

Why are you dragging him into this? Did he decided to write the letter of his own back or do you think he did it under duress because you don't like her?

It might explain why he doesnt' want to send it.

Either way, no you should definitely not send it on his behalf...that would be a total breech of trust.

worraliberty · 09/11/2011 17:37

And excuse my spelling, it's these stupid low energy light bulbs! Hmm

Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 17:48

He's been aware for a long time that his sis has problems and he wasn't happy about what had happened on our last visit to SIL and MIL. I was going to write to SIL after responses to my original post, but the general consensus was that it would be better coming from DH. He thought it better coming from him too, but when it came to the crunch... he thinks his sis might take it really badly.

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worraliberty · 09/11/2011 17:50

I think she would take it really badly too.

Imo you are the one who has a problem with her (well way more than your DH anyway) so I really wouldn't drag him into this.

Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 18:10

I never really had a problem with her - I always tried to make allowances for her. Then after what happened on our last visit (as per my original post), because she had cried on DD's shoulder and then told me she'd hated me for 20 years, it was hard to carry on as before.

She had been very unhappy about my PG in the first place but I had put all that to one side, and while we lived in London, made her feel a part her in our lives (took her on hols with us etc). I feel I've really tried with her.

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Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 18:14

Worraliberty - just want to check that you've got the right link. There were 2 with the same name, so there was some confusion - sorry!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1323504-AIBU-to-want-to-keep-SIL-at-arms-length

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warthog · 09/11/2011 18:21

then i think you have to send the letter. do you want to run it by us?

worraliberty · 09/11/2011 18:24

Yes I read it Smile

But I still stand by what I said. It really does seem to be more about your feelings and less about your DH's...perhaps she affects you more?

Either way, it sounds to me as though he didn't really want to write the letter in the first place...but as he has, it's definitely not your place to send it behind his back if he doesn't want to send it.

Bobbymac · 09/11/2011 18:31

I wouldn't dream of sending it behind his back - there was originally a possibility of me writing to her (with DH's knowledge of course) , and I reconsidered that possibility.

Regardless of my own feelings (and how SIL feels about me) , I don't want DD caught up in any more manipulation (which is what was happening)

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