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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Argument with DH regarding MIL...

69 replies

PeppermintLatte · 06/08/2012 18:47

DH went balistic at me earlier today regarding MIL seeing our DD. i will apologise in advance if i post some boring facts but i don't want to drip feed (hate it when posters do that)

MIL is a lovely lady, no problems of not getting on etc.. we live in a village and she lives about a 20 minute drive from us. she is retired, doesn't have many hobbies or interests, she isn't alone, she lives with FIL and BIL and his wife (they have no kids and are moving out in october) she sees her sisters and brothers regularly, but doesn't really have friends. i want to let you know as well incase you feel it's relevant that she is unwell, she has problems with her heart and although it's under control at the moment, DH obviously worries that she will probably not get to a ripe old age.

she see's DD about once a week, sometimes more if we go for dinner at her house or she comes to ours. without fail everytime she wants to see DD she will ring me on the day and make me feel awkward if i say we have plans. she NEVER rings a day or two in advance, DH tells me not to ask her too ring in advance as she is set in her ways and won't listen, 70% of the time i juggle things around and let her take her for the day. she done this on friday, DD and i had plans but i let her take her as i don't really like saying no to her, i feel a bit mean.

anyway, DH rang her before, asked how she was etc... she said she was going to ring us in the moring as she wants to take DD out again for the day as she'll be stuck in bored otherwise (MIL, not DD) i have plans with DD again, we are going shopping and meeting my dad (he works away and is back for a week after being away working for a month) so i said no. once he'd got off the phone to her started moaning at me, saying she lights his mother's life up and i'd only said no because i was jealous that my own mum can't see much of our DD (my mother works every hour god sends, she is on a very low income, lives alone and can barely afford to pay her bills) this is partly true, it does piss me off that my mum can't see my DD more, it pisses my mum off too, but such as life.

i took offense and said i was sick of changing my plans, his mum should ring in advance. DH said he thought it was unfair that i got to make the decision that his mother couldn't take DD tomorrow, that his mum has rights etc... i said she's had her turn of being mum and that i had the final say.

anyway, i won't bore you with anymore of it but i am really pissed off at him, but i'm thinking am i out of order? she isn't in the best of health after all. if the phone rings in the morning i dread it if i have plans, because 9 out of 10 times it's MIL wanting DD. i know i'm lucky that she wants her, but my DD is well out of terrible toddler years and is a joy to be with. i work 2, sometimes 3 days a week so don't want to hand her over whenever MIL clicks her fingers. AIBU?

OP posts:
HappyCamel · 06/08/2012 18:51

It sounds like its your dad's turn to see her.

HecateHarshPants · 06/08/2012 18:52

Yes, you are being a bit unreasonable to say that you have the final say. Your child has a father who is entitled to an equal say. Pulling Primary Parent is not on.

But. It is not unreasonable to say that you will not drop everything to hand over your daughter on demand.

Don't answer the phone if you have plans. Tell your mil your plans in advance, perhaps, and make sure she knows you won't change them. Maybe offer her a set day that you will keep free for her?

Bearcrumble · 06/08/2012 18:53

No, you're not. She should behave like a normal person and make arrangements in advance or accept it if she rings at short notice if you have plans.

Your husband and she are both being unreasonable. He should see your POV and his attitude worries me.

Doha · 06/08/2012 18:55

I think you need to stop changing your plans for her.
If she phones tell her you have plans and offer her an alternative day.
YANBU
your DH on the other hand
IBU

sue52 · 06/08/2012 18:56

YANBU. A phone call a day or two in advance is not a difficult thing for your MIL to manage.

ddubsgirl · 06/08/2012 18:56

no granparent has rights she has seen ur dd and taken her out,you had plans and she is seeing her grandad,tough.

theboutiquemummy · 06/08/2012 18:56

You're not BU you have plans, does he go and see his mother with you seen as he is so happy to dole out your time ? if he doesnt then i suspect he may have a guilty conscience.

Don't answer the phone in the morning go and see your Dad

Let the argument go but stand your ground you've been very accommodating so far and thats enough. Sympathise over her illness with DH but you can't let it rule your life

Good Luck xox

AThingInYourLife · 06/08/2012 18:57

YANBU

Your MIL doesn't have "rights".

It's incredibly shit that both your DH and your MIL would cancel a trip to see her GF to prevent MIL being bored.

Being "stuck in her ways" is her choice.

Stop rearranging 70% of your plans because she is inconsiderate and won't call in advance.

It's not fair on your DD to keep cancelling her plans last minute.

PenisVanLesbian · 06/08/2012 18:58

She does have the final say if she is the one expected to change her plans. The father can have his say when it is his days are the ones getting messed around with.
She can ring in advance or bugger off, IMO. She'll soon learn.

LemonBreeland · 06/08/2012 18:59

YANBU she should not override your previous plans. Your dh is being ridiculous to ask you to change your plans.

Agree with not answering the phone in the mornings if you do have plans.

RaisinDEritrea · 06/08/2012 18:59

Doha I love your post, how it scans. Like a pome. ee cummings kinda thing.

anyway back to OP; you can't drop your plans all the time. How about occasionally ringing her, to pre-empt, to arrange a day convenient

Your poor dad shouldn't miss out

and yy to what Hec says

CarGirl · 06/08/2012 19:00

Why don't you try pre-empting her. Phone her and say next week we are busy on Mon and Wed already can I pencil in you seeing dd on Thurs instead so you don't miss out?

Your MIL does need to be trained to realise that you can't cancel stuff for her and that by co-operating with you that she can still see lots of your dd.

nilbyname · 06/08/2012 19:01

YANBU

AThingInYourLife · 06/08/2012 19:02

"Yes, you are being a bit unreasonable to say that you have the final say. Your child has a father who is entitled to an equal say. Pulling Primary Parent is not on."

You think the OP's DH has as equal say in how his wife spends her time?

Shock

For reals?

Holy shit, I've never heard the like.

It's pulling "primary parent" for me to decide what my girls and I get up to when he is at work?

Jesus, this "equal parent" shit has officially crossed the weird and scary line I always suspected was in the distance.

PeppermintLatte · 06/08/2012 19:04

thank you so much everyone.

theboutiquemummy yes, he does come and see his mum when we go for tea to her house etc.. but usually MIL takes DD out for the day.

HecateHarshPants i know the primary parent thing is crap, but i was angry with him.

he doesn't like that when my mum gets time off she had DD overnight, his mum can't have DD overnight due to her health. he thinks my mum gets more quality time due to this??

OP posts:
DizzyKipper · 06/08/2012 19:04

YANBU, why is it more important for his mum to see your DC than your dad, particularly when she is seeing your DD more than your dad does anyway. Don't give in. I'm also with you on MIL needing to ring in advance. You sound like a very nice and accommodating DIL really.

Trickle · 06/08/2012 19:06

No GC yet, but my mum has an unpredictable illness (chronic Daily headache with chronic migraine). She cannot make definate plans, she never knows wether she will be well enough on any given day to see anyone. If my mum can give me a day and time she will be round on the understanding she may have to cancel your MIL can plan a little in advance too. It will work like that for seeing her new GC too, I have my own life and so does DH, she respects that, we have boundries.

YANBU

HecateHarshPants · 06/08/2012 19:06

erm no, that's not what I said. At all. It's about saying that it's her child so she gets the final say.

MrsBaggins · 06/08/2012 19:07

I think he is being very unfair to expect you to drop everything you have planned but also you are unwise to have gone along with it from the start. Hope that doesnt sound harsh but then you end up being frustrated by her behaviour.
She probably doesnt realise its annoying for you to change your plans .
Your DH is being very unreasonable - you have plans to meet your DF .
Why does he think your DF is less entitled to see your DD than his DM??

I would put your foot down but arrange too see MIL on another day. I think the plan to see her on a specific day or for DD to spend time with is a good one as suggested by Hecate
I screen all my calls as i know there are times when I wont want a 45 minute call with my DF . I would suggest doing that and then return her call with "Sorry we were out MIL when would you like to meet "?

TheQueenOfDiamonds · 06/08/2012 19:07

YANBU, Your Dad hasn seen DC in a month, MIL sees her regularly.

Your OH should think himself lucky you're not like me. I cannot just change plans at the drop of a hat, and if it were me I would ignore the phone and pretend I'd already gone out by the time she rang if OH asked.

She would soon learn to prearrange things with me.

coppertop · 06/08/2012 19:09

Your MIL might only have one grandchild, but your dd has four grandparents and has a right to a relationship with all of them. Your dd hasn't seen her granddad for a month. She has seen MIL within the past week.

YANBU.

HecateHarshPants · 06/08/2012 19:10

Of course you were, Peppermint, I would have been pissed off with him too Grin and would probably have told him to sod right off. But pulling the "I get the final say" thing really gets the other parent's back up. And it's something to guard against cos the last thing you need is the two of you fighting about it.

But, like I said, not unreasonable at all to refuse to change your plans for her.

MrsBaggins · 06/08/2012 19:14

Didnt read it that she has the final say as "the primary parent" but because she has plans already and would be looking after DD on the day.
If my DH had dictated to me what I must do on the days I looked after the DC he would have had a Hmm from me and vice versa !

Pixieonthemoor · 06/08/2012 19:19

That would annoy the hell out of me too. I mean, seriously, who cant organise to call a day or two in advance or really expect that this is ok??

Can you make a pre-emptive strike? What I mean is, can you call her on a Monday morning and say "right, we have plans on Tues am, Wed all day and Fri pm. Any other time you fancy then do give me a call and we can organise". Then you are totally within your rights to refuse to change your plans if she asks.

HecateHarshPants · 06/08/2012 19:23

Well, clearly I just read it differently then. She's had her turn being mum and I get the final say. If it had been I am the one at home with her, so I get the final say, then I would have read it that way. It's no big deal, just different opinions/interpretations.

Doesn't change the fact that her mil needs to give more notice and doesn't have a right to make them change their plans. It's just the sort of thing that it's good to guard against in case it makes the other parent feel resentful. Like - it's my money so I get the final say, for example.