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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be annoyed at overbearing parents?

13 replies

EricNorthmansFangBanger · 28/11/2012 20:15

DD1 is staying with grandparents this weekend. For a long long time, pretty much every time they come up to visit, I feel under lots of pressure to have the house to their standard. So for example, if there's any crumbs on the surfaces in the kitchen then a comment is usually made. I spend literally the whole morning of the day they come to make the place as perfectly presentable as I can and then try and keep it that way. It's not the easiest of tasks with 2 DD's, the youngest of which is a whirlwind. The house is not a mess, but I'm always made to feel as though it is.

Our banister is a white one, it shows up the smallest of marks. When my dad came a few weeks ago to pick up DD1 to stay over for a night he must have whinged to my mum about the banister, as she said about cleaning it. I went and looked along the banister after I got off the phone and there was a tiny smudge mark on it. I wipe it down when I get a chance, it was not filthy as was mentioned, just one smudge on it.

We have a single bed to put up for DD1, but are waiting on the mattress to be delivered before we put it up. I spoke to my mum earlier and my dad says in the background 'I'll put up that bed on Sunday when I bring DD1 back' Hmm For one, I don't want an empty frame up taking up room when we are hard pushed for room as it is. Secondly, we are more than capable to put up the bed ourselves. He is like this with literally everything, he cannot leave alone no matter how many times told. I get that he's trying to help, I understand that but it shouldn't take me having to tell him lots and lots of times for him to listen to me.

I'm dreading this weekend, as he always goes 'I'll just nip to the toilet' every time he is here and he is very blatantly checking upstairs. For what, I have no idea, but at the moment the only room that has a door on upstairs is the toilet so it's not like we can close all the doors to every room. We found mould in our bedroom yesterday on the wall so we have moved our bed into DD1's room while we treat it. DD1 doesn't mind, in fact she's quite enjoying having us in her room. I just know that when my dad sees our bed in her room I'll get lots of questions and 'you need to do this etc etc etc'. The plan is to treat the area, repaint it and then move both DD's into that room as it's the biggest bedroom. We'll move to DD1's current room and DD2's room will eventually become the room for DC3 when we have money to redecorate. We don't have much storage room so to speak, so we currently have storage boxes in our bedroom. This is also seen as a problem for them.

I'm not in the mood for an argument with them, my dad is the main problem really. He doesn't listen, he makes me feel like a child. It doesn't matter what I say to him. I know something will be said this weekend. AIBU to have had enough of all of this? Or should I just put up with it all?

OP posts:
whatatwat · 28/11/2012 20:21

would you let anyone else treat you or your home like that? no? why let them then.
do they pay your bills? own your house?

PickledInAPearTree · 28/11/2012 20:22

What the fuck! That's so rude.

If my mother says anything like that I tell her she is perfectly welcome to clean it.

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 28/11/2012 20:25

Nod, smile, tell him you have no idea what you would do without him, thank him for the advice but tell him on no account to do anything himself, he is there to see you/the children not work, and let him go away happy.
Then do what you want in the house and nobody need get upset/be hurt or anything unpleasant.
I am about to be "that poster" who reminds you that one day when he's gone you'll think "I'll phone Dad, he'll know" and he won't be there. Sorry, am missing my Dad just now, but try and make the most of yours while he's around. You're his little girl and no matter how old or competent or capable you are (and he does know it really) you will always be his little girl, and his way of saying he loves you is to "do stuff" for you like you needed him to when you were small. :)

EricNorthmansFangBanger · 28/11/2012 20:28

I don't have a clue why I let them say things like that to be honest. I have gotten more assertive as the years have gone on, but still can't just tell them where to go. They don't pay our bills or own our house, but they have helped us out a hell of a lot in the past. They helped pay when we got the house refurbished, paid a lot to be honest. We wouldn't have done it at that time as we couldn't afford it, but I was expecting DD2 and they pretty much said it had to be done. I agree it did, the house was in an awful state and I am forever grateful that they paid quite a bit of money to make the house a lot better for us to live in.

I am quite meek in some ways, my parents less so. They're approaching 50 and I'm 25, yet I am made to feel like a child sometimes. If I say anything, I end up getting my ear chewed off or my mum does. Yes, at the moment things aren't perfect, but there's not a lot we can do about that at present. I am very grateful for all the help they have given us, but I am fed up of the feeling of being watched for any mistakes I make if that makes sense?

OP posts:
PurplePidjChickIsNotTheMessiah · 28/11/2012 20:35

"Wow, Dad, way to make me feel better about myself" with this look Hmm

Or, simply, "That's what you get for having a daughter who knows she needs to work to get what she wants" and roll your eyes on the inside.

LemonBreeland · 28/11/2012 20:37

My Mum used to be a bit like this, commenting on the tidiness and cleanliness or not, of my house. I think she eventually realised I don't have her ridiculous ocd standards.

You need to say to your parents that you are an adult now and you can run your own house and will keep it to the standards you wish. If they don't like it, tough

BegoniaBampot · 28/11/2012 20:41

Don't agree Pom - some parents and fathers are just rude pains in the arses. if you let them treat you like a child and talk down to you all the time then fine, put up with it. Being a father doesn't make you lovely and right and we won't all miss them when they go.

NatashaBee · 28/11/2012 20:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

porridgewithalmondmilk · 28/11/2012 21:01

My dad is the same - it's awful, so irritating and upsetting. Looking for useful advice myself!

DeWe · 28/11/2012 21:05

Mil can be like this. If the dc see me doing feverish cleaning they ask if grandma is coming.

The stupid thing is her house is tidy, but they have a 4 bed with only her and fil in it, but I find it quite dirty. There's always cobwebs all over, dead flies on the kitchen windowsill and by the patio door, and don't ask me about the live spider in her fridge Hmm

MoreBeta · 28/11/2012 21:07

What I suggest is this.

Before they come next time, make sure you have a stock of cleaning fluids,, cloths, brushes, etc really handy under the kitchen sink.

Then when they comment, you just pull open the kitchen sink cupboard door and whip out the relevant cleaning material and hand it to him/her, then smile sweetly, say thankyou for pointing it out and ask them to go and clean it up for you.

They will stop doing it. Guaranteed. Wink

ThatDudeSanta · 28/11/2012 21:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LemonBreeland · 28/11/2012 21:20

Santa that is brilliant.

I think sometimes parents still see you as a child they can tell what to do. And maybe like Santa says they don't actually realise how rude they are being.

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