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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Drama loving SIL and her awful parenting

163 replies

FobblyWoof · 26/12/2012 21:21

Uh, sorry this is way more of a rant than an AIBU but I just have to get it out.

Went to MIL for Christmas lunch yesterday. Got there at half two (they don't eat til gone three) and it was clear that SIL had been drinking. She's not a big drinker so whatever she has goes to her head but she'd definitely had too much. Her DC are 4 and 2.

It's christmas, so i understand wanting a drink but It transpired after lunch that her DP had also been drinking but hadn't had as much as SIL. The kids generally run rampant anyway. When they're calm they're lovely to be around but more often than not that's not the case. By 4pm they were both shattered. They'd been up since 3.30 that morning and it had clearly been a long day.

SIL went for a lie down upstairs (after spending ages ignoring the kids while she used her ipad. This is not a new thing) and when she came down her DP said he was taking the kids home. They live literally around the corner and the kids were both in tears and had got to the point where they couldn't be reasoned with. SIL then has a go at her DP, the gist being that she's having a good time and there's no way they're leaving. This included him and the kids.

He's a complete wet lettuce and just sat there sulking in the corner. Meanwhile both children keep falling over through exhaustion. The two year old asked MIL for a drink and spilt it everywhere because she couldn't even hold it. All the while SIL is sat on her useless arse ignoring them. they continue the scream, and no one is saying anything.

My DP (SIL's brother) had been in the kitchen so I told him what was happening. He calls SIL over (because he can usually get through to her), and says that her kids are clearly unhappy, let her DP take them home and we will take her back later so she can have a good time.

My DP then goes through to speak to her DP (politiely telling him to man up because his kids are more important) and SIL storms upstairs accusing my DP of calling her a bad mum etc. She is, but he didn't say that, nor did he imply it. MIL then runs up to talk to her.

Ten minutes later she's downstairs ready to go. My DP goes to apologise to her (because everyone in the family has been taught to pander to her) and she lays into him saying how much of a good mother she is even when drunk (she's not) and how even though we have DD now (who is less than a year) he doesn't know better etc.

Just to note, before we had DD she knew better than us because she was a parent, despite that fact she's much younger, has no life experience and is uneducated and now that we have DD we still don't know better than her.

So then we have to reassure her that's not the case and no one was criticising her because no one wants to see her lose it. She then left and I went mad. I was so unbelievably pissed off that not only had she been a shit parent, she creates drama and we all have to feed into it (because MIL has never EVER called her up on it) but she brought (albeit inadvertently) my PFB into it. Please also note that my 10mo is better behaved than her four year old.

Then we had to act normal with her today! I suppose I have to have an AIBU, so AIBU to still be shaking with rage every time I think of her and her stupid face?

That feels so much better Xmas Grin

OP posts:
gimmecakeandcandy · 26/12/2012 21:27

No yanbu - she IS a SHIT parent an I feel very sorry for her poor children. The only thing I would caution against is thinking your pfb will never be badly behaved as that WILL happen.

I would shame her by pointing out to her how her kids feel ignored etc.

bigbuttons · 26/12/2012 21:27

you can't compare the behaviour of a 10 month old to a 4 year old.

justaboutchilledout · 26/12/2012 21:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnneNonimousLetterToSanta · 26/12/2012 21:31

YABU calling her a bad mother. That's a really awful thing to say.

LiegeAndLief · 26/12/2012 21:32

I was with you until you said your 10 mo was better behaved than her 4 yo. Babies don't exactly behave! That was a bit daft.

ChristmasNamechangeBridezilla · 26/12/2012 21:33

It was Christmas, children get tired and overwhelmed and behave badly and some parents have a drink. Not ideal but I doubt this happens often. Parenting isn't a competition although it does sound like you want it to be. Grin

itsmineitsmine · 26/12/2012 21:34

Whilst i wouldnt parent my own children like she did on this one day i would not call hera shit parent.

I have a four year old and a two year old and dont consider thr experience i had when i hsd one 10mo in any way comparable to having two under five.

JellyMould · 26/12/2012 21:34

She sounds like a nightmare! However, parenting a 10 month old is very different from a 2 and 4 year old, she's right there.

Laquitar · 26/12/2012 21:34

I was also with you until that and until the 'she is younger and uneducated'.

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 21:35

YABU! Children of 4 & 2 are exhausting. Wait till your 10 month old is 4, and the triplets I'm wishing you, are 2.

Drop your judgey knickers!

Gilberte · 26/12/2012 21:35

YANBU re your SIL's behaviour.

However 4 year olds will play up if they are tired and being completely ignored especially when you add festive hysteria into the mix.

And 10 month olds are generally the sweetest things on the planet- the toddler/pre-school years are bloody hard even for the best parent

rubyslippers · 26/12/2012 21:36

You're really mean

She's uneducated, and has no life experience

You're shaking with rage about her stupid face

You don't like her and you think you're better than her. That's the gist if your superior post

Wait till your docile baby is an overtired toddler on Xmas day

MsElleTow · 26/12/2012 21:38

YABVU to be so judgemental and sanctimonious, and this is likely to bite you very hard on the arse when your PFB is wound up like a coiled spring on Christmas Day when they are 4!

Kveta · 26/12/2012 21:38

my sister thinks I'm a shit parent because my DS is 18 months older than hers. Has told me so more than once. Her DS would never ever behave as badly as mine.

He has started tantruming horribly recently, she can't understand why, because she is so much better at parenting than anyone else me, and I am quietly grinning about it, because he is just at that age.

So YANBU to dislike her, but don't judge her children's behaviour when your are so much younger, it really doesn't do anyone any good.

itsmineitsmine · 26/12/2012 21:40

" Just to note, before we had DD she knew better than us because she was a parent, despite that fact she's much younger, has no life experience and is uneducated"

This ^^ is why i couldn't take your post seriously. Being a good parenthas nothing to do with age or education.

IloveChristmasandsodoesmydog · 26/12/2012 21:42

Yep, I'm also of the popular opinion here. When your adorable 10mo has turned into a Terrible Two year old toddler and is screaming blue murder, be prepared to eat your words. Christmas is probably a chance to unwind and ignore the kids for a bit, especially if there are grandparents etc on hand to help out.

I'm sure your Sil is a pain in the arse but you probably chose the wrong time to call her on it.

Saccrofolium · 26/12/2012 21:42

" the kids were both in tears and had got to the point where they couldn't be reasoned with. "

I'm laughing my arse off at reasoning with a 2 and 4 year old, never mind tired, on Christmas Day, out of their usual routine!

OP, you are at the foot of a massive learning curve...

InNeedOfBrandyButter · 26/12/2012 21:44

Yes of course you have trained your amazing pfb and taught it so well to behave...

You plonker

rubyslippers · 26/12/2012 21:45

Snort at Brandybutter

Xmas Grin
YellowDinosaur · 26/12/2012 21:46

Chine on you lot are giving the op a bit of a hard time.

I agree with a lot of what you have all responded with, that having 1 10 month old doesn't compare with 2 preschoolers, and that education and age have no bearing on parenting. But objectively, on this occasion, the sil is being a terrible parent, getting drunk, playing on her iPad and ignoring her tired small children.

Now I can certainly see how getting a bit drunk at Christmas can happen. And she might be having a bad day. And she might be an amazing parent all the rest of the time. But she wasn't on this occasion and in addition made the day stressful for everyone else.

So unless she is having a very stressful time at the moment or there is some other mitigating factors, or it's very very out of character I'd be pissed off with this too.

MrsDeVere · 26/12/2012 21:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

rubyslippers · 26/12/2012 21:48

That's true in a way

But the OP didn't have to bring up her age, lack of life experience, education etc etc

itsmineitsmine · 26/12/2012 21:49

"SIL storms upstairs accusing my DP of calling her a bad mum etc. She is, but he didn't say that"

That is such an absolutrly vile thing to say. How will you feel whensomeone else thinks of you as a bad mum, op? Because it will happen.

YellowDinosaur · 26/12/2012 21:50

And yes, reasoning with a 2 year old is a bit optimistic but then if they are that tired you need to take them home or at least try to interact with them. Not disappear off upstairs for a rest and shout at your dh when he tries to take them home.

I have a 5 year old and 6 year old by the way so know what I am on about. My ds1 was also very easy going and I was probably a little bit smug which soon changed when my second was a stressy tantrummer. So be aware all children are different despite the same parenting!

tinkletinklestar · 26/12/2012 21:52

You sound like a really nasty person actually..

Have you maybe thought to yourself that she is not coping and could do with a hand?

Is she up at 3 am every day with them?

Being such a good mother yourself did you sit down with your pfb & her children to distract them?