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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:
JingleJohnsJulie · 26/12/2012 22:21

Chez everlong et chez jingle.

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 26/12/2012 22:23

((Wishes she had spent the day chez everlong))

ItsIgginningToLookALotLikeXmas · 26/12/2012 22:24

At my PIL tonight, and this thread has cheered me right up, ta. Xmas Grin

everlong · 26/12/2012 22:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VelvetSpoon · 26/12/2012 22:26

I think if you'd had a drink yourself, you might have been less judgy and smugly superior.

I can't imagine ever being so much of a bitch as to refer to someone as 'uneducated'. Really quite unpleasant.

SomersetONeil · 26/12/2012 22:31

Oh dear, OP...!

SarahStratton · 26/12/2012 22:31

Chez Stratters we are still in our Christmas pyjamas. Nobody's ventured outside yet, and very nice it is too. No meals here either, fridge rummaging had been the order of the day.

SarahStratton · 26/12/2012 22:33

What counts as uneducated? I can offer up 4 untaken A levels.

everlong · 26/12/2012 22:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PumpkinPositive · 26/12/2012 22:34

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.

What do you mean by "uneducated"? Did she never go to school? Confused

And what's educational status got to do with one's ability to rear children anyway?

RyleDup · 26/12/2012 22:35

Why didn't you step in and help out op? My sil is rather fantastic like that, she sees I'm tired, obviously having been up since 3.30, and she'd get them undressed and up to bed until home time. Thats what families do, they help eachother out.
You sil knows you judge her, its obvious from your attitude on here. And actually, you don't have a clue, you really really don't. Having a ten month old is a complete walk in the park compared to having to active toddlers. You know nothing.
Hope this helps.

FunnysFuckingFreezing · 26/12/2012 22:37

of course your 10 mo is better behaved than her 4yo. Just wait until your perfect 10 mo is an 18 mo or older. You sound very naive tbh.

I have a nuts 2yo. No doubt folk have thought of me as a bad mum. I'm not of course, I just pick my battles. Maybe your SIL does this with her two?

hobnobsaremyfavourite · 26/12/2012 22:37

I somehow doubt the op will be back.....

JingleJohnsJulie · 26/12/2012 22:38

Really hobnob? You surprise me....

FunnysFuckingFreezing · 26/12/2012 22:40

lolz at folk without DC buying other folks DC tasteful wooden or educational toys. All very nice, but all so smug. I need these people to have DC of their own. We had Jenga to 'help our boys to concentrate' from my lovely, young well meaning and child free niece Xmas Grin

everlong · 26/12/2012 22:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SarahStratton · 26/12/2012 22:45

You're right, it's been ridiculously dull well behaved. :(

LittleDog's had a lovely Christmas, ever.

FrostyTheSnowSlut · 26/12/2012 22:46

Hilariously condescending OP. Dream on, in 2 years your Christmases will most likely be spent in a similar way to you SILs, and in fact if there's any justice yours will be worse.

I was up at 3, started cooking at 5 and had probably finished the first bottle of Buck's Fizz by 6. 12 hours later I along with most of the family were barely standing. Some were pissed, others just exhausted and yes the kids had been crying. Alert SS.

RyleDup · 26/12/2012 22:47

Oh well, its got to be well behaved over christmas everlong. Its the time of goodwill and all that stuff. But now its boxing day, back to the more fun reality Grin

Theicingontop · 26/12/2012 22:47

I don't see what's smug about wooden toys... They're just toys right? Am I missing something?

Birdsgottafly · 26/12/2012 22:48

I agree with all of the above and would like to know why your SIL was seen as soley responsible for the DC, when their father was also present and why her mother handed a drink to an over tired two year old and didn't help settle them.

It sounds as though you are all sitting around waiting for her to fail.

Come next Christmas we will have two babies in the family, all crawling, their parents will be given the night off (if they want it), by myself and other family members, who are more than happy to help.

everlong · 26/12/2012 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LilyVonSchtupp · 26/12/2012 22:51

So if I am reading this right a 2 YO spilt something and someone who doesn't usually drink, drank slightly more than usual and got a bit tetchy?

And yet it is your SIL who creates drama?

YABU.

ThoughtsPlease · 26/12/2012 22:51

This has actually cheered me up, I have been reassured that the behaviour of my 5 and 6 year olds, and the 7 month old was actually perfectly normal! The 7 month old slept during Christmas lunch, but was grizzly for much of the day and still has a pile of unopened presents under the tree! I'm not sure whether he was the best 'behaved' or not really!

maddening · 26/12/2012 22:52

Tbh even if you and dh don't spell out that you think she's a shit parent she's probably guessed as you generally will give it away.