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AIBU?

Husband vs my parents situation

570 replies

bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 17:12

This is something that happened a year ago but we are currently going through marriage counselling and this keeps been brought up. It is clear that the counsellors opinion is with my husband on this and so I'm really questioning whether I'm right at all.

So 18 months ago my husband had a falling out with my parents. 9 months before this situation happened. It was over a trivial thing as these things so often are. Basically my husband felt that I should have supported him when he objected to something ( minor) that my mum was doing with out dd. She was pre- loading the spoons when dd was eating, h felt that dd should be doing it herself ( we were blw). Anyway I didn't think it warranted the rebuke that my h gave to my mum, and so h stormed off as I was 'siding with her'.

During marriage counselling it has become apparent that h feels I have never supported him and have always allowed my parents to influence me. I dispute this as I feel I am v independent. I actually feel I have a much close relationship than many of my friends do with their parents. We only speak every couple of weeks and see each other monthly. I've never been on for discussing personal things with her.

Anyway the big issue came at dd's 2nd birthday party a year ago. I hired a hall and invited 7 other children and their parents plus both sets of grandparents. H's parents didn't come (predictably although I'd have loved them to be there). H refused to come if my parents were there.

My parents agreed to be polite and friendly but not try to discuss any issues or heal the rift in public.

H refused to come unless I uninvited them.

I didn't uninvite my parents. I felt that the party was about dd, not my husband, and that she would love to have her grandparents there.

I counselling h has gone on about how I excluded him from dd's party. I used to reply that he excluded himself as he was always welcome. If my parents had refused to come if h was there then obviously I would have told them not to come. Bt they didn't. They were willing to be friendly for dd's sake.

So this is being trotted out as an example of where I put my secondary family before my primary family. Normally I would say that dads are more important than grandparents and that primary family does come first.

Should I have backed down over this and uninvited my parents. This was the first time I'd ever stood up to my husband. And now he bangs on about it as the thing that has hurt him most ever in his life.

The counsellor just reinforces that primary family is more important than secondary family, which I do agree with, so WIBU here?

Sorry so long

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mercibucket · 17/11/2013 18:14

I also wondered if this is church based 'counselling'

do you want to stay with him? why?

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:14

I would say the relationship had always been strained. My parents commented (recently to h as we have had a meeting just the 4 of us) that they felt that h as always trying to keep them at arms length. He replied that he never wanted to be in the bosom of their family.

He says he'd like a better relationship with them

My parents have always been careful not to upset my h. At times he has been friendly and jokey with them, but other times he has been short with them. He finds them hardwork I think

I know im biased but I really feel that they have bent over backwards to accommodate him. Ringing me much less frequently once we were married, having Christmas dinner mid after noon so he had time for a run before hand, only seeing dd when she as born in hospital and then not again for4 weeks

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dreamingbohemian · 17/11/2013 18:15

Yes this is exactly why you shouldn't do counselling with controlling/abusive partners. What a birthday present for him, his wife has to have a contact agreement with her own parents.

How much time are you willing to give this ridiculous plan?

Seriously I am begging you to drop this idea, get your own counsellor and start trying to improve your own life and stop pandering to these ridiculous men.

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MrsCakesPremonition · 17/11/2013 18:16

Please do not allow your DH to destroy your relationship with your parents. You will need their support one day when you realise that you can't live by your husband's rules any more.

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Lonelygran · 17/11/2013 18:17

Your husband is trying to isolate you completely. Please read the thread elsewhere about the terminally ill elderly lady whose husband will not allow her sister or anyone else to visit her.
That could be you in the future.

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:17

It is church based counselling. Bt not a wacky or woo church. A modern very large thriving baptist church.

And the counsellor has acknowledged that not all relationships can be mended and that he would help us to separate amicably if that what it came to.

So I really don't think he is all about submitting to my husband, and staying together at all costs

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basgetti · 17/11/2013 18:17

Why weren't your parents allowed to see you for 4 weeks after the birth of your DD? Was he back at work after 2 weeks? Wouldn't you have liked to have seen them?

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Whoknowswhocares · 17/11/2013 18:19

The man sounds utterly deranged!
Falling out with someone over the use of a SPOON? Crying over it? Continuing a pathetic vendetta for MONTHS afterwards? Trying to prevent his child seeing their grandparents on their birthday and then choosing to stay away from his own child's birthday party when he doesn't get his own way?

Are you SURE this is a relationship worth saving? He sounds like a complete and utter tool. For that matter, so does the councellor.

You mention an awful lot of compromises that you are making to heal the 'hurt' ' this has caused poor little DH Hmm
What is he doing to compromise?

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:19

My parents are really supportive. I suspect they are not happy about the 10 d rule but happy to go along with it for my sake. They would always be there for me. I knowi could turn up on their door and they'd take me in, if it came to it

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PoshPenny · 17/11/2013 18:20

reading this it seems your husband is very odd and controlling. Most strange that the counsellor thinks his behaviour quite acceptable. If the counsellor sides with your husband over the time you spend seeing your parents, what on earth would she have to say about those families who are incredibly close, as in living in the same road/round the corner from each other and who know every minute detail of attach others lives as well as forever popping in and out of each other's homes?

surely a party for a 2 year old should be all about the 2 year old and celebrating the birthday, not the father playing bloody politics over the guest list?

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MorrisZapp · 17/11/2013 18:20

He's trying to isolate you. Fair enough, some people are introvert and like a quiet life etc, but they don't expect their loved ones to similarly cast off the outside world.

Get proper counselling, unbiased, on your own.

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FryOneFatManic · 17/11/2013 18:21

OP, is your cousellor registered with the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)? If not, find one who is, because I don't agree with the things he's saying to you.

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diddl · 17/11/2013 18:21

Well yes, the more that comes out, the odder it sounds.

I suppose though if a woman was crying in her room though, her husband being with her would be him being supportive, not isolating!

Shame also that your mum didn't just say sorry!

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PoshPenny · 17/11/2013 18:22

Bounty, if you were me, I think I would be choosing my parents over my husband...

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:22

He had no paternity leave. I would have liked to see them. But we felt we needed time as a family to get to know our dd too.

He has reluctantly agreed to e staying pt when I was meant to be returning to full time work. I really wanted this time with dd. he has agreed to a monthly meeting of my parents, me and dd with him there as well, to allow dd some contact with her grandparents. This is after a 3 month no physical contact that I was not happy with.

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Morgause · 17/11/2013 18:22

Please, please, find another counsellor and see him or her on your own. I mean a proper qualified counsellor NOT one attached to a church.

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basgetti · 17/11/2013 18:23

The OP's Mum did say sorry, it was mentioned earlier in the thread.

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SomewhereBeyondTheSea · 17/11/2013 18:23

He sounds controlling and EA, OP. He is trying to separate you from your family, and isolate you. Stick with the EA thread. Stop going to joint counselling. Get individual counselling for yourself if it would help you to have a safe space to talk openly. Most importantly - DO NOT let him cut you off from your family. Keep in touch with them, see them, build up relationships. You will need them.

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WhoNickedMyName · 17/11/2013 18:23

It does all sound really odd.

The relationship between your folks and DH must have been pretty good for you to all go on holiday together?

So the kick off over 'spoon gate' just came out of nowhere?

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IamGluezilla · 17/11/2013 18:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsCakesPremonition · 17/11/2013 18:24

Out of interest - do your DH and counsellor expect you and DH to cease contact with your DD when she gets married? How would your DH react to being excluded from chat about his daughter's holidays, pictures of his grandchildren on the beach, news on how they are doing at school, a promotion your DD might get at work etc. etc.? Because that is what he is expecting your parents to accept.

You may have entered a new and hugely important relationship with your DH, but you were and remain a part of your parents' family too. I don't see why there needs to be a choice.

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:24

fryone no I don't think he is. He the pastoral care team leader at a church. I don't think he has any formal training but has done lots of marriage counselling over many years

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basgetti · 17/11/2013 18:25

So you were at home alone with a newborn baby, whilst he was at work, and he still didn't want your parents to see you? Having time alone as a family is a nice sentiment, but an impossible one if he is not even there!

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MorrisZapp · 17/11/2013 18:25

The isolating part was when he told her he wouldn't attend his two year olds birthday party if they were there too.

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bountyicecream · 17/11/2013 18:25

basgerti she did say sorry, but it as several months later, by letter as h wouldn't see or speak to her.

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