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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To go nc with mil

90 replies

JumpRope · 15/01/2014 16:53

That's no contact.

She has never liked me and been pretty vocal on her ideas of how I can change to be more like she thinks I ought to be for her son and gcs. I've kind of smiled sweetly, but it does hurt that I haven't been accepted as I am. At first I made a lot of effort, but she would still cry to dh and say I was not being 'open' enough, 'warm' enough, whatever. I often didn't even understand what she wanted from me.

Fil sadly died in December, but we went ahead and spent Xmas at her house as she really wanted us to. Of course, it was fraught. Somehow, I became a focus for the grief - both mil and dh projected it onto me. They pushed me away, and then told me I was selfish, not thinking of others, not supporting dh correctly etc. At one lunch, I had to leave the table as I began crying when mil snapped at me. Dh followed me and shouted, then left. Then mil came along and started shouting too. It all lasted a week and was pretty horrific.

It culminated in me walking off on the last morning, when I overheard dh and mil in loud voices bemoaning how I couldn't sew and look after the dcs properly. I have mild depression (being treated), and mil was saying it affected my ability to parent. Dh even said I was shit. I walked 6 miles to the train station and got the train home alone (although I did thank her for having us to stay). That's the last time I saw her.

Now I just don't want to see her again. I didn't choose her, she doesn't like me at all, and she no longer seems to be able to keep her mouth shut and be civil through her dislike.

I know she's greiving, but the comments and opinions on me are not new, only the intensity, volume and focus was more this time.

OP posts:
DawnOfTheDee · 15/01/2014 16:56

I wouldn't blame you for going nc with your mil but i think the more important issue is with your dh. How are things with him at the moment?

NanooCov · 15/01/2014 16:57

You would not be unreasonable. You would be unreasonable to continue allowing your husband to treat you as you have described. He sounds like an arse.

SauceForTheGander · 15/01/2014 16:58

Your DH doesn't sound great TBH.

Why did he collude with MIL to shout and criticise you?

JumpRope · 15/01/2014 16:58

Bad. I agree, he didn't stand up to her and actively sided with her this holidays. Although he says he normally stands up for me, he couldn't do it whilst she was so vulnerable.

When we got home, he parroted her views for a few days, then backed down cowardly and decided I was a good mum after all.

OP posts:
JumpRope · 15/01/2014 16:59

I was going to just play down the mil issue, as she isn't the main prob. But dh has booked a holiday to scatter fil's ashes - a cottage for all of us in Wales for a week in July. I feel I cannot do this.

OP posts:
minniebar · 15/01/2014 17:02

Go nc with your DH instead. He's the real problem.

And a week is totally unnecessary. He can go alone for a day or two (depending how far you are from the scattering destination).

Mim78 · 15/01/2014 17:02

I think it's outrageous your dh behaved like that with dcs around. I agree he is the bigger issue.

Thetallesttower · 15/01/2014 17:03

Jumprope there is a big difference between your husband not being nasty to his mum when she's grieving and actively agreeing with her, putting you down, shouting at you and so on. He is completely out of order, grief or no grief.

I agree the issue is with your husband and I don't see how you can agree on whether to go no contact with her unless you sort this out with him- and what if he wants to carry on contact, will you then withdraw from her and let him get on with it (I would be tempted)? He has to be involved.

DawnOfTheDee · 15/01/2014 17:03

I agree. I think a week together in a cottage at another very 'sensitive' time is a recipe for disaster. I'd either not got at all citing the tensions at christmas/saying you don't want to cause any upset at such an important occasion or just go for the day when they scatter the ashes and stay away for the rest of it.

I'm not sure your dh gets it though if he just went ahead and booked this after the ordeal you all went through at christmas.

whois · 15/01/2014 17:05

MIL is the least of your worries, what with your DH saying you're shit and all.

Holdthepage · 15/01/2014 17:09

Your main problem is your DH rather than your MIL. Going NC with her would be a start but you would still be left with a backstabbing mummy's boy. Let him go alone with his DM to scatter his DF's ashes, it sounds like they deserve each other.

JumpRope · 15/01/2014 17:18

It would be good to get dh on this thread - he will swear until he's blue in the face that he hasn't done anything wrong, and he and mil were justified in telling me off.

Mil got up a couple of mornings with dcs as they get up v early - around 6 am and I stayed in bed. But we agreed this the night before with me telling her not to get up, and her insisting she was going to. Then on being day, I got up at 6 to go to the sales. Mil hates shopping, so this was perceived as selfish.

I was missing fil too, I just am not great at knowing how to 'be', and I pissed them off.

I think these were my main mistakes, but it wasn't appropriate treatment in front of our children.

OP posts:
JumpRope · 15/01/2014 17:19

That's on Boxing Day.

OP posts:
Mim78 · 15/01/2014 17:21

This is not your fault op - sounds like they were dreadful to you!

I definitely wouldn't go on the holiday or let the dc go.

FetchezLaVache · 15/01/2014 17:23

OK, they're grieving, a certain amount of slack will be cut for that. But getting together to slag off your parenting on the grounds that you can't fucking sew? Where do they live, the 1950s?

Also, this bit: "Although he says he normally stands up for me (...)"

But do YOU say he normally stands up for you?

MildDrPepperAddiction · 15/01/2014 17:25

Your husband sounds like a prick. I know he's grieving, but that's no excuse for attacking you verbally like that.
Go NC with both of them.

NutcrackerFairy · 15/01/2014 17:27

You poor thing.

It doesn't sound like you made big 'mistakes' to be honest... pretty normal to be wanting to take advantage of GP offering to get up early with DGC although there's no way on hell I would be queuing up at 6am in the morning of boxing day for the sales!

I agree with all previous posters who say that going nc for a while at least with MIL might be helpful and necessary for your sanity but that your DH is probably the bigger issue, particularly if he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong!

JumpRope · 15/01/2014 17:28

I guess he must do, if this is what happens when he doesn't.

I think what he does normally is to smooth everything along, telling each of us "she really likes you and admires you, she told me". Actually he kind of meddles, it comes from the right place, but it's ridiculous and doesn't help I don't think.

OP posts:
cees · 15/01/2014 17:28

They are a pair of idiots with pack mentality, your dh is such a coward, felt like he had to join in did he the pig. No he chose to shout and belittle you because he wanted to and he is to much of a feeble minded dummy to tell his mother not to piss off.

NutcrackerFairy · 15/01/2014 17:30

Out of interest, are you, DH and MIL of british origin?

I only ask re their comment about you being unable to sew... I wondered whether that might be a cultural attitude, ie that women are meant to be able to make and mend clothes?

Andanotherthing123 · 15/01/2014 17:30

You don't sound like you 'made a mistake' and as for your DH feeling justified 'telling you off' you are not a child and deserve proper respect.

Sadly your DH sounds like a bully and far too similar to his hideous mother.

Please don't go away for a week with them. Let them revel in each others sanctimonious approval and tell your DH if he ever dares to treat you so disrespectfully again, he can continue to enjoy his DM company on a much fuller, full time basis as you won't be sticking around.

JumpRope · 15/01/2014 17:32

Yes, we are British. There are some class issues going on - mil is upper middle, I guess I'm lower middle.

It's just so awkward, it feels wrong with fil only just having died to talk to dh about this - I haven't really broached it with him properly.

OP posts:
FuckingWankwings · 15/01/2014 17:34

They are both being ghastly but I'd be more pissed off with your DH. It's up to him to support you; you're his fucking wife!

I'd tell him you want no contact with her, at least for a bit, because of her behaviour towards you and also because you see the way he behaves towards you when he's with her and you will not tolerate it any more.

PS It's a problem that you can't sew? Hmm They both need to get lives.

IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKaleesi · 15/01/2014 17:43

YANBU I wouldn't have any contact with her either she sounds awful and you do not need people in your life who treat you like that, which leads me to...

Your DH. He has behaved in a way that is completely inexcusable and unacceptable. Grief is absolutely no excuse for the way he behaved, he clearly agrees with his mother that you are not good enough for him and you deserve much much better than that

harriet247 · 15/01/2014 17:46

This has made me so cross for you! If sge says anything about parenting etc again I would hand her the phone and tell her to phone ss.
Agree your dh is the problem, is he nice to you otherwise/away from his mother? You do not need to go through life like this.