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Dealing with a difficult Father-In-Law - HELP!

104 replies

LunaLunita · 05/12/2014 15:50

Warning this is a very long post! Sorry!

Im am writing under a different screen name so that I can speak freely here, as I am desperate for some wise advise.
I have a very difficult in law situation. My husband and his siblings were given a very large trust fund when they were 16 by their father when he sold his business. I have been with my husband for 7 years now and have seen my father in law hold this financial gift as a means of emotional blackmail and control over his kids since the day he gave it. Now all the kids are in their early 30s, though they continue to take emotional and verbal abuse because they feel indebted to this man who has given them such a privileged life. In fact my father in law reminds them of this every time they have a dispute, and threatens to take "his money back" even though legally he gave it away to his kids over 15 years ago. I don't know how many times I have told my husband that just because he gave him this money does not give him license to treat people the way he does. My father in law is a classic narcissist: he feels the world revolves around him, he has no empathy for anyones feelings other than his own, and if you have an opinion on anything that is different than his you might as well keep it to yourself because he won't have it. He's arrogant and dismissive and the only people who are still in his life are those that he has helped or is helping financially and they feel indebted to him - he in return feels like he owns them and can treat them however he sees fit. I could spend days sharing the stories of horrible things he has done to his family, its really quite sad and I really don't understand why they are still around. It is hard for me to understand the psychology of those who have this blind love for him and somehow manage to come up with the most ludicrous reasons for defending his every action, no matter how wrong it is.

Anyway, getting to current issue at hand. Things have come to a head with me and my father in law. He has had a proper dressing down with every other member of the family, even the other daughter in laws multiple times over the most petty of things, though it has not yet happened with me until now. A few months ago he told my husband that he decided he didn't want anything to do with me because I didnt give him the attention he deserved whenever we saw them. Apparently he has been keeping a list for a years (talk about passive aggressive). For example, there was one time 2 years back that he had surgery and I didn't ask him how he was feeling; then at our wedding I didn't pay enough attention to him; then 6 months ago when he came to visit us I didn't offer to make him enough teas nor was I up and making him breakfast when he got up in the morning (mind you I had a 3 month old baby) and then the icing on the cake was that I didn't sign his birthday card which my husband sent a few months back. So he called my husband the other day to invite us up for Christmas and has invited me up as well so that we can "bury the hatchet" in his words. I told my husband I would love to go up and have a nice Christmas and forget all this nonsense, etc, but I won't go up if that means he is going to give me one of his dressing downs - which means he will pull me aside in a separate room and have a go at me and tell me everything he doesn't like about me, make me apologise and then agree that I will not act that way going forward. That is his way of burying the hatchet. I would be totally down for having a two way honest adult discussion so that we can work through our differences, but he does not work that way. He doesn't allow anyone else to speak and he will not accept anyone giving him any sort or criticism , in his mind he is without fault. He would go into a blind rage even if I tried in the most gentlest of ways. So anyway, my husband very nicely called him back and thanked him for inviting us up for Christmas but that our only condition was that we wanted a nice Christmas and that no one would get getting a dressing down. My father in law lost it and said that it was necessary for him to be able to move on and that we would not be invited to come up unless he could address issues with me. Then he stuck it to my husband where he knew it would really hurt, and said "son if you don't come up for Christmas then there will be consequences to pay as your relationship with me will be in jeopardy and you will cause problems with your mother and I, so have a word with your wife and make your decision wisely". This is not the first time he has cued the emotional blackmail. So now my husband is distraught over what to do. he was in tears the other night saying that I was making him choose between me and his family and that I should just suck it up and deal with it because he is the one who is paying for our lifestyle (by means of the trust fund he gave my husband over 15 years ago). I'm of course upset over all of this as well, as I hate seeing my husband so upset and don't want to be the cause of him falling out with his father. I just think that boundaries have to be set, I have too mush self respect to let myself go up there and be yelled at so that my father in law can feel better, and then turn around and be able to put on an act for this man for the rest of Christmas. I still have my resentment towards him that will only be exacerbated by the situation. My question is, am I being selfish and unreasonable here? Should I just suck it up and take it just as everyone else does just to keep the peace? Or am I right in wanting to make a point and set boundaries, even if it means that relationships will fall apart?
Sorry for such a long post. I just have no one else to talk to about this and really need some help!

OP posts:
mix56 · 05/12/2014 20:11

well clearly if its "bite your tongue a coupe of times a year & live a comfortable penury free life", Agreed, then just say nothing, or laugh, or see you next year
please, let us know the outcome

timetoplay · 05/12/2014 20:15

Bullies only get to bully because people don't stand up to them. Your FIL is making your DH choose not you. Come here and let me abuse your wife or you are in the shit too- nice.

What if it was one of your kids OP? Would your DH prefer they be abused to rather then tell the guy what he truly is?

LegoAdventCalendar · 05/12/2014 20:16

'keeping the peace or maintaining your right not to be verbally and emotionally abused - that's how I see it anyway. I think there are pros and cons to both options and nobody else can make that choice for you.'

There is never any excuse to put up with abuse. Ever. There is no pro to accepting abuse.

GnomeDePlume · 05/12/2014 20:20

YANBU

IMO you and your DH need to get yourself some professional help to learn to manage this relationship. It sounds like your DH is stuck in the role of a child with his father.

Use some of that money to buy yourselves some counselling.

Teeste · 05/12/2014 21:00

There is never any excuse to put up with abuse. Ever. There is no pro to accepting abuse.

Fair enough, but there are consequences to any choice. I guess that's what I mean by pros and cons.

LegoAdventCalendar · 05/12/2014 21:41

The consequence is you don't get abused.

nicenewdusters · 05/12/2014 23:11

Unfortunately I am horribly familiar with your situation. It is now several months since I went non contact with my fil. Many aspects of his personality match your fils exactly.

I am posting because I do not think you should accept the Christmas invite. Nothing good can come of it. You say the other dils have had their dressing down and are still on the scene. You however are clearly very aware of exactly the kind of man you are dealing with, and you have a strong sense that to accept his behaviour would be a grave mistake.

People like this do not do olive branches or burying hatchets (except as you say in the other person).They are right, you are wrong, you will be told this, you will accept it. I suspect you would not be able to follow this script. Even if you could you would be left with a seething resentment.

The real problem in all this though, as always comes up in ils threads, is your dh. I voluntarily saw my fil on my own initially, although it was my dp's idea to speak to him. This was to challenge him on his vile behaviour towards a member of my immediate family. The next time we saw each other neither of us could speak to the other.

My dp pressed for an olive branch meeting. I told him it would be a waste of time, that it would be all about how his dad felt, what I had said, blah, blah, blah. My dp felt sure this wouldn't happen. Sure enough, on opening the "meeting" (pompous doesn't begin to cover it!) I was asked if I wanted to apologise for anything. This was re-worded in various ways, each time I looked him in the eye and said "No". I then asked him if he'd like to apologise to me. He just made an odd face.

I stuck to my guns, was brutally honest with him, challenged him and he made a complete arse of himself. Even his wife sided with me occasionally ! All of this I could, and have, dealt with. What I am still struggling with is my dp's lack of support. He sat opposite me and was quite clearly on his parent's "side".

Even though I have come to understand a little of why dp behaved as he did, it still doesn't change anything. He was unsupportive throughout, said things I cannot forget, and it's hard to move on.

I cannot see that your dh is going to be able to support you at the moment. If you agree to go, despite what your dh might tell his dad, you will get the dressing down, or a form of it. If you fight back, your dh won't like it. If you say nothing, feel furious and dh basically says, oh well, that's over, chin-up, you'll resent him just as much. He's already not supporting you since you told him your feelings about the Christmas visit.

I should imagine your dh is intimidated and cowed by his own father, as are the rest of the family. As someone up thread said, if you stand up to fil it won't be an opening of the floodgates to allow them to voice their opinions, they're too scared and over invested to do anything. You can only do what is right for you. Fil won't change, ever, and it's not your job (or possible) to be the group therapist for the rest of them.

Your fil has set in motion the "choose me" dilemma. Your choice is not to submit to a bully. Your dh's choice should be to support his wife. There is some excellent advice on a current thread called MIL problems on Relationships. The reasons why your dh will find it virtually impossible to support you are outlined by several posters on there.

You have my huge sympathies.

BeyondRepair · 05/12/2014 23:21

IMO you and your DH need to get yourself some professional help to learn to manage this relationship. It sounds like your DH is stuck in the role of a child with his father.

Use some of that money to buy yourselves some counselling.

This is probably the most useful thing thats been said ^.

Very good advice.

Icimoi · 05/12/2014 23:31

Have you discussed this with the other daughters in law and members of the family he has treated this way, and do they feel the same way you do? Would it be worth arranging a get together where you can collectively lay it on the line to your DH and his siblings that their father's behaviour is unacceptable and they need to work together to tell him none of you will be putting up with it any longer. It may be that if a number of them could support each other, they would collectively have enough courage to deal with this properly.

twizzleship · 06/12/2014 00:08

LunaLunita How confident are you/do you feel about standing up to this nasty apology of a man? Bullies and narcissists like to play divide and conquer - hence why each victim is 'pulled into a side room' to be verbally abused and attacked. Even if you decide not to go at xmas you will still have to deal with this awful at some point.

If it were me,
a) i would tell my dh that i will NOT be bought by his father to be his verbal punchbag and i will not 'put up' with this disgusting treatment. I will respond or retaliate and if dh won't support me then he can prepare himself for that.
b) I would remind my dh that we work and pay our own way in life....his trust fund has helped with material possessions but it does not automatically nullify your basic human right to be treated with dignity and respect
c) I'd tell my dh that his father chose to give him that money, he cannot take it back nor can he use it to blackmail you or your family for the rest of your lives. I would also point out that blackmail is a criminal offence!
d) Seek professional help for your dh to deal with his father
e) Tell your dh either he learns to stand up to his dad or accepts that you will go nc if nothing changes.

If you decide to go at xmas there are ways that you can manage it.

As it's an 'open secret', you could pre-empt him by having a conversation with your other sil and mil, telling them what his intentions are and that you will not allow him to do that to you - you are basically doing them the courtesy of forewarning them in case it erupts on xmas day.
Once there, if he tries then you refuse to be taken in to a side room for a 'dressing down', tell him to say it in front of everyone or not at all - and then you give it back with both barrels if he still insists on verbally attacking you. You make sure everyone hears the argument and what you have to say to him. I would be very blunt with him and tell him to his face that he cannot use the money as blackmail or to buy people to victimise and bully because that is essentially what he is doing.
I'd make sure not to drink in case you need to leave after having it out with him - that way dh can either back you up or stay there like a good little doggie.

you've made it clear that you don't want to be treated like that and it's up to you to make sure that message is heard loud and clear by all. Hopefully, you standing up to him so publicly will lessen his authority to an extent and might even encourage the other sil to speak up for you/agree. Either way, i would stand my ground and then go nc if neither he nor his insipid son change their ways.

MrsMarcJacobs · 06/12/2014 01:44

I would go and have a screaming raging shouting session at him that would erupt with so much force that he would be rendered speechless. What a nasty little man he is.

sunflower49 · 06/12/2014 02:12

YANBU (obviously).

This man is a vile bully with serious ego issues.

My opinion is;
You and your DH need to go for professional counselling-to somebody familiar and experienced with such issues.

You need to get legal advice about the trust fund-make sure it cannot be taken off you-if it CAN , It's a much different issue to if it can't.

You and your DH need to be in this together and deal with it properly,It's a big issue and your child/ren do not need to see their parents being controlled in this way.

I agree with the poster above who said think of a beach and say 'same time next year'. Go because It's soon, and you may not be able to sort it all out before then and you could affect your relationship and other collateral damage could occur if you don't . But when he talks, either let it go right over your head, anything he wants a response to, say 'Nothing to say to that really' or similar, then at the end walk out of the room.

Don't feed the bully.
Ugh, what a vile person. Feel for you Op.

GnomeDePlume · 06/12/2014 06:32

If you decide to go and he does start on the side room/dressing down thing then just walk away. The second the conversation strays from bland small talk into telling off territory just get up and walk away. Dont apologise, dont explain, just walk. No need for a showdown.

He isnt the boss of you and your DH unless you let him be.

mix56 · 08/12/2014 16:25

I used to have "parents in law" like this, they were pure poison, I never did discover who was worse, all their 4 DS's tip-toed around them, all the DIL's were barely supported, with visible distaste , it was always a complete nightmare to be around them.. (everything everyone else has previously evoked.) The boys were incapable of standing up to them, altho collectively they could have,
I gather they never changed...
If you make a stand, or refuse to go, you have to be willing to be outcast by your FIL, therefore be ready for the ripple of discomfort, denial, or isolation that this causes with your OH

DejaVuAllOverAgain · 08/12/2014 17:08

I wouldn't go. I'd also be asking DH (if I were you) if it would be acceptable for his father to physically abuse/assault you and if not why it's acceptable for him to verbally abuse/assault you.

I'd also be asking your DH to go to counselling because there's no chance of him being able to stand up to his father without any and maybe not even then. If he refuses then you'll never get your DH to support you against his father.

sam86 · 08/12/2014 17:51

Wow! I could have written a good portion of this. My fil is exactly the same and was the only source of arguments between dh and me. Thankfully dh began standing up to his father, although he still allows him to get away with way too much. I feel for you and your dh too- it's not a nice situation at all.

clam · 08/12/2014 17:57

Have I got this right? Your fil is proposing to take you off into another room and verbally abuse you and your dh is OK with this? He thinks you should just suck it up?

Shock Shock

I would never set foot in that house again.

AnyoneforTurps · 08/12/2014 18:09

You need to tell your husband that you will not be attending and he needs to man the fuck up

Would you tell a woman in a domestic abuse the situation to "woman the fuck up"? Hmm

The OP's DH has had a lifetime of being emotionally abused by his fuckwit father. Imagine what it was like to get a "dressing down" when he was a child and the bullying appears to have continued throughout adulthood. It's all very well to say he should man up and create boundaries - his father will have ensured that this is all but impossible. Don't blame the victim.

timetoplay · 23/12/2014 21:40

Have you still managed to avoid your FIL OP?

AMillionNameChangesLater · 23/12/2014 21:48

I wouldn't go. I really wouldn't. It would also make me question my relationship with dh if it were me

LittleDonkeyLeftie · 23/12/2014 21:58

YANBU OP

No way would I go and I would seriously reevaluate my marriage if DH continued to pressure me like this.

AcrossthePond55 · 23/12/2014 21:58

I agree with Twizzle. I came here to post exactly the same! Refuse to be cornered or bullied. Let him speak in front of the whole family, if he dares! You might just start a revolution! "Sic Temper Tyrannis" and all that.

AcrossthePond55 · 23/12/2014 22:00

Oh, and be sure to come back and update if you want to. I'm sure we'd all be interested in seeing how it goes. Fingers crossed for you.

GoodKingQuintless · 23/12/2014 22:03

Let me get this straight.

Your husband wants you to travel up to his family so his dad can verbally abuse you, browbeat you and insult you???

Divorce is the only way forward, if your "husband" really does not know what to do.

mix56 · 03/01/2015 12:49

So how did it turn out Luna ?