MIL locking kids bedroom door at sleepovers

[Lima1]

My kids are due to stay at PIL one night this weekend. They stay about 3/4 times a year and look forward to it. I was telling DS1 about it this evening and it came up in conversation that MIL locks them into their bedroom (all three in one room) at night in case they sleepwalk and fall down the stairs. DS1 is 5 so I took it with a pinch of salt as I thought maybe she just pretended she was doing it to stop them coming out of the room. I asked DD (7) later and she told me the same, she says she hears the key turning in the lock and if she needs to go to the bathroom she calls MIL to come up and heard the lock opening. I will ask MIL in a nice way if she does this as she may be only pretending. But DD says she hears the lock turning and I don't see why she would give the excuse of possible sleep walking unless she was really locking them in. Aibu to be furious about this? Their room is upstairs in a dormer while PIL's bedroom is downstairs. I would be so worried if there was a fire and the kids couldn't get out or any number of emergencies.

This reminds me of 'flowers in the attic' - yes, keep your distance.

Dogs mum I have tried very hard to keep quiet about things and not let my dislike of them interfere with dh and kids relationship with them. For example we have spent the last 4 years at theirs for Christmas dinner. Christmas just gone I wanted not to go to theirs but have dinner at home, dh agreed but then we found out that neither of his sisters were going and so they would be alone. I told DH we would go to them so they would have some family. I spent hours looking for her Christmas present, I don't get a present from them. At these Sat visits she doesn't allow the kids run around or make noise, she has threatened to slap them in front of me for "being bold". I'm a big believer in good relationships with family but I'm failing to see what good can come of this. She has very odd views, has no friends, doesn't speak to her own family, made her husband have pretty much no contact with his, encouraged her daughter to cut contact with her husbands parents. She is just a horrible person. I have ignored all this because they are still dh's parents but they have clearly showed they don't care about the kids safety or our feelings/opinions and are willing to lose contact with the kids rather than put up a stair gate. I feel why should they still be entitled to a relationship. They only see the kids cos DH brings them to their house. They make no effort. I brought the kids down to her one day about 4 years ago without dh, as I was leaving after being pretty much ignored for the hour she told me not to think I could make a habit of it. This is what I have to deal with.

Littleleftie, she threatens them with it, she threatens to slap them in front of me too.

I would not allow anyone that hated me and my DH was scared of to look after my children. I don care if they are grandparents or not.

I'm stunned, truly stunned. Keep this abusive woman away from your children.

What is wrong with you? Why are you letting these vile people near your children?

good lord. How do your DC get on with her? Do they seem to like/love her and do they want to see her?

Assuming they do, then in your shoes I would: thank DH for saying the DC would not be staying there any more. Let it go about being angry/ the dictator stuff. Stick to your guns about saying the DC are not visiting on sat mornings either. if PILs want to see them they can come to your house, while you are there.

Good luck.

Anyone that threatened to slap my children, even once, wouldn't be going near them again. No matter who they fuck they are. You were right to say all visits to their house stop. Your children will get nothing out of a relationship with this horrible woman, except maybe that it's ok to threaten to hit people.

You think their "loons" but send your dc there, why??

OP find another babysitting arrangement. They abu but actually so are you sending your dc.