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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To make BIL stick to the agreement?

137 replies

DisappointedOne · 07/01/2016 18:45

DH has just turned 40. We usually have a celebration of big birthdays in the summer because nobody can be arsed at this time of year. Rather than a party, which he definitely doesn't want, I've arranged a surprise weekend for him and his 3 brothers. It's a specific thing that's only on for that weekend, and I checked with them
all that they were free for it last spring. All confirmed they were and I bought the tickets in April 2015 (ie 16 months in advance).

Now, of course, I knew something might come up at the last minute that might prevent one of them from making it. It's come up in conversation today that one of them has been invited to a wedding abroad that's on the same weekend. He's trying to find a way to do both, but in reality it will mean he makes 1 day of the thing rather than 3. Surely knowing that he would be away with his brothers that weekend he should turn down the wedding invite. Angry

AIBU to be annoyed? WIBU to point out that he agreed to this first, and that his brother should take priority here?

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DisappointedOne · 23/01/2016 22:25

Actually, it could be a blessing in the long term. Next time DH tries to guilt trip me into going up there or doing something "because it's the brothers" I'll be able to point out that at least one couldn't give a shiny crap. Grin

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DisappointedOne · 21/02/2016 19:00

Ha ha. Update. They've set the date. We're planning to be elsewhere on the planet for a once in a lifetime event that's been in the diary for about 3 years. It also happens to be our wedding anniversary any my 40th. So plenty of reasons to be elsewhere. Grin

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eddielizzard · 21/02/2016 19:57

brilliant!

DisappointedOne · 26/03/2016 01:00

Oh marvellous. The fuckwit that couldn't stick to a commitment he made with 14 months' notice is organising his stag do. (Wedding not for another 18 months.)

Just a small affair (not) - in VEGAS - with flights and hotel costing around £800 per head. Entitled, much?! Angry

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LindyHemming · 26/03/2016 05:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

VinceNoirLovesHowardMoon · 26/03/2016 06:29

I hope your Dh isn't going!

Squiff85 · 26/03/2016 07:54

I really dislike it when people do this - basically agree to something unless they get a better option. He is a dick!

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 26/03/2016 08:06

I suppose the difficulty is that you can't tell DH what a twat his brother is without ruining the surprise. If the stag do is out of budget or uses up holiday entitlement that he needs, then you can point this out, but otherwise you're going to have to leave it to DH to decide.

limitedperiodonly · 26/03/2016 08:27

Next time DH tries to guilt trip me into going up there or doing something "because it's the brothers" I'll be able to point out that at least one couldn't give a shiny crap.

That will be nice for him

WeAllHaveWings · 26/03/2016 08:35

^^ this

This is not your circus. Let you dh get on with it and decide what he wants to do. It would be a shame if he missed out on a family wedding over none attendance at a birthday. And doing it for some misguided revenge isn't helping anyone. You seem to be revelling a little too much in this non drama.

limitedperiodonly · 26/03/2016 09:02

From what you’ve said, it appears that your husband’s entire family treat him like shit, and yet, he still wants their love. That’s very common and very sad.

You seem to be looking forward to rubbing his nose into just how badly treated he is by them, by talking of revenge being sweet and planning not to go to his brothers’ 40ths, or other important events. Does your husband get a say in this? What happens if he wants to go?

When you have a child who badly wants to play with the other kids, but is always being excluded, you don’t deal with it like this. Or you shouldn’t. You find a gentle way to tell them that they are worth more than that and to find new friends, even though you want to kill the little shits for hurting your child. This the same.

This is an ideal situation for you. He doesn’t know anything about the event you’ve planned, so you’re in control of what he needs to know.

You could say: ‘I organised this thing but unfortunately one of your brothers couldn’t make it, but the others are going.’ If the others drop out, as you’ve said they might, then you just collect the money from them, leave your husband in blissful ignorance, and never organise anything for them again.

If your husband wants to attend a family occasion, then just go. If it’s the stag do in Vegas, then discuss whether it’s affordable or convenient.

At some point, it would probably be a good idea to have a calm conversation with him about where he stands in his family, with no talk of revenge and tit for tat. I imagine you’ll find that he knows, but it hurts too much to admit it.

DisappointedOne · 26/03/2016 11:01

Husband is free to do whatever he likes. I'm cross that BIL has backed out of a rare event for DH (and the way he didn't did it) and that now DH will be expected to change plans to accommodate all of his wedding/stag wishes. Meanwhile BIL and S-will be-IL swan about doing whatever they want (or don't want). I don't give enough fucks about them for that, I'm afraid.

DH sees how he is treated but will defend them to the hilt ("blood is thicker than water
" and all that bollocks). BIL isn't there for DH, never has been, so to my mind can't expect DH to start falling at his feet now.

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