Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not provide sparkling water

117 replies

crumbs12 · 18/04/2016 09:56

....for my MIL when she comes round?

She chooses not to drink ordinary tap water but prefers to drink the bottled stuff. I don't have a problem with this but when she comes round to our house she brings herself a bottle of sparkling water to have with lunch. AIBU to think this is a bit rude? We drink normal tap water and I would expect guests to follow suit when they eat with us at our house. Or should I be buying bottled water especially for the dragon, sorry, MIL?

OP posts:
DisneyMillie · 18/04/2016 09:58

I think you are bring a bit unreasonable - you know what she prefers and are (I assume) inviting her for lunch so I'd cater for her accordingly. It's not like she only drinks champagne - having some sparkling water in the fridge wouldn't cost much.

EatShitDerek · 18/04/2016 09:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

deepdarkwood · 18/04/2016 09:59

Mountain, molehill

  1. Why don't you just buy a bottle of sparkling water for her? I'm not a fan of bottled waters, but if you know it's her thing, then be a good host...
  2. If not, her bringing a bottle is pretty standard good invitee practice - I would do this as a matter of course if invited to lunch etc.
Stillunexpected · 18/04/2016 10:00

Wouldn't bother me. Especially as she is providing the drink herself which she wishes to drink? I drink water but hate the tap water in our area as it tastes really bad so drink only filtered stuff. If she is bringing her own, then she is obviously not expecting you to provide it?

NannyR · 18/04/2016 10:01

I think it would be nice manners to have a bottle of sparkling in if you know your guests prefer it. After all, it only costs 50p or so, it's not an expensive bottle of wine or something.

Thurlow · 18/04/2016 10:01

YABU. My parents are similar - we only drink water or sometimes squash, but they prefer sparkling water or a fizzy drink.

I did actually exactly ask the same question on here and got my arse handed to me Grin

By a few small bottles of sparkling water and keep them in the fridge.

You can't cater for absolutely every taste (you come to my house, there's no mayonnaise, sorry) but if you know someone who comes regularly likes something specific, just get some.

Collaborate · 18/04/2016 10:02

Not rude of her. You appear not to like her very much, and perhaps that is colouring your view.

RaeSkywalker · 18/04/2016 10:02

I'd just buy some for her?

My DM only drinks Redbush tea, DH and I don't like it. We always have a box in the cupboard for her because we want to accommodate her- she has said she'd happily bring her own but I'm not going to begrudge her the odd tea bag, she's my mum!

Herewegoagainfolks · 18/04/2016 10:03

I don't see a problem with her providing her own.

Personally though, I'd get some in for her (it's not expensive). I buy ginger beer (yuck) for my MIL even though it's not something we would ever drink ourselves. It's about being a good host.

StealthPolarBear · 18/04/2016 10:04

Why wouldn't you buy what she likes to drink?

MTPurse · 18/04/2016 10:05

Would you buy a bottle if it was your own Mother and not You MIL?

StarlingMurmuration · 18/04/2016 10:05

I'd buy some for my MIL but then she's lovely and I like her to be comfortable when she's at our house (though she does drive me mad sometimes). I wouldn't mind at all if she brought a special drink with her either.

But I'm quite a fussy person, so I'm tolerant of other people's fussiness.

Itinerary · 18/04/2016 10:05

I would expect guests to follow suit when they eat with us at our house

YABU to "expect" a guest to eat or drink something they don't like. It would be thoughtful of you to provide the drink she prefers (I know you're talking about lunch, but do you give dinner guests wine? Sparkling water is cheaper) But if you're not willing to buy it yourself then it's fine for her to bring it.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 18/04/2016 10:06

ffs its a bottle of fizzy water, asda sells em for about 15p. you really don't like her do you.

JuxtapositionRecords · 18/04/2016 10:07

Why does it bother you?

Stillunexpected · 18/04/2016 10:08

We keep a bottle of sherry for MIL which we hate! By comparison, a bottle of sparkling water is nothing!

Thisismyalias · 18/04/2016 10:08

If your tap water tastes like my tap water yabu. It's Gipping.

If she's bringing her own how is it rude? Would you like a glass of water? No I've got a bottle of sparkling. She's not downing a bottle of vodka.

BYOSnowman · 18/04/2016 10:08

I don't expect guests to follow suit at my house. As a guest I want them to feel comfortable - not like they have to fit into the existing regime. I always make sure I have things mil and fil like when they visit - even though most of the things are not what we would normally have in

Perfectlypurple · 18/04/2016 10:08

Yabu. I don't drink coffe but I keep it in for guests. I can't see what is so hard about buying a bottle of water. And she isn't being rude bringing her own as you refuse to supply any.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 18/04/2016 10:10

So you don't provide her choice of drink, she doesn't complain or make a fuss, she just brings her own?

What's wrong with that? Confused The only person potentially being rude is you.

Therealyellowwiggle · 18/04/2016 10:12

I only drink red but buy white in case guests like it.
You are not a great host!

SaucyJack · 18/04/2016 10:12

It's 19p in the Co-op. Pick your battles.

Our tap water is gopping tho, so I'm with your MIL on this one anyway.

Angelika321 · 18/04/2016 10:13

My MIL insisted we keep brown sugar for her despite us having none. When I mentioned we only took white sugar she was insulted that we didn't care enough to get her brown sugar.

So now I just buy the brown and use that for our hot drinks too.

If she had bought her own sugar it wouldn't have bothered me.

ModernToss · 18/04/2016 10:13

YABU to be irritated even by her bringing her own. It's no skin off your nose and isn't rude at all - and it wouldn't kill you to have some in. My sister always gets some fizzy water if I'm coming, because I don't drink any other cold drink. By the same token, I always have beer and wine in for drinkers.

MadSprocker · 18/04/2016 10:14

If we have guests for lunch, we provide drinks they might like, that we don't normally have. My dad doesn't drink, and if he comes over for dinner I buy elderflower cordial and sparkling water, as I want to offer something more interesting. Now if you come over when I am not expecting anyone, you have to put up with whatever I've got in!

Swipe left for the next trending thread