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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not invite this girl round again?

276 replies

WinterIsHereJon · 27/11/2016 10:59

BIL's DP has a DD aged four. She's a nightmare; stroppy, whinges constantly, loses her temper when not getting her own way. Some of it normal for her age, but she's noticeably more difficult than any child I've known at that age. No discipline from her mum, even when she has hit my dcs, broken things etc.

A few weeks ago we invited BIL and his partner for dinner. Evening invitation, didn't mention the child. Our DCs were staying with grandparents. When they arrived, the little girl was with them, in her PJs. Crossed wires possibly, but they were obviously hoping she would end up staying over. She ran riot and unchecked throughout the house for hours. She then through a tantrum as she was leaving and deliberately kicked my dog in the face. I shouted, in shock more than anything, her mum just told her that was unkind and to apologise to the dog Hmm they left soon afterwards.

I was furious! Thankfully the dog is as soft as they come and just wandered off to bed looking confused, but that is pure luck and there are no guarantees she couldn't snap. Had she bitten this girl I have no doubt they'd have demanded she was PTS, and I'd have been forced to rehome her. DP and I agreed that we would not have them over again unless things improved with her behaviour.

Since this, MIL has invited them to join us on Christmas Day without asking me first. They are all basically making out that it's me being precious over the dog rather than taking any responsibility for her behaviour, and suggested I send the dog to my mums "if that's the issue". It isn't!! I sense a big family fall out will ensue but just wanted to check whether IABU before making a fuss!

OP posts:
Thattimeofyearagain · 27/11/2016 12:10

Yes, your dh should be dealing with this. Hope your dog's ok Flowers

WhatchaMaCalllit · 27/11/2016 12:11

Completely agree with the posters above. The discussion you need and must have is the one your DH must have with his mother. She invited them to your house without checking with you guys first. She saw fit to do this, not you. If she wants to keep them on side, then she can host them for Christmas and Boxing Day.

You and your DH and kids and dog can have a relaxing Christmas Day in your pj's and really enjoy the day. Then you can go to MIL, as planned, for Boxing day and be well prepared for whatever may happen on that day,

NicknameUsed · 27/11/2016 12:11

I must admit that if I had a badly behaved child in our house I would have no compunction in asking the parents of that child to tell them to behave. I would be polite about it of course. If they continued to behave badly I would then not be above telling the child off myself.

cosytoaster · 27/11/2016 12:13

WTF is a 'broken' home?!

I am divorced from my child's father, but we are certainly not 'broken'

Thank you for posting that BlueFolly - I hate that phrase. I divorced when my kids were young - I still expected them to behave well in other people's houses.

OutragedKoala · 27/11/2016 12:15

I think you're being a bit mean OP. Christmas should be a nice family time, won't your BIL feel a bit hurt and excluded. I agree with PP's, if the child is running amok take it into your own hands. Try not to be so precious about the whole thing. If your BIL deals with this kid day in day out maybe try a little compassion, or offer helpful suggestions for controlling her rather than vilifying them all.

Finola1step · 27/11/2016 12:16

Well, this is your golden opportunity. I would say something like this...""MIL, we won't be able to have 3 extra people on Xmas day. You are, of course, still welcome to come. But we will understand if you decide to stay at home and host BIL and his family. We will be seeing my side of the family on Boxing Day, as planned. Please let us know ASAP what your plans are for Xmas day". You never know, you may end up not hosting others on Xmas day - bliss!

NicknameUsed · 27/11/2016 12:18

Or you could lay some ground rules down before they come and make it very very clear that you will not tolerate bad behaviour and you will discipline this child if the parent won't.

Gileswithachainsaw · 27/11/2016 12:20

And how is op meant to prep cook and host a dinner for multiple people whilst having to watch every move of someone else's child.

People save for months to afford Xmas no one can afford to replace presents broken within hours.

And the dog would be a massive worry

Cherrysoup · 27/11/2016 12:22

Mil is incredibly rude, inviting others to YOUR Christmas Day do is,assively overstepping the mark. Your DH needs to talk to her.

Anyone, child or no, who deliberately hurt my dog would not be welcome in my house again.

Broken home, wtf?! Do people still use that phrase? Lol!

TheMadGardener · 27/11/2016 12:22

Oh dear. The badly-behaved child's mother is having another baby? I wouldn't put money on the new baby being disciplined much either, would you? And of course your MIL will now be reluctant to give BIL's girlfriend parenting advice, otherwise they might withhold the new baby from her.

However, all that is NOT YOUR PROBLEM. In fact, you sound like you have done a pretty good job of bringing up your DCs so far without letting MIL stick her oar in too much. (Which will be why she's not that keen on you!)

It sounds as though your DH is on your side re: the dog-kicking child. It's his family, so it would be better if he was the one who keeps repeating to MIL - "Sorry, inviting BIL and his partner and stepchild for Christmas Day doesn't work for us. Would you still like to come to ours without them, or would you rather do Christmas for them at your house?" He needs to make clear to HIS brother that the dog-kicking child is not welcome in your house for the time being.

You sound like a really nice person and I think what you deserve this year is to have Christmas Day with just your DH, your kids and your dog in your own home if that's what would make you happy. Please don't give in and let your family's Christmas be ruined. Your MIL is out of order issuing invitations to YOUR house for people YOU don't want to invite.

If you and your DH can present a united front on this it won't make you popular with his family in the short term but they will get over it. I doubt MIL would want to get so huffy with you that she would deny herself access to your kids forever.

No way would I want a child in my house who had hurt my dog, until and unless she matures and her behaviour improves a lot. (She may actually get worse if she suffers from jealousy of her mum's new baby!)

Good luck OP, I hope your family have a nice Christmas.

Floggingmolly · 27/11/2016 12:25

I wouldn't even dream of "taking the child's behaviour into my own hands". Parents of kids allowed to run wild unchecked never respond well to someone else doing their parenting for them.
There'll be a far bigger hooha from that than there would be if you just tell them the invitation didn't come from you in the first place, and you won't be able to have them.

sandragreen · 27/11/2016 12:30

I totally agree with flogging The fallout from saying no, that doesn't work for us, will be far less than the fallout of having this child Christmas Day and trying to police her and stop her from breaking things, including your dog.

merrymouse · 27/11/2016 12:35

Try not to be so precious about the whole thing

I understand that this is about more than the dog, but it is not safe for this child to be near the family dog, and on Christmas Day it is unlikely that it will be possible to supervise their separation.

It's not easy to find somewhere else to send a dog on Christmas Day, and why shouldn't a perfectly well behaved dog spend Christmas with its family?

It sounds as though the BIL and his family would be welcome at his mother's.

merrymouse · 27/11/2016 12:38

And looking forward, if they can't supervise a 4 year old with a dog, it's going to be even worse when they have a baby.

The OP has a dog. Experience has shown that the BIL's family can't cope with this. Family gatherings must therefore take place elsewhere.

YorkiesGlasses · 27/11/2016 12:40

And why do people automatically assume that a badly behaved child has sn? Isn't that rather insulting to children with sn?

THANK YOU! As a parent of a very well-behaved child with SN, I'm SO sick of reading that on this forum. Just the other day a thread someone posted about a school bully who attacked her child was taken over by an outpouring of sympathy for the 'poor boy with SN' - when the woman had no idea whether her child's bully had SN or not!

pictish · 27/11/2016 12:41

"if the child is running amok take it into your own hands"

Just like that. Just take it into your own hands. Her mother won't mind. Infact she'll probably be grateful to you fir showing her how to do her job and the day will be saved.

Tralalalaa...

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 27/11/2016 12:46

"a bit mean"? no. It's not "a bit mean" to want to have a Christmas without a small feral child disrupting proceedings for the rest of the people there. The OP will have her own children there as well as the dog - maybe this child will kick them as well, how about that?

OP should definitely tell MIL that if she wants to be with BIL then she's absolutely welcome to do so - at her own house (as politely as possible, of course)

OutragedKoala · 27/11/2016 12:49

If a child was kicking my dog I wouldn't have a problem telling them not to. I don't see why that would require me to live in fantasy land.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 27/11/2016 12:51

DH has explained that after the dog incident we would prefer not to have them round for a while. They are now making it all about the dog incident

Their attempts to make this about the dog were to be expected - anything other than blame themselves - but surely the really good thing here is that your DH is on the same page?

MIL's rudeness is her own affair and unlikely to change, but since there's another child on the way (who'll probably lack discipline too) you might as well start as you mean to go on, tell them they're not coming and say why

As PPs have said, the fallout from this can't be worse than a totally ruined day and all the resentment and blame which would follow

YouHadMeAtCake · 27/11/2016 12:52

For me the dog kicking would be it. That little brat would be out and never welcome again . It is unacceptable and to let her back in your house would be stressful for all but the dog may get more ill treatment, maybe when you're not looking.

Katy07 · 27/11/2016 12:52

You're hosting, you get to choose the guests. No BIL (and definitely no dog-batterer). Why would you want to ruin your day, your DH's day, your kids' day and your dog's day? Just say no.

bookbuddy · 27/11/2016 12:54

Ynbu.

OutragedKoala · 27/11/2016 12:54

If I was BIL I'd probably be glad to be uninvited since every move would be subject to extreme scrutiny Hmm

HalfShellHero · 27/11/2016 12:56

If the MIL invited them ,i would tell her she needs to have a word with BIL about controlling his child better or step child. Tell your MIL that is a condition if them coming.

phoenix1973 · 27/11/2016 12:57

If I was hosting, they wouldn't be coming based on what op has said.
Your house, your rules.
If you wish to offer an explanation, make it clear that any kind of kicking in anybody's face is not acceptable in your home. That's all.
Suggest that mil hosts them if she's that concerned.
Cheeky of her to invite people on your behalf!

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