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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Future DIL WWYD

533 replies

Notwavingimdrowning · 09/04/2017 21:03

Huge backstory that I've posted about before under a different username, so I will keep it quite brief ! My future DIL hates my family for some reason that we don't know about, despite practically begging for her to explain what we did / do that makes her hate us so much and therefore be able to sort it out. I know that MIL get a really bad time on MN, but can honestly say that we have been nothing but kind and welcoming to her from the beginning, if anything I admit probably over compensating for the rude way she behaves. She is coldly polite in front of my DS, but will completely blank us if we bump into her when she is on her own. ( in a relationship with DS for 10 years and she has always been this way). I have spent so much time analysing every conversation that we have had to figure out if I have offended her in some way but she hates us all as a family and refers to us as losers, overheard by a very close friend that she didn't realise knew who she was. We are just a normal family, live in a lovely but modest house and have never been in trouble so I don't understand why she considers us to be losers.
Anyway, we work in the same field but not in the same place, but recently I had to visit the department where she works, several times in the same day. I was with a very senior member of staff who knows both of us and knows she is engaged to my DS but is not aware of how she behaves towards me. On 3 separate occasions she saw me and though I said hello, made a point of turning her back to me in order to not have to acknowledge me. At one point I was actually close enough to reach out and touch her ( I didn't !) before she marched off to a different area away from me. By this point it was completely obvious to the manager that there was an issue and when we left he discreetly asked me about it and to my utter shame I started to cry and told him everything. I felt totally humiliated and embarrassed, but he was lovely and advised me to speak to my DS. I did and he must have asked her about it as I've now received a text from her to say that she's sorry, she didn't see me, I was mistaken as she was so busy, she would never deliberately ignore me, blah blah blah, but it just isn't true and definitely not how it happened. I decided today that enough is enough and I will no longer spend any more time worrying about her and trying to make her like us. I know that you cannot force someone to be respectful and I finally decided to leave them to get on with their lives and stop trying to be part of it, as much as it breaks my heart to essentially cut off my DS, as I also realised that I actually blame my DS for allowing this to go on for 10 years.
WWYD ? So far I haven't replied to the text. Would you ignore ? Reply with the truth, so essentially call her a liar ? I'm not going to say I was mistaken because I wasn't ! I know she saw me, she knows she saw me. Please wise people of MN tell me what to do.

OP posts:
HappCatt · 10/04/2017 21:07

I'd still reply but with a bland and short text.

'Ok, thanks for letting me know PennyPink'

It's less of a response than not respindaing at all. I'd send it and then forget about it. I think not sending anything is making more of a statement. IYSWIM.

Ps. I hope you really have pink hair Smile

buckeejit · 10/04/2017 21:16

I agree be blunt with the son-you need to manage your future expectations.

Do you have any mutual friends in the workplace or town? Are you both fun people or more reserved?

Either way it's Time for the truth, it's the only way forward.

nauticant · 10/04/2017 21:16

OP you really should not be bringing this stuff into your future DIL's workplace.

But that's the opposite of what happened.

The thread is now firmly in the "projecting my issues on to the OP" and the "it must be the OP's fault" phases.

isitjustme2017 · 10/04/2017 21:25

I am not a massive fan of my MIL for many reasons but I would NEVER behave in this way. Its absolutely appalling behaviour on her part, especially if you've never done anything to her. And if you had, she should have the balls to say something.
To be honest I'm just has disgusted with your DS for letting this happen. She is making you feel awful for no apparently reason.
My DP knows I don't like his Mum but would never let me get away with not visiting her and certainly not sitting in the car tooting the horn!!
If I were you I would ask to meet with her and just have it out once and for all. If she doesn't come up with a reasonable explanation then she is just rotten, plain and simple.

nauticant · 10/04/2017 21:28

If I were you I would ask to meet with her and just have it out once and for all

If I had to put money on this confrontation, I'd bet on the unreasonable, manipulative, and unpleasant one rather than on the normal person who would be looking for open communication and compromise.

TheDowagerCuntess · 10/04/2017 21:36

I would reply with please don't insult my intelligence by saying you didn't see me, however when you are ready to start a relationship between us, l am here.

I know you won't Penny, but please don't reply with any of the text suggestions along these lines.

HappCatt's suggestion is far better.

I think you need to forget about your future DIL, and instead simply focus on your relationship with your son (again, some of the advice on here is so petty and useless - I'm sure you will ignore those telling you to 'bin him off').

Hopefully at some point you might be able to raise it with him, and let him know how disappointed you are with the way things are.

38cody · 10/04/2017 21:37

Tell your son you want to go to lunch with him - insist he turns his 'phone off and have it out - tell him everything and ask for complete honesty.
Even if you just get on her nerves or she doesn't like you, she could at least be curtious enough to say hello!
Demand an
Hour of his undivided attention and thrash it out to see if he can shed any light. Does he think it's normal that she waits in the car ffs?

pictish · 10/04/2017 21:39

Honestly this place. Where fantasies become reality.

The OP has said she has never interfered, isn't loud, isn't clingy, doesn't force her son to pop in, hasn't slagged off her dil. She can't recall any incident where where offence was given or taken. She has always extended an invite to her dil and made it clear she is welcome while maintaining a respectful distance. Yet she has spent 10 years being cold-shouldered to the point of humiliating rudeness!

How the fuck are any of you getting that this outlandish and sad situation is of the OP's making? How??

You can't read an account of someone else's life in black and white and decide that the person writing about their own life is mistaken when you have nothing...NOTHING to suggest that that is the case.
We can only go on what we are told. Nothing else. We can't imagine some shit in our head then forge on as if it were truth!
Seriously...some of you need therapy. Your eagerness to find some chink to stick the boot in, even if you have to make it up, is disturbing.

ByeByeBadman · 10/04/2017 22:01

Pictish I don't think thats fair. That some posters are challenging the general consensus that dil is unhinged and abusive and suggesting that perhaps there could be (shock horror) a reason for her behaviour is hardly worthy of therapy Hmm

Funnyfarmer · 10/04/2017 22:04

I can't believe how many people are suggesting op should stop seeing her son so much in order to please crazy dil. Mil and I really don't get on. She doesn't like any of her in-laws. My dp sees her everyday! He does her shopping, is her taxi service and even stays with her overnight sometimes at least once a week. When things got really bad beetwern her and I dp said he would stop seeing her if I wanted him too. But I could never ask him to do this. She hates me but needs him, and he needs her. She's his mum.
She's done and said so many crazy and nasty things made up so many lies about me. If dp asked me to try and me civil to her for him I would, I would at least have to try. But luckily enough he takes my side and understands why don't want anything to do with her. But would never expect him to stop seeing her or for my dc's to stop seeing her

Notwavingimdrowning · 10/04/2017 22:10

Thank you Pictish. I guess I had expected that the thread would, at some point suggest that it is me that is at fault somehow and I am more than willing to accept that may be how DIL sees things. if I knew what ever it was that I had said or done that offended her I would absolutely apologise, but when I genuinely have no idea how can I put things right? Even though we live fairly close by, and work in the same field luckily our paths really don't cross very often, probably 6 times a month or so, but it is when they do, that yet again I spend days analysing and second guessing myself. That probably sounds quite dramatic and I don't mean it to, what I mean is I end up going over old ground again and again and I think that I really need to stop giving her head space and trying to force something that isn't going to happen and just get over it. I won't cut my son off, even though sadly I have seriously considered it many times. Thank you for all the replies and advice ... oh and Happcatt... sorry I don't have pink hair, but I would love it !

OP posts:
fizzywaterlove · 10/04/2017 22:12

Does your DS and her have a good relationship? I am wondering if there are issues between them or if she has jealousy issues that she has manifested it into a hate to his family. She might be possessive and want him all to herself.

Edballsisoneniftydancer · 10/04/2017 22:16

Yes Elbows you offend her for reasons that are totally beyond your control and which highlight her bigotry. And as at you relate it, it does sound quite clear cut and simple (though it at not be in fact) Why is it impossible to think that this might be the case with the DiL's apparently ridiculous and inexplicable reaction to the OP

And Doublex OP did NOT bring this into the workplace. DiL did.

Funnyfarmer · 10/04/2017 22:18

Op you never said how your ds gets on with her dp's? If there relationship isn't that good. It could be a bit of tit or tat. Like if you don't like my mum I won't like yours

FairytalesAreBullshit · 10/04/2017 22:21

I've been thinking about this and I've been in a similar situation. Like first time meeting MIL I took expensive bouquets of flowers, I was on best behaviour, the best manners ever, offering to help MIL wish the washing up. I don't see what else I could do.

I'm unlucky I guess in the men I went out with were only children, could I seriously expect those women to post on here that they've been hard done to & they've tried so so hard, undoubtedly. Even though it was I who was there thinking what else can I reasonably do.

Do I have examples, oh a library full of them. A family or woman who thought she was something she wasn't, they couldn't be further from middle class if they tried. Spending a fortune on expensive places that scream STATUS, when you're in a shit ton of debt, just completely goes over my head.

Thinking about it, it's something that's bothered me for many years, I do honestly now wonder if MIL sabotaged my bouquet so it would look like shit, plus the buttonholed, because she didn't get her own way. I honestly hand on heart after all these years have just come to wonder if MIL went in and said oh I've been charged with making some adjustments to the flowers, she's a huge fan of weeds, so please can they go with the roses, in her bouquet please can you make sure that it looks like something from a wasteland, because her family are working clash trash, not deserving of our family name.

Please Grin because I can laugh too nearly 20 years later, my family member bringing in the flowers looking at me like I must have been on acid when I ordered them. I actually got scissors, everyone was Fairytales no, you're not a florist, let's see what the florist can do. It still came back looking fucking hideous.

We had a wedding planner, who arranged a rehearsal the night before, MIL & FIL refused to go, actually I think FIL came in the end. An amazing guy, loved him to pieces, but my MIL def had poison running through her veins. There's other examples of sabotage, but it might out me.

I recall my first telling off for upsetting MIL, I was bewildered, I asked my family should that have happened. They knew she didn't like us as she wanted a nice middle class girl for her DS. Some of the things she said you'd be Shock not just to me, but she did indeed bring it to boiling point where it was make a choice, I was chosen. Which went down like a house on fire as she was pretty sure that without doubt he'd pick mummy dearest.

It's not always Mums, but Sisters have the potential for causing mayhem, creating a situation and milking every ounce of sympathy she could out of it. Yet if she didn't behave the way she did, I don't think it would have escalated that far. She put herself in the situation. She was acting like a crazed lunatic. Again can't give examples of the heights of lunacy as it would be outing. But I know it put MIL & FIL in a very awkward situation. They're nice people they didn't deserve what they had to contend with. But SIL made sure that even when communication lines were down she would do as much damage as possible. I can see the genius of the plan, except it wasn't genius, she put her brother through hell and back by trying to make a point. You could argue you conceded and tried to undo the damage, but by that point there was no magic pen that could tippex out what had happened.

So I always take any posts like this with a pinch of salt. Your version of events she's an unhinged psychopath, her version is likely very different and can highlight exactly what you did and when. I can't buy for one minute that you're not peddling to DS oh why don't we do more with DIL if youre truly in the dark and unaware. Did any of your siblings bully DIL in the past?

As a possible scenario that no one has done anything wrong, there's the chance she feels you just don't have anything in common. That's that. It's up to your son to facilitate you seeing Grandchildren.

I think really if DIL ignored you the first time you said hello, going out your way two further times to say hello was to make her look like a twat in front of her boss. You were the visitor so you had superiority, there was no way you were going to let that pass. You had the upper hand and used it to your full potential. You think her boss didn't bollock her for reducing poor MIL to tears. You don't think that further added to your list of problems?

You've got enough people saying oh DIL & her family are awful. Someone's got to shine the torch for your DIL & play Devils advocate.

IfNotNowThenWhenever · 10/04/2017 22:21

The comments about the DS "needing to cut the apron strings" piss me off.
I see my mum a couple of times a week usually, sometimes for lunch, sometimes to pop in and borrow something, or help her with something. But I'm a woman, so is that OK?
I would be really sad if my son felt he couldn't see me often, or pop in on his way home from work whenever he liked.
There is such a swathe of married women on MN who seem to jealously guard their nuclear family unit and sneer at the idea of a man being close to his mother. I don't know why this is.
OP, you sound totally normal. I am sorry this is happening to you. I would have cried as well-ignoring someone in that scenario is bullying. DIL sounds a lot like one of my SIL..

Edballsisoneniftydancer · 10/04/2017 22:23

Pictish (21.39) at the risk of your having to take out a restraining order on me...yes. Just, yes.

fizzywaterlove · 10/04/2017 22:25

It's not quite the same but I get no pleasure whatsoever when spending time with my step children. I just feel irritated and have to force myself to talk to them. I don't know why and I am a kind person so not sure why I feel that way. However I have told myself I need to change because I don't want my DD to get wind of my feelings as she grows up. Plus I love my partner and it comes between us.

I guess what I am saying is normal nice people sometimes get feelings of dislike towards nice people for no reason.

I dread the weekends they come and hate their company. It's actually really hard feeling that way.

pictish · 10/04/2017 22:25

I wouldn't speculate that there is an abusive relationship at play either. How would I know?
The incident at work and the horn tooting does paint a picture of arrogance and lack of respect...but whether that translates into control within the relationship...well there is nothing to suggest that it does.
I can't imagine why she sees fit to conduct herself in this way. There seems no real reason behind it as far as we know, than sheer bad manners and lack of social grace.

Notwavingimdrowning · 10/04/2017 22:27

Funnyfarmer, DS gets on really well with her family. They have been on several holidays together and regularly go away for weekends with DIL relatives. It hurts if I'm honest, but I'm happy that they get on so well.

OP posts:
nauticant · 10/04/2017 22:30

So I always take any posts like this with a pinch of salt

What's the point of engaging with a thread where you've decided the OP isn't being honest even though there's no evidence for your belief?

Your version of events she's an unhinged psychopath

This isn't in the OP's posts. It's what you have in your head but that's your own issue and nothing to do with the OP.

NoFucksImAQueen · 10/04/2017 22:34

I'm so angry for you penny.
Not the most adult solution but I'd start doing the same to your son as she does to you to show him what it's like. When he shows up just ignore him, pretend there is no issue, "sorry just didn't see you" etc

As a mother reading this post has made my heart hurt for you. ❤️

wowfudge · 10/04/2017 22:36

Hmm - I am wondering if your DS has said things to her which have lead to this stance from her? He must know why she is like this.

Notwavingimdrowning · 10/04/2017 22:41

Fairytalesarebullshit, sorry but I don't think she is an unhinged psychopath at all so I don't know where you got that from and I hope I haven't given the impression that I think that. I actually think that she is very probably a lovely girl with everyone else, just not us and I'm sad that we don't get to see this side of her. Neither do I think that it is an abusive relationship, as I've already said.

OP posts:
Edballsisoneniftydancer · 10/04/2017 22:45

I don't think she is an unhinged psychopath at all so I don't know where you got that from and I hope I haven't given the impression that I think that

Penny trust me, you haven't given that impression at all.