Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this is really underhand of MIL?

501 replies

Realitea · 16/04/2017 09:46

Currently staying with IL's for a few days. Mil wants dc to stay without the rest of us for a bit longer to spend some time together. Dh told her yesterday it's up to dc and we were planning on asking them later today. Mil said she would not put any pressure on them at all.
This morning I heard mil asking dc herself and when they said they'd rather go home she kept quietly talking them into it until they decided they will stay. Whispering in the ear, bribing.. I am really angry about this! Who do I speak to? Dc/mil or dh? Or do I just let it go?

OP posts:
Realitea · 17/04/2017 18:35

Mummylove2monsters good luck with your operation Flowers

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 17/04/2017 18:41

Sorry to derail Realitea, but have you got a thread going Mummy?

Sweetmango · 17/04/2017 18:44

Realitea - I believe I am now the THIRD person tot ask you the same question......please how old are your dc?

AnnieAnoniMouse · 17/04/2017 18:45

mummylove I'm so sorry you have all this on top of your health issues & op. It's not on. Can you not tell your DH that he's to tell her its all in hand and she's not to come? Can't he be told this is about you not his bloody mother? I'll tell him if you like!

Lynnm63 · 17/04/2017 18:46

mummy good luck with your op. If you're in pain and on strong drugs after this could be a good time to tell the old trout exactly what you think of her. Grin
OP from now on your dc only see your mil when you're staying and gradually reduce the frequency and length of visits. You hold the cards here as ultimately your dc love you, they will look to you to do what's best for them. She sees them on your terms or not at all and your terms have been reasonable, much more reasonable than I'd be tbh.

Youdosomething · 17/04/2017 18:47

I dread my boys getting married after reading widely on here. Really wish I had at least one daughter. Seems being a MIL is going to be a nightmare. What a balancing act of trying not to upset; a minefield of anguish and not ever getting anything right.
Pitiful views.

Lynnm63 · 17/04/2017 18:47

Sweet op said under 10 and she didn't want to be more specific in case it outed her.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 17/04/2017 18:48

sweetmango. How rude! The OP is under NO obligation to answer you.

She answered the question hours ago, so go read the thread.

Lynnm63 · 17/04/2017 18:50

youdosomething I have sons as well as a dd. Honestly I wouldn't dream of pulling the stunts some mils pull. I accept some dils can be unreasonable but hand on heart do you think the mil is in the right here?

HashiAsLarry · 17/04/2017 18:59

realitea Hope your DCs will feel better once back at home for a while. Maybe have a word with them about how no means no, and they're entitled to say it to even their grandma.

Good luck mummy
When I had a major op my MIL and DM wanted to help both me and DH. They called DH and asked what he needed. He told them things like maybe grabbing the DCs for a day here or there, helping with school runs on the day of the op, etc. So they did that. Neither forced themselves on us.

CotswoldStrife · 17/04/2017 19:00

I have been reading this thread for the last day or so OP, and I get the feeling that you want someone else to step in and sort this for you - your original question was 'who do I speak to?' But why didn't you speak at the time, that would have been the easiest option?!

Would you feel more comfortable if you set down some guidelines right now 'they didn't want to upset you but they were afraid/distressed in the night so they won't be doing that again for a few years' so you have something to refer back to when/if it is raised on the next visit?

I can understand your distress - but - it is difficult to see why you just didn't say no rather than cry all the way home and then blame your DH and go to the spare room. I don't think your MIL should have spoken to them, but I don't think the blame lies entirely with just one person either. You know what you are facing now, so you have a chance to lay down some groundwork and come up with an effective counter-attack!

DagenhamRoundhouse · 17/04/2017 19:05

I'd have thought you'd appreciate the break!

givemestrengthandgin · 17/04/2017 19:11

Mummy good luck with your op and I too was hoping your in laws had given up Angry
Catrina I think most gps are lovely and great to have around for advice and support, as well as having fun with the gc's but they do not have the right to interfere or overrule the parents. Grandparents had their chance and raised their kids, now they must take a back seat and let the parents decide their own way !

Youdosomething · 17/04/2017 19:12

lynn, no I wouldn't be coercing the DC's to stay either, but do think that with the MIL role 'you are damned if you do and damned if you don't'. This huge thread could equally have been about the MIL not wanting to spend enough time with her GC's if she hadn't persuaded them to stay.

Seems DIL's have little or no respect for their MIL's. Is that just because they are not their own DM? is it nothing more than different expectations and experiences?

I want to enjoy the role of MIL, enjoy my family. I feel I am a normal, professional person, who leads a happy workplace, who is respected. I am a good mother. I care about people yet have a real sense of doom over this role.
Some really horrible, arrogant and disrespectful views on here.

Exhaustedmummy10001 · 17/04/2017 19:12

Your children should have a choice and that choice should be respected. That was really unfair on them, poor things. I would speak to your DC and see what they want to do, reassure them that they should never have to do something if they really do think want to!! ( Obviously there are some exceptions to this but this certainly isn't one of them!!)Flowers

Craigie · 17/04/2017 19:17

I would do this - Check with kids if they want to stay. If not, tell your MIL, in front of your husband and kids that they've changed their minds. Telll her that you might revisit it when they're a bit older, but that they're nervous being away from home on their own, but didn't want to hurt her feelings by saying no and that's why you've spoken to her. Have done EXACTLY this with my MIL, who is obsessed with getting my son to get a bus on his own to her house on the other side of a major city, although he's never travelled by bus on his own. She gets him to agree, I have to sort it out!

manicmij · 17/04/2017 19:26

Would ask dc again yourself explaining they can choose to stay or go home with you. Does sound as if mil really wants some time with gc. Do you ever arrange for dc to stay without you, like Granny would like you to visit for a few days so will take you and collect you afterwards
Could say to mil children are going home this time but will arrange separate visit for them to stay over. Be kind.

kentparent · 17/04/2017 19:46

It's all sooo dramatic. MIL wants to spend time with grandchildren shock horror and promised them some exciting treats more shock horror. You're lucky she cares. You're being just as manipulative yourself.

MissesBloom · 17/04/2017 19:47

This is exactly like mil. She always wants the kids alone without me and dh and is never happy to have just mine also wants all her gc at the same time to stay. She pulls all the tricks in the book despite them both being under 4. She tries emotionally first (us and the kids), then she gets angry and strops like a toddler. She hints about it all the time.
I get round it by having strict rules about what I'm ok with. I like the kids seeing her but I'm not ok with her having other kids over night at the same time as my two stay out very rarely and could get upset in the night. Luckily DH is very assertive and always discusses it with me and we make a decision together.
I would be livid in your shoes with dh. He has made it clear he's a wet mop when it comes to backing you up so you know you're on your own in future. I wouldn't allow him to make those kind of decisions anymore. You decide if they can handle it.

Also re the visits please do not send them off without you. You need to be there rather than at home stewing over what she's up to. They would not be sleeping over for a long time after this little stunt.

She knew she was out of order that's why she manipulated the kids behind your back. Not ok Angry

Beeziekn33ze · 17/04/2017 19:47

Dreadful, emotional manipulation of your children. And poor DC cried at night. MiL said she wouldn't put pressure on them. Least they see of her the better. Wishing you strength to cope 💐

Astro55 · 17/04/2017 19:51

Shock horror it's a huge round trip - not up the road!

OP said she'd ask the kids - GP got in first - that's the issue

YNK · 17/04/2017 19:59

Eh? Maybe some of you should rtft.
The OP was kind, Mil abused her kindness and went against her wishes, deliberately undermining her. More than that she used the GC's to win a bit point scoring.
DC's were upset by being coerced into doing what someone else wanted. the op and her husband suffered a fall out.

The OP has decided, quite rightly, that her family should not be treated like this and now she is alert to it she won't allow this again. The MiL went out of her way to create this situation - she could have avoided this but her selfish needs came first. Her loss!

musketeers123 · 17/04/2017 20:08

My ex MIL never cut the apron strings. She always thought that she say what she wanted & get what she wanted as she was always right. Her son (my ex) had the same manner and so they were always very close ..... too close really as they were always right. She was definitely the Matriarch of the family. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It would cause huge rows between me and OH. He would always defend/not want to upset her. Would drive me mad. When we split she then turned on him saying he was an awful parent. With her as the example... very sad. We have no contact with them now (Dom V) so at least the ties are cut now. You do need to be aware that it will no doubt get worse, if you dnt try to nip it in the bud....

MrsLion · 17/04/2017 20:14

Yes she's threatened by you, or more accurately, not being able to control you.

Yes you will be cast as the bad guy for not letting her take charge. The trick is to simply not give a shit.

There was a brilliant post on here a few months ago about someone who met their future Mil for the first time with the rest of the family at a restaurant or pub for a meal. When everyone had gone to the toilet/bar, future Mil turned to the poster and said "I don't think I'm going to like you very much". The posters response was to look her directly back and say "So?"

This is the attitude you need to have.

Every time you stand up for yourself you will be painted in a bad light. It's important you understand this. Every. Single. Time. But don't be drawn into justifying or explaining yourself. It won't work. She will attempt to draw your DH into the emotional blackmail too. That's why saying 'we' a lot is very important so that decisions come from both of you.

It sounds like she wants to feel in control of your DC in particular.
Be one step ahead.

Make plans for holidays, bank holidays yourself. Don't let her take control and call the shots about how family time is spent. Get in first, and always have a plan.

Be careful accepting gifts, return any unwanted or very expensive ones:
"Thank you, but this is too much. As discussed, we don't give expensive gifts outside of birthdays and Christmas"
"Thank you for your kind offer (money) but we have got this covered. We'd like you to keep this for yourself"

There will be attempts to control you disguised as acts of kindness.
My inlaws had a xmas tradition of the DH in the family dressing up as santa to hand out gifts. Mil sent me the adult Father Christmas costume telling us that now we could follow the same tradition.
I sent it back with a note saying "this is a tradition your family did, in our family we have some different traditions. Thank you, but please keep this as a momento for yourself"

My DH got an earful about how unkind and ungrateful I was, but I ignored it.

Turn down offers of free childcare.
"Thank you, but we have got childcare sorted. We would like to arrange a visit for you to see the DC on xxx though"

Please understand that any acts of "kindness" will be used against you when you come to blows over anything big: "but after everything I've done for you!"

There is a brilliant book you should read called 'a wolf in sheeps clothing' it's all about manipulative, controlling people and how to defend yourself against them.

MiaowTheCat · 17/04/2017 20:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.