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

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect DSis to keep an eye on her kids while in my home?

96 replies

MichelleH10 · 03/07/2017 14:14

Background: My Dsis and I are both in our thirties, and both have children but mine are all teens (the joys eh Grin ) while hers are only six and eight. She's recently moved back up to Scotland after a decade down south, so in a bid to reconnect I invited her family over for dinner.

The entire time her kids ran riot around my house. I gave them my old tablet to play with as well as some toys/board games and dvds. They started throwing my tablet back and forth to each other until it fell and cracked. Not a big deal on it's own, they're only kids and that's why I gave them my old one. They then spotted my DD's ipad on the tablet and began playing with that in the same way. I took it off them and put it out of their reach, only to come back and find dsis had taken it off the shelf and given it back to them!? She started laughing and said that they're only kids and they'll throw a tantrum if they don't have anything to play with. She assured me she'd keep a better eye on them, so I relented and gave it back to them.

Not ten minutes later there's a huge crack across the screen. Hmm

After dinner I put on a DVD for them while my Dsis and I sat on the sofa and had a drink. I stepped into my bedroom quickly to take a five minute call from my boss, and came back to find that her kids had went into my DS's room and picked all the keys off his £150 mechanical keyboard and spilled juice all over it!! I shooed them out of the room and they ran into the kitchen where they then started opening up all my cupboards and began pressing all my amazon dash buttons. They order eight lots of toilet paper Shock

These are only the examples that cost me money, but they spent the entire night being unruly and my Dsis did not lift a finger to keep them in line. It's left a really sour taste to what I'd hoped would be the start of a closer sisterly relationship. My kids were at their dad's that night so didn't witness the carnage first hand but came home gutted to find that their things had been damaged. When I attempted to discipline her kids myself, Dsis accused me of being a b and a child hater ??? Another gem from her was the line "you have kids, you should know not to put those buttons where kids can press them." My youngest is 14, and is perfectly capable of opening a cupboard without pressing every button in site!!

AIBU to expect her to discipline her kids at my house? I know my kids are all older, but I'd never have let them behave like that in my own home, never mind someone else's!

OP posts:
maplesyruppancakes · 03/07/2017 15:52

Not at all unreasonable. They sound awful. I don't know any children of that age who behave like that. It sounds as if they behave like that because she can't be bothered to take responsibility for parenting and disciplining them.
Huge sympathies to you and your children for the damage caused.

CheesesOfNazereth · 03/07/2017 15:53

No,OP gave them the ipad.
She assured me she'd keep a better eye on them, so I relented and gave it back to them

maplesyruppancakes · 03/07/2017 15:55

You have taken that out of context somewhat cheeseth

BeachyKeen · 03/07/2017 16:22

She sounds like a right piece of work

DesignedForLife · 03/07/2017 16:26

Good grief, I expect (& get) better behaviour from my two year old! Wow!

joannegrady90 · 03/07/2017 16:31

What disgusting behaviour I'd be furious!

MissionItsPossible · 03/07/2017 16:35

How bloody rude. They sound like animals.

Bluntness100 · 03/07/2017 16:37

I have a friend who parented like this, she literally let her kids do whatever and they always decimated everything where ever they went. Until you witness it you can't understand it. She'd just sit smiling indulgently. It actually seriously damaged our friendship, she'd then leave and your house would look like a bomb had hit it and you'd feel slightly traumatised by the visit.

Clearly she doesn't want to pay for the damage. She's your sister, tell her her kids broke stuff so she should replace it. Calling you a bitch and a child hater is deeply unpleasant. And then blocking you on face book just compounds it, I'm sorry bUt your sister isn't a nice or decent person.

AceholeRimmer · 03/07/2017 16:38

They sound like caged monkeys running wild and your sister is blind. I can't understand people like this.. surely letting them do what they want makes parenting harder not easier! Constant chaos. If she doesn't compensate you then I wouldn't be in touch again.

Funnyface1 · 03/07/2017 16:42

Appalling behaviour from your sister. It really is her fault more than the kids. Yes that's not how most kids behave, my 6 year old certainly doesn't. But I think it's her indulgence and unwillingness to step in and discipline that's led to this.

I bet you're remembering why you're not terribly close. As others have said I would not have her in my house again and would be persuing her for the damages. It doesn't sound like it will be a great loss to you if she takes it badly. And I feel for your dc, bet they're gutted.

anydream · 03/07/2017 16:58

6 and 8?! I wouldn't expect children of any age to behave like that. The first time anything got thrown in my house I'd have told them off.

CheesesOfNazereth · 03/07/2017 17:04

I haven't. OP handed them an ipad after watching them break a tablet. That IS the context.

They were horrendous and should pay for it all, but OP had a hand in it too.

Mrsdraper1 · 03/07/2017 17:08

Now you are starting to remember why you haven't been in touch with her OP.
This happens to me every time I see her. (Not the wild kids bit her DC's are 19 and 20) but I remember why I don't bother with her cos she is not worth it and doesn't respect anyone.

DudeHatesHisCarryOut · 03/07/2017 17:13

Are you expected to buy them birthday and Christmas presents? If so I wouldn't this year (maybe ever) and if your sister complains tell her you spent the money mending the items the kids broke.

Disgraceful behaviour.

Katedotness1963 · 03/07/2017 17:27

Cheeses, the op took the second iPad from the children and put it on a high shelf. When she left the room her sister took it down and gave it back to the kids. Then it got broken.

What a nightmare!!

maplesyruppancakes · 03/07/2017 18:43

cheeseth This is what is written in the OP:

'They then spotted my DD's ipad on the tablet and began playing with that in the same way. I took it off them and put it out of their reach, only to come back and find dsis had taken it off the shelf and given it back to them!? She started laughing and said that they're only kids and they'll throw a tantrum if they don't have anything to play with. She assured me she'd keep a better eye on them, so I relented and gave it back to them.'

You have only written the last sentence and have therefore taken it out of context.
Pretty unfair to blame the OP in the context of this and whole of the rest of the OP.

Hortonlovesahoo · 03/07/2017 18:48

Oh hell no. I'd be giving her the bill once you get the details off your brother. Her attitude is disgusting.

CheesesOfNazereth · 03/07/2017 20:19

IT ISN'T OUT OF CONTEXT. That phrase doesn't mean what you think it means, clearly.
OP took the ipad off them (sensible) then gave it back to them (stupid). That IS the context.

NeedMoreSleepOrSugar · 03/07/2017 20:25

Cheeky cow. Definitely bill her for all the damage (but just cancel the Amazon order!)
My two year old knows better than to behave like that!

CatsCatsCats11 · 03/07/2017 21:12

Can't believe she's blocked you!

Groupie123 · 03/07/2017 21:20

Under those circumstances my neices/nephews would have gotten the bollocking of a lifetime, whether it pissed off my sibling or not. Just not on.

RiotAndAlarum · 03/07/2017 22:35

Break into her house, "press all her Amazon dash buttons" and order a new iPad and mechanical keyboard! Simples! Grin

lovehoney69 · 03/07/2017 22:53

I thought you were going to say they were toddlers!!
At 8 and 6 they really have no excuse.
I suggest your sisterly bonding takes place outside the house next time Confused

blankface · 03/07/2017 22:59

Cheeses "OP took the ipad off them (sensible) then gave it back to them (stupid).

Wasn't it OP took the ipad off them (sensible) then left the room. When she returned, she discovered that her sister gave it back to them (stupid).

This is in the OP's OP.
"They then spotted my DD's ipad on the tablet and began playing with that in the same way. I took it off them and put it out of their reach, only to come back and find dsis had taken it off the shelf and given it back to them!? "

indigox · 03/07/2017 23:04

Your sisters kids are spoilt brats and with her excusing their feral behaviour because they're "just kids" they're only going to get worse.