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AIBU?

AIBU to feel really hurt and pissed off with my parents?

12 replies

Goodbyechuck · 23/08/2017 17:56

DP, DS who is 19mo and I live around 45 minutes away from my parents. DB has 2 children who are 2 and 4 and he currently lives at home with them. His children, my niece and nephew live with their DM, my partners ex but spend every and all weekend and 1-2 evenings in the week at my parents. They only live a 5 min drive away. My DM has often told me I'm confidence that she does at times find it a little bit too much but is too polite to say anything.
Ofc I understand that they are naturally going to see more of my niece and nephew as they live closer, and their Dad lives with them, and that is completely fine. But I can't help but feeling they don't make even half as much effort with my DS.
They hardly ever ever come to see us, unless I have planned a big meal and made a big point of inviting them, and they wouldn't see DS at all unless we went to them. I can literally count on 1 hand the amount of times they have been to our home since he was born. On occasion (around every 2-3 months) they will have DS overnight if DP and I are both working or on the odd occasion we have made plans to go out. I am very grateful for this, especially as I'm adding a 3rd child to their gang! And I always try to give as much notice as possible.

They go on days out with niece and nephew, taking them to places and buying them things. They've never once offered to take DS anywhere (although they always say they "will have to take DS one time"- never happens!) and whenever he stays over they just stay home. If I was DB or his ex, I would say they were faultless GP's who go above and beyond for their kids- they really do.

They often say that our home is a hassle to get to with the traffic and the route they have to take. But DM drives to see her DF every few months and he lives around 350 miles away. I just feel it's a lack of effort and unless we live on their doorstep DS will never have a proper relationship with my parents. DP's parents dote on DS (as they do their other grandchild) and more than make up for my own parents misgivings, so I'm happy he at least has one set of grandparents who he's close with.

It's not that my parents show no interest- they do. But nowhere near, not even half as much interest as they show my niece and nephew and I feel really hurt by this. I've always been a bit of a black sheep of the family and have at times felt very left out (whole other thread!) but I could forgive and forget all that if they were brilliant GP's as they are to their other DGC. AIBU to feel hurt and like DS deserves more from them?

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HeebieJeebies456 · 23/08/2017 18:00

for god's sake! they live practically NEXT DOOR to their other grandchildren hence why they 'see' and 'do' more with them!

Move closer to them if you want your dc to have the same Hmm

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RadioGaGoo · 23/08/2017 18:05

So being a good grandparent is based on location? Hmm They are only 45 minutes away.

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SomeDoNot · 23/08/2017 18:13

How often do you go there? As the old saying goes- the road runs 2 ways.

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Mxyzptlk · 23/08/2017 18:16

Your DPs, probably feel a bit worn out with all that they do already and don't realise how this is coming across to you.
Could you have a chat with your DM about wanting your DS to have more contact with them and how that could be arranged.
If it seems they're overloaded already with commitments to your DB's children and your DM's very elderly parent, and they can't change any of that, then you'll just have to lump it, for now at least.

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Goodbyechuck · 23/08/2017 18:19

As I say ofc course I understand that they're going to see more of the other two, that's fine and I get it. It's the lack of effort with my DS that bothers me. We're only 45 mins away.
We make an effort to go there to see them every 3 weeks or so. Forgot to add also, DM and her own DM go shopping in the city I live in, around 2 miles from my house at least once a month. She never ever tells me she's going otherwise we'd meet them there.

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stormytherabbit · 23/08/2017 18:20

Get a grip. You are not entitled to your parents time or attention. You're an adult.

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Goodbyechuck · 23/08/2017 18:22

stormy erm not sure where I'm saying I want their attention. I'm talking about my DS who is 19mo. Not me

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Scholes34 · 23/08/2017 18:30

I doubt your DS notices.

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Dollypartonsbra · 23/08/2017 18:41

Can you speak to your mum and explain how you feel. Bring up her visiting your city and how hurt you feel about them not letting you know.
Make it about building your relationship rather than comparing to your DB.
Feel for you, it must be frustrating Flowers

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Laiste · 23/08/2017 18:45

OP i know what you mean.

It's an almost identical situation with my inlaws and their daughter and her kids. SIL has her own home, a good income and a DP but she and the 3 boisterous kids still practically live at PILs and she leans on MIL who is very frail for almost 24/7 childcare some weeks. (mainly so that she can pursue a hobby).

DH and his siblings have to book time with PILs to fit in around what ever arrangement there is for their sister and the kids being there already. Which is all the bloody time! PILs used to go away a lot for a bit of peace - now SIL has started dropping her kids to the holiday cottage and leaving them there with the PILs as well!

We're more concerned about MILs health than the 'who sees who most' thing. (MIL has said to me straight that she doesn't know how to back off from her daughters demands on her time). But i can understand how you feel OP.

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Goodbyechuck · 23/08/2017 19:37

yer it may be the case that they're overrun with my DB's children, as lovely as they both are, and as much as my DM adores them I know she does struggle with them being there as much.
I can try to talk to her and it may go well and she might get what I mean. But she does have a tendency to be a bit dismissive and I'd hate to make it worse. I have a lot of issues with DP's and things from growing up myself and when I first moved away which I won't go into, but that may be why I feel like this even more. I can put things behind me but if DS is 2nd best all the time it frustrates me all the more.
laiste it sounds like our situations are similiar. We often have to fit any plans we have to see them around niece and nephew. I don't mind doing this though tbf aslong as DS sees them.

As for DS not noticing. That may be the case, but I know that he does chatter about my DP's parents, his other GP's all the time, and is visibly excited when he sees them. Yet he doesn't seem fussed either way with my own parents or doesn't have a name for them yet (despite us talking about them) and that makes me sad tbh.

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Goodbyechuck · 23/08/2017 19:39

Just realised I'm using DP for both Partner and parents! In that last post I'm referring to issues with parents and then later on abut my partners parents! I might stay clear of the abbreviations! Grin

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