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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Fallen out with MIL so thinking I might be UR

145 replies

PretendTeaPot · 24/10/2017 11:13

Had a big falling out with my MIL and wonder if I need some perspective.

DD is 2.4, but developmentally closer to 15/16 months, she's speech delayed, has hearing problems, eye sight problems, is asthmatic and has hip problems. She has at least 1 appointment a fortnight for something or other.

DH is flakey at best, a lazy sod at worst. He forgets everything including his own head if it isn't screwed on from what time his shift starts at work to picking DD up from Nursery, and everything in between. He's so unorganized that he never leaves time to have a shower when getting ready for work and is often late anyway, I'm constantly surprised he hasn't been sacked - he must be a good worker in other areas that they can overlook his consistent lateness.

I also work 3 days a week, manage to get myself and DD ready in plenty of time in the mornings, get DD to Nursery in time for breakfast there and get to work usually with 5 minutes or so to spare so I can make myself a cup of tea and start the day relaxed - I've been late once when there was a big accident on the main A road through my town but the two other women who live in my town were also late due to that so no-one got into trouble.

I had got into the habit of reminding, cajoling and even waking DH up to get him to where he needed to be on time. As well as getting myself and DD ready, getting DD to her appointments,shopping for and feeding us all, getting the cat fed, litter changed etc reminding DH to do the two housework jobs he has to do (clean the bathroom once a week (not the toilet as I do that everyday, just the bath and sink) and mop the kitchen floor once a week), reminding him to text his family to see DD. It was like having a teenager and a toddler at the same time.

In June I went to the doctors as I've not been feeling well; my blood pressure is through the roof, my heartrate is consistently high, and I've been suffering with headaches. The doctor has sent me for further testing but is 90% sure I'm doing too much and need to slow down.

So I stopped, stop reminding DH to do anything, told him I'm ask him once a week to text his mum to ask if she wants DD, and if he forgets or doesn't do it and she doesn't ask him then she won't see DD. I stopped getting him up, stopped doing things for him, and would just leave his meal in the microwave to heat up later if he wanted it, of course I still remind about housework as that affects us all. And I actually feel better since doing it.

And MILs shouted at me on Sunday as she hasn't seen DD since before my doctors appointment in June as DH says he'll text her later and forgets. He's been late for work 2-3 times a week since I stopped, and has not attended a single appointment of DDs as I give him the letters but don't remind him anymore so he can rearrange he schedule so he can attend.

MIL says that being married is like this and I need to do more for DH, she says I should of realised that men never grow up. She said it's my job not hers or DHs to make sure DD sees both sets of grandparents she sees my mum a few times a month as my mum will contact me and offer to have DD for a couple of hours for me. I also speak to my mum at least once a week. I also need to remember that DH works and his home life should be as stress free as possible. Apparently if I can't manage everything I should quit work (I work to cover nursery fees plus a tiny bit of spending money that's it - I also work for my own sanity as a life spent ferrying a child back and forth to hospital is boring, time consuming and means I don't have many friends plus her hip condition means we have to be careful what groups I take her too as if she hurts herself she can end up at A+E) and keep DD at home with me.

I'm just wondering whether IABU? And I do need to start doing things for DH again?

OP posts:
Dustysparrow · 24/10/2017 12:47

And just to add - you are a thinking intelligent human being who needs something other than to just be a skivvy to those around her - hence you need to have your job. Why else do all us women go to school, get educated and trained, only to then be told we are only good for changing nappies, cooking fish fingers and mopping hubbies delicate brow after his hard working day??? Fuck that! Your job is YOUR business, it is not up to anybody else to tell you to quit. There is more to you than a wife and mother. Clearly your MIL needs to have this fact thrust under her bloody nose.

ohfourfoxache · 24/10/2017 12:48

Ignore mil- she isn't worth engaging with

What is WH (wanker husband)'s reaction to you now leaving him to sort himself out?

Please tell me you've stopped doing anything at all for him

Lou573 · 24/10/2017 12:48

OP, for some reason my mil in law thought I was responsible for all visiting arrangements when I had a baby. I found myself getting vet stressed being expected to account for my whereabouts, feeling bad for prioritising my own plans, guilt tripped if I didn't see her every week. Then I realised I actually was a grown woman and didn't have to do this, and completely disengaged. There wasn't even a conversation about it, I just consistently referred her to dh for arrangements. Result: we see a lot less of her now!

TheCowWentMoo · 24/10/2017 12:50

Ignore your MIL, obviously its not up to you to arrange her seeing her granddaughter, thats nor old fashioned thats just ridiculous. Presumably she has invited you round in that time either?
Secondly your DH is being a lazy twat, it's not just a DH problem as clearly his parents will be enabling this behaviour (why on earth shout at you not him? ). Stand firm, do not do anything for your DH except normal family things (caring for your DD, your half of the housework), thats the very minimum.

Dustysparrow · 24/10/2017 12:52

Do you know, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get you and your DH to some kind of marriage counselling where there is a third party in attendance, so you can say how you feel and point out how much he has changed from the man you married - in that scenario he will have to listen and take it on board.

Mummyoflittledragon · 24/10/2017 12:53

Did you tell her to fuck off? I don’t think you did. Therefore, you’re being unreasonable. Wink. It’s very cathartic sometimes btw.

Your mil has brought a man child into this world and expected you to take over where she left off. She sounds like my mother in many ways. If she is, she will have a hierarchy where she is the matriarch and expects you as the lower ranking female to run after her and meet her and her sons needs. She will make compromises for her poor hard working lickle ickle boy though ofcourse because he’s golden boy. But you’ve married into the family so you can never have such high rank.

diddl · 24/10/2017 12:54

She won't walk 20mins to collect her GD?

Jeez, I'd be ashamed to be so lazy.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 24/10/2017 12:54

Does your h recognise he's being a lazy shit?? Did he put mil up to talking to you or can he take responsibility for his own lack of actions?

Gemini69 · 24/10/2017 12:55

PretendTeaPot

I am heart sorry for you.. I could feel your anxiety just reading your Post... it's YOU that needs a stress free home environment.. not your darned lazy Ass husband.. it's quite apparent where your DH learned his craft.. his bloody Mummy....

get shot of both of them.. and live a happy stress free days with your DD Flowers

Theresamayscough · 24/10/2017 12:57

He some change because he’s been brought up to think his parents marriage model is the right one.

Sorry if I missed this but have you sat down and given him an unltimatum?

Theresamayscough · 24/10/2017 12:59

Missed she wine walk 20 mins to see her grandaoghter,

Fucks sake lazy cow. Apple and tree op

Goodasgoldilox · 24/10/2017 13:02

Less a MIL problem than a DH one.

He doesn't sound very impressive here. Does he have a sense of fairness? Does he understand that your health is seriously threatened?

Different families have different ways of working. His mother's (1900s one isn't going to work for you!) You need to work out the domestic detail so that it works for you all.

Splitting seems a bit drastic - though you probably need to talk to hime about how his not taking part is like not being loved.

He might be useless at time/organisation - but he must be able to contribute more to the running of his home.

I agree about getting counselling. You did love him. There is something to save.

usernameavailable · 24/10/2017 13:25

Yabvu! How dare you assume you DH is ok to adult all by himself! MIL sounds VR. You should be reminding him to attend appointments, wake up for work on time and text his mother! Why are you not wiping this mans backside and providing him with a memo to breathe in and out every few seconds???
It is not Mil/Fils fault that they raised an utterly lazy man! You should cater to his every whim! Bad wife!!!

Seriously OP, relax, he needs to learn to do it all by himself! You seem like you have done so much. Its time for u to relax now and let him look after himself! CakeFlowers

CotswoldStrife · 24/10/2017 13:44

I did wonder if MIL lived quite close, so thanks for the update with the 20 mins walk.

Firstly, I am going to say that in your OP you didn't say that your DH expects you to provide the constant reminders, etc. Which would mean that he's really not bothered about his lateness/whatever and hasn't really got the motivation to change anything ATM. You said that you'd 'got into the habit' so it may take a while to get out of that habit on both sides (you and him!).

Secondly - what did the doctor say about your health, did he say that he feels you are suffering from anxiety or stress? Apart from the further tests, have they provided any other help or ideas?

I think speaking to an independent third party like a counsellor may be helpful because it sounds like you are doing what I describe as 'points scoring' now (I get to work on time to relax, DD is not late for nursery) and that's never a good sign for a relationship IMO. You clearly feel that you are not getting back as much as you put in to the relationship, so it might be helpful to define (just to yourself) what a good relationship would look like from your side of things.

I wonder what caused the MIL to finally snap though, I suspect it was a comment from someone else about MIL not seeing her grandchild for so long that may have been the trigger.

Gemini69 · 24/10/2017 13:52

I suspect the trigger for MIL was that nobody was taking DGD round there.. as opposed to MIL strolling 20 mins to collect her.... Hmm

FrancisCrawford · 24/10/2017 13:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CheshireChat · 24/10/2017 14:02

What was your husband's reaction when he heard you have health issues because you're so worn out?

Hope things improve for you Flowers.

frieda909 · 24/10/2017 14:07

MIL says that being married is like this and I need to do more for DH, she says I should of realised that men never grow up.

Nope. Some men never grow up, often because their mothers and partners enable them and tell them that these things aren’t their ‘job’.

I used to be in your situation, minus the kids (a big minus, I know!) My ex expected me to do everything for him and would blame me when he was late for work (which was pretty much every day) because I hadn’t ironed his shirt or made his breakfast quickly enough. It was my job to remember his family’s birthdays and buy them all presents, and all the rest. He expected me to book flights and hotels for trips that he was taking with his friends, and print off his boarding passes for him like a bloody PA.

I wish I had just gone ‘on strike’ like you have, well done you! Stick to your guns, you are NOT in the wrong here. And I’m not going to shout LTB, but if you don’t want to be with him at all, that’s really OK too.

After I finally left my ex I met a man who not only does all his own timetabling and mental housekeeping (as well as actual housework) but who actually got rather offended the first time I suggested that I was impressed with his organisation and his cleaning abilities. He just said ‘errr, of course I do all that, I’m not a child’ and looked at me like I was mad. And quite right too!

NetflixandBill · 24/10/2017 14:23

She's contradicted herself in that if she truly believed that her precious boy shouldn't take responsibility for anything AND she wanted to see her GC then she should have contacted you herself to arrange something.

YADNBU

Men demean themselves when they behave like children in this way.

myrtleWilson · 24/10/2017 14:24

Goodness OP - you must have been worn down to a frazzle with all of that.

Ignore MiL - her chickens are coming home to roost aren't they.
TBH I wouldn't even plate up food in the microwave for him - if he's not around -he can sort himself out, stop doing his washing (if you were/still are).

As others have said you're not in a marriage - this is in no way a partnership... at best you're reluctant housemates at the moment.

Whether pre -marriage DH can return is up to him - can you have a frank discussion, re-set expectations but within a timeframe that allows you to see a difference - so you are expecting not to hear "I'll try harder" but to have a commitment to "I will do a, b and c, and by x date you will see a massive difference in how we live - and then we can reconnect as partners"

FrogsSpawnofSanta · 24/10/2017 14:31

What exactly do you get out of this relationship? Obviously other than stress related health problems. YANBU!

Fantasticmissfoxy · 24/10/2017 14:35

Two things - your mother in law is a dickhead, and it's her stupid sons fault she hasn't seen her GD

He wasn't like this until you were married - that means he's making a CHOICE to behave like such a useless man child he is actually making you ill?? You do realize that he is perfectly capable of all these things he's just choosing not to make them, you and your daughter a priority. He sounds like an utter waste of space to be honest, I'm surprised you can bear to shag him

crazycatlady5 · 24/10/2017 14:35

It sounds like your MIL is responsible for the way your DH has turned out, probably did everything for him as he was growing up. Stuff like this really grinds my gears, she clearly thinks women should do the majority of the work in the marriage. It’s not the 50s anymore dear!

YANBU

just5morepeas · 24/10/2017 14:37

Good for you for standing up for yourself. You're not being unreasonable at all. Please don't start doing everything for your dh again.

Sounds like your MIL is living in the past. If you're lucky this will be a wake up call for your DH to grow up and take responsibility for himself.

PoppyPopcorn · 24/10/2017 14:50

MIL says that being married is like this and I need to do more for DH

This is why he is like he is. Because he's never been forced to take responsibility because his mum, then his wife, have been there to organise him. I wouldn't be surprised if he's sacked very soon too.