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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want MIL living with us part time?

419 replies

powderbluegecko · 06/03/2018 18:03

Have name changed for this as DH knows my usual one and he might be annoyed about me posting this. Although if he reads this he'll know who it's about. Anyway..

I don't like my MIL at all, mainly because she is dishonest and manipulative with a massive victim complex. I had no contact with her for a few years after her and BIL1 stole from us but recently saw her at a family wedding. DH didn't go NC, he spoke to them occasionally on the phone. BIL has since found God and is apparently a reformed character. He's at least apologised and paid us back, she has never said anything. I don't want anymore trouble so agreed with DH to put it behind us. I thought this meant that if I saw her I would be polite, nothing more. We don't live near her and she has never shown any interest in our DD(4).

MIL lives with BIL1 in a rented flat, her and FIL separated 5 years ago. She owns a house that used to be rented out but has now been empty for several years and needs some work done to it.

Last night DH told me that BIL1 is getting married soon and decided he doesn't want her living with him anymore. He never really did but felt forced into it. They, along with BIL2 offered to pay for her house to be sorted so she can live there but she refused and said she wont live by herself. She wanted to get back with FIL, but he said no. She has now decided that she will live part time with each of her 3 sons, spending a week in each house. They agreed to this. BIL1 has not asked his fiance, BIL2 did not ask SIL (her and MIL detest each other) and DH did not ask me, he just told me that this is how it is, and it's not a big deal. He says I need to be the bigger person and that even if she's awful she's still his mum. He said she's old (she's actually 59) and she's ill (made up heart condition).

I've been completely blindsided by this, whenever there was problems in the past he was always on my side. She is the kind of person that could cause trouble in an empty room, she thrives on drama and has always played her sons off against each other. She tried to do it with me and SIL too. I cant cope with her mood swings, lies and attention seeking and don't want her around DD. She lived with us for a month before I went NC with her and it was probably the worst month of my life. DH says she'll be better now and I need to be positive. I just want to run away. I don't think this is fair at all and I'm horrified that he's just burying his head in the sand. He works very long hours and I'm a SAHM. It'll be me that's with her all the time, she barely goes out, and doesn't know anyone where we live to visit or anything. AIBU?

OP posts:
Cath2907 · 06/03/2018 21:33

Not on your life!!

MsJolly · 06/03/2018 21:35

Seriously hope you've talked your DH round!

WeAllHaveWings · 06/03/2018 21:35

No way would I have allowed this. Your dh will feel obligated because your bils have agreed. There is a huge risk one ds starts saying they can’t do their week and eventually she ends up mostly permanently at one of her ds’s homes.

Best nipped in the bud now, help her move back into her own home or a smaller more manageable home with regular visits until she settles.

poobumwee · 06/03/2018 21:35

100% not!!! DH sounds like a bit of a prat agreeing to that without checking with you first. Very disresptful

scaryteacher · 06/03/2018 21:37

Ask him what part of 'no' he doesn't understand? She's only 6 years older than me (how the hell did 53 creep up without me noticing?), and at 59, I hope to be working and enjoying life, not inflicting myself on ds.

SecondaryConfusion · 06/03/2018 21:42

I know someone who did similar with her four sons. She stayed with one son until his wife got pissed off, moved to the next until his wife got pissed off, etc.

I used to feel sorry for her being shunted around. Then the youngest DIL, who I was close to, ended up with her.

And I found out how horrible the MIL was - telling my friend not to wear revealing clothes (work dress to her knees with tights!), DIL should cook for MIL and DH more (friend and her DH both worked full time so don’t know why MIL who didn’t work at all couldn’t help out with cooking), they should have more DC, should stop going on holiday so much, it was never ending.

My friend ended up with MIL living with them full time as none of the other SILs would have her back. I fear this would happen to you.

My friend actually ended up divorcing her DH after a few years of MIL living with them. She says it was the tension caused by MIL that led to the divorce - plus she found out her DH prioritised his mum over his own DC.

MsJaneAusten · 06/03/2018 21:42

Wow. No no no. Is surely the only response?

PastaOfMuppets · 06/03/2018 21:46

Good luck, OP.

StopPOP · 06/03/2018 21:47

Absolutely NO WAY.

Booboobooboo84 · 06/03/2018 21:48

If he goes through with the plan when he goes to pick her up for her week with you let him come back to the locks changed and a suitcase for him on the doorstep

WineAndTiramisu · 06/03/2018 21:52

I think this is turning into a very long conversation...
Don't give in! It's a batshit crazy idea... Definitely point out that she can live in her own house and they can visit for a week at a time split between them if they so wish, no need for the wives to get involved.

Saffronwblue · 06/03/2018 21:52

That's a Hell No from me.

Angryosaurus · 06/03/2018 22:02

It wouldn't work as she couldn't have 3 GPs, be on the electoral roll etc. I am British, but a lot of my British Asian friends consider living with their MIL normal (and culturally the woman would expect to live with family). My point being it may seem totally normal to her/him. Doesn't mean you have to agree to it obviously. It's down to the sons to agree how else they can support her if she is living alone. I would brace yourself for an increase in her attention seeking and manipulative behaviour if that's her personality though. Flowers

Blessyourheart · 06/03/2018 22:03

Hell the fuck no X infinity

PutUpWithRain · 06/03/2018 22:05

Adding another vote to FUCK NO FUCK THAT FUCK OFF pile. Not a chance. Even if you had the type of relationship with her in the sense of 'people mistake you for my best friend because we're so happy to spend time together and you're my favourite person ever', it would still be a strain.

Fucking hell. Can you imagine how much of a whiny pain in the arse she'll be when she's effectively living out of a suitcase for YEARS? If her sons are that concerned about her, I agree with the suggestions above that they move in with her on a rota basis. You didn't sign up for this. Also, please give your DH a flick on the earlobe from me.

AcrossthePond55 · 06/03/2018 22:08

I suggest the MiL's house gets fixed up and that either 1- OP, SiL, and the fiancee rotate staying in it for the week that MiL is at their house OR 2- MiL moves home and the boys rotate weekly staying with her to 'keep her company'. Let her sons take care of her on their own. I guarantee it won't last 3 months before the 'boys' tell their mum she needs to woman up and live alone in her own place.

BackforGood · 06/03/2018 22:09

Wow.
That is some suggestion!
I can't see either of the other two partners agreeing to it either though.
I mean, it would be a 'No' from 99% of us even without the back story. It is unbelievable given the history.
The only possible massive compromise would be for the dh to go and live with her in her house every 3rd week, depending if the OP is happy without him for that much of her life for the next 30 years ??
No way in a million years would she be moving in to my house.

Giraffey1 · 06/03/2018 22:09

No, no, no and thrice no! There is no way this is normal. What parent wants to spend a week at a time living with each of her children? What son in their right mind is not only happy with such an arrangement and more to the point, agrees to it without first consulting their partner?!

You MIL is not old and she has a house. She needs to grow up and be responsible for herself again.

Please tell meyou have said no!

Missingstreetlife · 06/03/2018 22:15

Completely ridiculous from her point of view. She would have no place to call home, no friends or neighbours, no life. She's not a parcel. Only blokes could have thought of this. She should stay put, where she is in charge, and support provided as needed.

PilatesSuck · 06/03/2018 22:19

Your husband defends an abuser who pinches babies...he needd to sort himself out he really does. Id tell him to move out with her instead.

dingdongdigeridoo · 06/03/2018 22:20

Fuck me. That’s a terrible idea. Even if you got on ok with your MIL it’d soon be grating. Your DH has zero respect for you.

SmurfOrTerf · 06/03/2018 22:20

OP you need to find her a new partner

Anniegetyourgun · 06/03/2018 22:31

I can't believe there have been ten pages of unanimous agreement about a MIL. I was going to post "Shame on you, the poor old lady, she's just lonely, probably just stole to get your attention, I hope you never end up" etc etc just to wind everyone up, but it went too far against the grain. (This will probably x-post with one, though.)

This is a great example of reaping what you sow. Had MIL treated her sons and their partners decently everyone would be rushing to help her out (except, presumably, the son who has already decided she isn't going to carry on living with him). Besides, helping out doesn't have to mean under your own roof. You've already been through that failed experiment.

59 old indeed. Humph. I'm her age and I haven't even grown up yet.

Anniegetyourgun · 06/03/2018 22:32

No, no x-post :)

Withhindsight · 06/03/2018 22:33

If you can't sort it, get both SILS & BILS round, give SILS the heads up and all 3 of you threaten to leave your DHs if your MIL intends moving in with ny of you - a united no from all 3 of you should make it clear,she has to live her own life, not through yours

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