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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:
LittleGreenBranch · 10/03/2018 14:04

Glad to hear things are looking up. Stay positive and united x

GabriellaMontez · 10/03/2018 14:06

Phew...
Stay strong.

Bluelady · 10/03/2018 14:07

What a great result. Four out of six in agreement, bet the fiancée will be totally on your side too. Do keep us updated, I really want to know how this ends up.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 10/03/2018 14:12

Aww that’s lovely.

Remember that when The Talk is being had, don’t be railroaded into ‘shared care’ of a woman who needs NO care.

Lots of advice on the thread about options for your MIL. She might not want to live alone, but that’s life. Most of us don’t want to do lots of things, but being adults we just get on with it.

Let us know how it goes!

AnnieAnoniMouse · 10/03/2018 14:18

Get yourselves sorted with some phrases as it’s sometimes hard to think on the spot. A few prepared phrases can get you through a lot.

That’s not an option

No, that doesn’t work for us

These are the options, which would you prefer

Etc

Remember you do NOT have to justify why something doesn’t work for you or isn’t an option. No one has the right to impose on you. Just keep repeating ‘It doesn’t work for us’.

BewareOfDragons · 10/03/2018 15:06

Great update, OP. I'm glad your DH has thanked you for being the voice of reason essentially and is looking into counselling for himself so he can be more assertive with his mother.

Hopefully BIL2 will fall into line once he realizes it will all be him if he doesn't. And he'll lose his wife over it.

BackforGood · 10/03/2018 15:27

Thnaks for the update. Sounds like things have moved on well. Smile

TooManyPaws · 10/03/2018 16:00

As a recycled teenager of 57 next month, all I could hear in my head was my grandmother's voice from my childhood (she was 80+ at the time) saying "I feel so sorry for all the old people in this weather". She was never old in her own mind and tootled off to town on the bus every week to meet up with her pals. She also ran a house that hadn't been updated from the 1930s with coal fires etc. She'd no doubt be skydiving were she 80+ now!

Stick to your guns, OP, and take the not-so-old bat to a private cardiologist who can put her gas at a peep about her 'dicky heart'.

Schlimbesserung · 10/03/2018 16:12

Ah, I love a happy ending!

Tentomidnight · 10/03/2018 16:23

Is your MIL King Lear?

^This is the funniest thing I have read this year in MN Grin

Just read the whole thread, and after I picked my jaw up off the floor, I wanted to high five you for the cool, calm way you have handled this with your DH Flowers

EeeSheWasThin · 10/03/2018 17:06

Good to see you’re on the way to an agreement with DH and all siblings!

My 89 year old mother drives the “old folks” to church...they’re in their mid 90s. 😀

Fionne · 10/03/2018 17:29

Smashing update Op!

LoveProsecco · 10/03/2018 17:40

Great!

Gemini69 · 10/03/2018 17:52

Superb update OP.... good luck Flowers

Puzzledandpissedoff · 10/03/2018 20:17

Genuinely delighted for you, OP, and it's especially good that your DH is starting to see his way through this

It's a shame BIL2's still being awkward - though not unexpected - but he can always do absolutely everything himself if he wants to, can't he? Wink

Freyanna · 10/03/2018 20:51

Very happy for you. Flowers

JeezeLouise · 11/03/2018 05:49

Good update OP, phew!

YimminiYoudar · 11/03/2018 07:24

Excellent. Glad your DH is looking into counseling for the FOG.

MissP103 · 11/03/2018 08:39

Brilliant update op. Maybe this was meant to happen to finally make everyone face up to the problem. I think you and your dh will come out stronger from this. Best of luck. X

snewsname · 11/03/2018 10:31

If you can all work as a team then mentally you'll feel supported rather than individually feeling crap about it but feeling guilted into doing it.

Keep us updated after your meeting.

notapizzaeater · 11/03/2018 10:52

Fantastic update, hope the cbt helps your dh - must be horrible to be so 'scared' of your mum as an adult.

Has she any friends her age ? Surely she must realise other 59 years old aren't 'old'

Mumto2two · 11/03/2018 12:08

Crikey. Read the first page..and the last. Horrendous proposition. What a great relief this must be OP!

Giraffey1 · 11/03/2018 21:56

That’s a great update! Hope you manage to work together to get things resolved.

FlashTheSloth · 11/03/2018 22:14

I doubt MIL will take it well. Expect a dramatic decline in her already -perfectly fine-- ill health.

Mosaic123 · 11/03/2018 23:04

One practical thing.

Her house could be put into a property auction. No need to do it up to sell then. The money will be with her sooner so she can buy her own place.