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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:
ForalltheSaints · 06/03/2018 19:10

I am with shouldwestay in the visiting her house one week in three. No-one whatever the circumstances and even if there is a very good relationship should be living in three houses one week at a time.

Bluelady · 06/03/2018 19:10

Just a thought, what's she living on? How does she propose that finance her living arrangements?

Daffodilsveuve · 06/03/2018 19:11

That's a big no!
Can't you move into her house? Get the work done

Puzzledandpissedoff · 06/03/2018 19:11

Completely ridiculous, and anyway who'd want to live between three homes for very long? Not that she would of course, as she'd probably play you all off against each other, choose whichever she considered her "favourite" home and then refuse to leave

I'm also surprised to hear your DH agreed last time that she mustn't live with you again, apparently "communicates very well" and "always wants your input" but went along with this anyway

If he's going to cave in like this whenever MIL steps up the demands, it might be worth a chat about exactly how he's going to handle things in future ... a chat, what's more, that contains more than silly remarks about "she's better now", since this clearly isn't the case. After all she won't get any better as she ages

TeeniefaeTroon · 06/03/2018 19:11

My DH asked me a few years ago of MIL could move in with us as her and her partner had split up and she wasn't high on the council list. She wanted to move in and then claim we were over crowded. I said absolutely no way was that happening, if she moved in then I'd move out. I didn't dislike her, just didn't want her living with us. I thought my DH would put up a fight about it but he 'sulked' for about 2 minutes and then let her know I'd said no. It was never mentioned again. I think he also didn't want her to move in but didn't want to tell her and was happy to blame me. I didn't give a shit just as long as she didn't move in.
Perhaps if you put your foot down he would have the perfect excuse to say no to her. Sounds like your relationship with her isn't great anyway so no great loss.

Jaxhog · 06/03/2018 19:11

59 isn't old, I'm older than she is! How utterly selfish of her and your DH. Tell him the ONLY way this will work is if he looks after her while she's there. Fulltime. And if anything goes missing, he replaces it immediately.

The obvious solution is for her to sell up and move to a nice retirement flat near one of you and where there are other people. My mum is doing just this.

GnotherGnu · 06/03/2018 19:14

Have any of the brothers thought about what happens if, say, MiL gets ill or has an accident whilst staying with one of them. Presumably they're not going to shunt her off to whoever's turn it is next in that situation, which means that presumably one of them could be landed with having her for weeks. It may not bother them if they think their respective partners will happily step in and take over caring/nursing duties, but they do need a plan for what happens if they can't or won't. Will any of the sons be happy to take on nursing duty if necessary?

CarpeVitam · 06/03/2018 19:15

I'm incensed on your behalf OP! 😡

Absolutely no way should you agree to this! Just who does he think he is, dictating to you in this way.

Not say This. IS. NOT Happening!

Today. Now. EVER!!

LavenderDoll · 06/03/2018 19:15

Yanbu
I like my MIL she's perfectly pleasant I wouldn't and couldn't live with her

I'd tell him if she moves in you and DD move out

FannyFifer · 06/03/2018 19:16

Bloody hell, not a chance would I let my mil live with me.
Stand firm, say no way.

Steamcloud · 06/03/2018 19:16

Noooo!

A good compromise would be to do up her house to sell, and buy her a flat that is equidistant between the three of you.

Or... do up her house and she has a lodger?

ExecutiveDiamondBossBabeHun · 06/03/2018 19:19

No. Ring her and tell her yourself. Categorically. Will never happen. Not now, not ever.

BlubberBlubber · 06/03/2018 19:21

Hell no.
shouldwestay is genius.
Agree that she will break up your marriage one way or the other. Ask your DH to find out your other SILs name. I wld let the SIL on holiday know what her husband is up o behind her back, she needs he support of her sister whilst out there and not for this idea to settle and take roots. I would want to know if it was her.

IAmWonkoTheSane · 06/03/2018 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Buxbaum · 06/03/2018 19:22

Is your MIL King Lear?

This arrangement didn't go well then and it won't go well now. YANBU.

agbnb · 06/03/2018 19:22

Another one in the fuck no category.

Your DH hasn't consulted you because he knows it's a ludicrous and unreasonable thing to be planning.

TheCatsMother44 · 06/03/2018 19:22

No fucking way would I allow this and I would move out before I let her (and asking for half the money in the house to buy my own place).

In an ideal world all three partners, you, your SIL and the other brother's fiancee would all say the same thing so it's a united front. I mean, how bloody entitled and manipulative must your MIL be to have got her three sons to agree to this behind the backs of everyone else.

She isn't old by any means but an over 55s place with communal living areas does sound like the best and most reasonable solution.

Schlimbesserung · 06/03/2018 19:23

There is no way for this to end well. One by one, the wives will refuse to have your MIL for their week, and it will be very much musical chairs to see where she lands for good. Don't take the risk that you will be the loser!

ChasedByBees · 06/03/2018 19:24

Absolutely no way. She is still really young! This could go on for another 30/40 years! Even if she was lovely you would still need to discuss and agree to it. I don’t normally do ultimatums but I think this would drive me to it.

powderbluegecko · 06/03/2018 19:24

Bluelady She gets money every month from FIL, he says its a small price to pay to keep her away.
puzzled I don't understand it either, I couldn't believe he was saying these things. I think she's been massively guilt tripping him. She pretends she's ill a lot, has this sort of cartoonish frail little old lady act going on. She has faked accidents before, checked herself into hospital numerous times. She's fit and healthy and I know 59 is nowhere near old. He must do too. I think he just doesn't want to believe that shes such a manipulative fraud.
GnotherGnu none of them would be able to take care of her in a situation like that.

OP posts:
Doilooklikeatourist · 06/03/2018 19:28

Hell NO !
She’s only a year older than me. That’s not old
There’s no way I’d impose myself on my sons like that ( I’d be off on world cruises spending their inheritance )
I’d say to DH , it’s her , or me

agentdaisy · 06/03/2018 19:29

Fuck no. No way would I have my mil living with us and we get along fine. Your 'd'h and his brothers are being absolute tossers to agree this without consulting you and sil's.

I'd be giving him three options: 1) she doesn't move in for any amount of time at all, 2) she moves in one week in three but you and the dcs move out forever and get divorced, or 3) shouldwestay's idea that the three brothers take it in turns to live with mil in her flat.

At 59 she could have another 20-30 years of living in three different houses on a weekly rotation. I guarantee she'd be fed up after a few months and decide to just live with one or other of you permanently. No way would I allow this even for a little while.

Bambamber · 06/03/2018 19:29

That would be a deal breaker for me. The fact he agreed to this without even talking to you first is utterly outrageous and he needs to sort his priorities

NurseryFightClub · 06/03/2018 19:29

Is he on glue?

Schlimbesserung · 06/03/2018 19:29

I have a relative who has played the frail old lady card for decades.Her daughter was strong-armed into taking care of her by the rest of the family and gave up everything because the poor dear was clearly on her last legs. In 1985 or thereabouts.