She made him wait for his pjs

[Myotherusernameisbest]

Sil is a bit odd at best of times and we get on ok but not great. Over at hers this evening for dinner and about 10.30 dn (5) was sick. When we heard him crying out sil went up and we heard her say oh dear you've been sick dn, so I went up to see if she needed a hand sorting him out/stripping bed etc.

She had taken off his pjs and was wiping him down so I looked in a drawer for other pjs and pulled some out. She told me they were a bit too small but she had some downstairs. So I finished cleaning up dn while she went to get them from the laundry.
Luckily bed was ok as he had gotten out and had actually been sick in bathroom so easy to clean up.

Anyway, she was ages. Dn was tired and I wrapped him in a towel to keep him warm but all he wanted really was to get back into bed, bless him . Eventually sil came back and said, sorry I was so long they weren't ironed, I just had to iron them.

I just looked at her, I didn't really know what to say to that. Aibu to think of all the times to iron something, this really wasn't it.

CCCrazy does she iron her knickers as well? Who wears pjs anyway?

If I could avoid any chance of coping with additional vomit by running off to iron, and I had a willing volunteer in the event of more vomit...
Just kidding ish

I think it was odd that she ironed a pair of pyjamas for a recently-vomited five year old, but horses for courses. I’d have asked personally, but that’s just me.

I am gobsmacked at the number of people who think the OP was ‘overstepping’ by going up to help - seriously?!? It was her nephew!! I have one nephew who, last time he had a sickness bug and I happened to be there, would only let me change him without complaint. And his mum thought it was great that she could sit that one out!!

I wouldn’t think twice about helping - or just sorting it out - if one of my nephews or nieces was sick. Same as nappy explosions - I think I’ve ‘showered off’ most of them, you just get it done. They’re family, not random strangers.

I’d also happily look through their drawers for pyjamas, without judgement from their parents. They would also probably have some that were too small in there, as they don’t get checked every week.

I don’t understand this separation of self from family on MN on occasion. Maybe it’s just the way they are, but we all just get on with things in my family.

Perhaps the pyjamas were damp or maybe your nephew is funny about textures and doesn’t like creases. I know it sounds weird, but why post on here rather than casually ask her. And yes rather identifying.

I don’t iron anything ever

I think it was lovely of you to go and help.
Anyone that irons is a bit odd imo.

I know I will sound horrible but I have a horrendous phobia of being sick and sickness, but it embarrasses me so often I don't discuss it with people. It might be the case for her and as you were there to comfort DN, she felt able to take a breather before having to appear okay when not?

Of course it just might have been a weird quirky thing but if my LO is ill, it makes me extremely anxious and whilst I of course do not leave him alone when he is unwell, if my Mum or someone he trusted was with me at the time, I would probably be very grateful to just grab 5 minutes to collect myself so he didn't pick up on my full blown anxiety.
Though I likely would have told someone I was that close to anyway so possibly a moot point just a random thought I guess. I doubt I would have left him without pyjamas either but embarrassingly I can't say 100% because my phobia is so intense I am in immediate fight or flight mode and it genuinely made me question having kids for that reason.

I hope DN is better!

The mayonnaise vs salad cream also made me think of sickness phobia as I am scared of mayonnaise but I am very weird!

I don’t even own an iron. I’d think it’s weird and starting a thread about it is fine but I wouldn’t iron in that situation. I don’t think you are weird to help either and I certainly don’t think you see her as a bad Mum or anything. Some people are odd to find helping weird.

Oh crikey not on this situation. Sometimes they get ironed if I’m doing the uniforms and they’re in the pile and I’m not knackered or in a hurry, but never get the iron out jist for pjs.

I am new to Mumsnet and after reading a few posts and replies, I am actually amazed at how bitchy women/ mothers can be to each other.
Seriously what do you care that she ironed his Pjs? Maybe she felt guilty that she had to entertained and couldn't stay with him and that was her way to compensate and show him her love?
Maybe the pjs were so wrinkled that they would have been uncomfortable...
Maybe she is just an ironing freak and so be it.
There are enough children who are neglected than to feel shocked at a mother doing what she thought was best for her child. You might think she is a bit 'too much' but imagine how she'd feel if she knew how quick you are to judge her and to bitch about it on a public forum

MN does make me laugh.
OP helping her sister out with a sick DN is suddenly overstepping, interfering, goady and OP is generally the sister from hell.
Yet if sister had have posted about how her DC was I’ll and he sister was over who looks after him all the time, she did nothing to help except sit on her star drinking tea, you’d all be baying for her blood calling her an unhelpful, selfish, lazy bitch.

Ironing PJs is weird but doesn’t sound like she was that long.
I hope dn is ok