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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Daughter in law putting grandson into modelling and film work. AIBU to talk to her about it?

154 replies

DaisyandLiam · 15/10/2018 16:04

Hiya

My grandson is a gorgeous 6 month old but I really don't like modelling for babies. My daughter in law seems to think it's a great idea but since hearing about it I'm really not keen. My son doesn't really like it either but wouldn't dare upset her HmmHmm he did 2 jobs so far and they don't sound enjoyable for him at all!!

Would it be wrong of me to help my son talk to her about it?

OP posts:
agnurse · 15/10/2018 22:00

Problem #1 here is that your DS should NEVER get you involved in his marriage. EVER. As a mother, you should NEVER get involved in your DS's marriage.

A parent's instinct is to protect a child. Nothing wrong with that on principle. The problem occurs when that instinct is taken too far. If your DS has a problem with his wife he should be discussing it with a counsellor, not you. By definition you are not a neutral third party.

Dollymixture22 · 15/10/2018 22:04

your son sounds like a very weak man. Does he really need his mum to talk to his wife along side him.

You also sound like a pretty awkward I know best mother in law.

You need to stay out of their marriage. You don’t always know best, and if your son has an issue with his soft then he should talk t to her about it ALONE.

emmeyebea · 15/10/2018 22:10

No doubt your son and dil will have differences of opinion about all sorts of things. Would you think it was your place to side with your son and get involved in other situations too?

Blendingrock · 15/10/2018 22:10

Sorry OP, you need to bite your tongue on this one. Your concern is understandable, but it's a decision for your son and his wife to make together, and whether you agree with it or not, you can't interfere.

If you say something, not only will you appear to be ganging up on his wife, you are indirectly saying to your son that you don't think he's man enough to parent his own child correctly. The only thing you'll achieve is to alienate both of them. Not good.

Jackietheduck · 15/10/2018 22:19

You raised your child. Now it is their turn to raise theirs.

My MIL sounds very like you and I now spend as little time as possible with her which results in her seeing far less of her grandchildren too. Yet when I see her, she STILL persists in offering 'advice'. She is adamant that she knows better than anyone else. She is a headache. Literally.

Jaxhog · 15/10/2018 22:20

My son doesn't like the idea either so it's not completely not my business.

Nope! STILL not your business.

AcrossthePond55 · 15/10/2018 22:30

The extent of your involvement should be telling your son "Well dear, if you feel that way then you need to talk to XXX about it". Rinse, repeat.

tinyme77 · 15/10/2018 22:34

Make sure that you don't get conned by the companies that tell you that your child would make a great model, take loads of pictures and then ask for money. You wait for the phone to call with all the work that they promised and they never call.

SpitefulMidLifeAnimal · 15/10/2018 22:41

Your grandchildren aren't actually called Daisy and Liam are they?

forwhatyouare · 15/10/2018 22:42

This is my son who models for Next, Boden and Mothercare. Your grandson simply wouldn't get rebooked if he didn't like it, so I'm not sure how that would work! The baby/child has got to love attention.

Honestly, they can never do enough for my DS on set and he's spoiled rotten with attention, toys and food.

Plus he has a lovely little amount saved in an ISA. Please don't knock it before you've seen it hands on.

The photographers and stylists are great with the kids and put a lot of effort into keeping them happy. Cry babies don't get booked again, so a distressed child wouldn't keep on being booked if they didn't like what they were doing

Daughter in law putting grandson into modelling and film work. AIBU to talk to her about it?
Daughter in law putting grandson into modelling and film work. AIBU to talk to her about it?
perfectstorm · 15/10/2018 22:42

He hasn't asked me to no he says he isn't keen but as she does most of it it's ok but he would rather spend the time free doing family stuff but he doesn't want to upset her and has said that to me so I thought I was being a good mother.

Causing problems in your son's marriage is the reverse of being a good mother. The problem is that you haven't truly recognised and understood that he is now your equal, and you don't get to walk in, sit them both down, and try to exert understated authority over two adults as they choose how to negotiate parenting their child. They are your equals as adults...and you are very, very much their junior when it comes to decisions about how to parent. You take direction when not asked for advice. You do not advise unasked. And never, ever take it upon yourself to sit down with your son and his wife and try to form a united front against your daughter in law, because frankly, she will then see you as a threat not just to her role as a mum, but to her marriage. And in that scenario, the person who loses is almost always the mother in law. Sad, but true. Your time as matriarch is now over and if you try to play that role, you WILL lose out.

Their marriage, and how they choose to parent their child, is absolutely not your decision. You will of course have strong views because you love your grandchild, but if you value your relationship with your son, his wife and that grandchild, you'll recognise that he is a grown man.

I really do sympathise, because you've loved your son from babyhood and just want to keep being that loving, involved mum now. But the reality is that our kids are on loan. Once grown, they are not ours to manage, assist and advise unless they come and ask. And if they do ask us to interfere in their marriages, unless there is abuse of some kind they are crossing boundaries and need to be nudged back into adult behaviour - so it's a good thing he hasn't!

He is an adult. Please respect that; respect him. It's how to be a good mum to a grown child. You are infantilising him.

whereisthatpenguinfrom · 15/10/2018 22:52

Is this a reverse or whatever the term is?

tillytrotter1 · 15/10/2018 22:58

Remember, your grandchildren are only ever your business when their parents want a favour!
In addition fathers are only allowed an opinion when they agree with the mother, that's the gospel according to MN.

HelenUrth · 15/10/2018 23:06

"I thought I was being a good mother". Don't be ridiculous.
Copping on to yourself, quitting being so judgemental, and butting out of your ADULT sons marriage is what a good mother should do.
Otherwise you'll be back here in the not too distant future whining about how your DIL won't let you see your grandchild.
Go and learn about boundaries and how not to cross them, then hopefully you can have a good relationship with your DIL.

Oliversmumsarmy · 15/10/2018 23:07

forwhatyouare lovely little boy.
You are having exactly the same experience we had.

Fun part comes when they are older and get to work with some famous faces or just doing adverts or TV.
DD got to know the ending of a cliffhanger TV series.
Ds did a photo shoot for a top well known French glossy magazine.

They were modelling some very very expensive designer children's wear. The background was based on Hansel and Gretel.

We were in a flat that had different coloured wrapped sweets bluetacked to the wall. A door curtain made of biscuits which he had to peep through and eat.
Glass bowls of smarties on biscuit covered tables.
It had taken 2 weeks to decorate.
We took it down after and was given a bin bag full of sweets which we distributed to people on the tube on the way home

What is wrong with that for a 4 year old boy

And he got paid.

Wherearemycarkeys · 16/10/2018 03:17

Not your business and also I don't see what harm you think it's going to do the baby?

luckylavender · 16/10/2018 03:40

Absolutely keep your nose out. Smile and nod.

showmethemonkey · 16/10/2018 03:45

I'd talk to her about it with my son.

What, like a couple of bullies ganging up?

Faithlulu · 16/10/2018 04:08

Go ahead tell her! Nothing wrong with your son and yourself ganging up on his wife Hmm

Just bear in mind that once you do interfere there will be repercussions for your actions.

This may be a little too brutal for you to hear but this type of thing is the reason many women have problems with their MIL. Your job is to be a GP no the child’s mother, and what makes you think you have the right to tell a mother how to raise her child?!

You son is old enough to have a child so therefore should be old enough to communicate to his wife without mummy.

penisbeakers · 16/10/2018 04:20

Don't be that mother in law.

stellabird · 16/10/2018 04:38

I sincerely doubt that the baby had a bad experience - children are very well looked after in the modelling / film business. Two of my nephews have been doing it for years and they are fine. At 8 and 10 they now have very healthy bank balances for their future education, too.

I'd keep my opinions to myself if I were you. Your son is the parent - not you.

Blondebakingmumma · 16/10/2018 05:55

Yabu
Not your child, not your choice

strawberrisc · 16/10/2018 06:27

YANBU to dislike “baby modelling”. You would be potentially putting relationship with DIL in jeopardy by voicing an unasked for opinion.

BazingaEureka · 16/10/2018 07:06

Were you in bed with them when that baby was made? You get as much input as the Asda Waitrose checkout lady.

Northernparent68 · 16/10/2018 07:48

If you express an opinion, particularly if you make it clear your son has spoken to you, your daughter in law will loose all respect for your son. It could be the end of your marriage, if you re thinking this is a good thing be warned you and your son may not see much of your grandson post divorce.

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