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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to be around nasty MIL?

100 replies

justasecond60 · 19/10/2018 14:54

DH and I have been together 5 years, married for 3 with and 11 month old DS. DH's mum has always been a nasty cow to me, and I simply do not understand it as I have never done anything to her and have always been loving and faithful to my DH. She has another DIL who she is perfectly fine with, though I suspect it may be as she has been friends with DIL's mother since their children were babies. She got particularly horrible after I had DS, and has even suggested to my DH in confidence that he should get a DNA test done on our baby because she thinks he looks mixed race and we are both white! It is absolutely ridiculous, I've not slept with anyone other than DH since we got together and I can't believe that she thinks I'm such a slapper (yes, she has said it). DH unfortunately always defends her, he doesn't agree with her claims about me and DS but he has a lot of guilt over her. He says he was extremely vile to her as a teenager and that contributed to her attempting suicide when he was 16, so he does not want to argue with her and spent most of his adulthood so far trying to have a great relationship with her to make up for it. The only thing he has done in response to her snipes at me was "have a quiet word" with her which doesn't change anything.

I am reaching my wits ends and I just want to completely withdraw from his family but he insists that I attend family events with him and DS. Last Saturday we were at Pizza Express with me, DH, our DS, MIL, her other DS and other DS's wife and daughter for the daughter's 8th birthday. She spent the whole meal complaining about DS's nappy. About half an hour in she commented about how I need to go to the bathroom and change him because it was putting her off her food. I knew for a fact that his nappy was clean, he'd been sat on my knee the whole time and I would have felt something, and I would have been able to smell it which I couldn't. I reluctantly took DS to the bathroom, knowing full well that he would be clean (he was), changed his nappy and took him back to the table. 10 minutes later, she commented again and even had the nerve to say "What on earth are you feeding that baby?". So, I took him to the bathroom again and hid in there for a couple of minutes, not even bothering to change him as I knew he was still clean. I came back, acting as if I'd changed him again hoping she'd stop. Of course she did it again while we were eating dessert, and began passively aggressively telling me that I need to change his diet. I rushed to the bathroom and cried as it was clear she was winding me up. She knew full well he was clean and even the rest of the family kept telling her that they couldn't smell anything, but she just had to take any opportunity to get at me.

Me and DH left early, because he could see I was distressed. We didn't hear from any of the family until yesterday, when his mother got in contact to give a half hearted apology (she does this often, it's never genuine) and to ask us to go to the Netherland's with her for a week around Christmas with her other DC's in a holiday cottage. DH is annoyed with me as I don't want to go, and has been quite snappy with me telling me that we are both as bad as each other. Should I really be expected to spend a week around this horrible woman and have her call me a shit mother 24/7?

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 19/10/2018 14:56

You'd have to be insane to go on that trip. Frankly, I wouldn't want to see her again and wouldn't want my child near her, either. She's using him to get at you and it's not on.

Gazelda · 19/10/2018 15:03

Do not go. You will be miserable. You will row with your DH. Your DS will be caught in the crossfire.
It's one thing going to pizza Express to keep the peace, but a whole other level of 'beyond the call of duty' to even consider this trip.
Your DH may have guilt issues, but that doesn't mean that you should put up with her abuse.
Distance yourself from her.
Tell him to choose who he spends Christmas with.

AbbieLexie · 19/10/2018 15:06

@HollowTalk sums it up. Holiday would be over my dead body. Why does husband think it is acceptable for you and your son to be treated like this? Suicide attempt I feel is just a convenient peg to hang a hat on. Do not shoulder any responsibility for his mother's bad behaviour. I found this very distressing to read. Sad Flowers Angry

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 19/10/2018 15:09

Both as bad as the other! ? What have you done that's so bad? You went out of your way to change your sons nappy just to keep the peace.

PanamaPattie · 19/10/2018 15:11

Tell DH he can go. You can stay home and enjoy your DS. Make your feelings clear and tell DH that you will no longer put up with MIL and her attitude. Do this now or your life will be miserable thinking of excuses to avoid her.

3secondsfromchaos · 19/10/2018 15:11

She sounds mentally ill. And guilt tripping her son to think it was his fault that she tried to commit suicide is cruel. Steer clear if you can! I thought my MIL was bad. Oh Lordy!

Feefeetrixabelle · 19/10/2018 15:12

Do not go. Let your dh go on his own if he wants to go that badly.

Alfie19 · 19/10/2018 15:13

I don't have any particular in-law issues, but if I did, I would absolutely expect my husband to put me ahead of his father (his mother is deceased). If my in-laws upset me (actually come to think of it he has by commenting on my weight in the past) I expect my husband to shut him up.

You need to be having a word with him about his priorities, which are you and your son not his mother.

No way on god's earth I would be going on that trip.

Eeeeek2 · 19/10/2018 15:14

Do not go. If any future nappy/restaurant comments occur had ds to husband and say your turn!

Aprilislonggone · 19/10/2018 15:14

Is there anyway you can alter her ticket to one way?
Remind your dh he made vows to you not his dm.
If he fails to recognise this send him with her.

gamerchick · 19/10/2018 15:15

Your blokes the proble, although the I can see why. Guilting him over a suicide attempt when he was a teenager is beyond fucked up. Poor bugger.

You need to start asserting yourself. Tell him you are never going to be in her company again and if he doesn't like that then the doors over there.

He doesn't have your back.

rainbowtrain · 19/10/2018 15:20

suggested to my DH in confidence that he should get a DNA test done on our baby because she thinks he looks mixed race and we are both white!

WTAF 😳

Ok please do not go.

Ask your DH to sign up for some counselling because what happened when he was 16 is a big deal for someone and she is still manipulating his guilt.
And he needs that gone.
She sounds horrible and toxic

Soon your DS will start to understand more and more. You owe him that much, he can't have someone treating his mum like that.

Sorry OP.

Marylou2 · 19/10/2018 15:22

Wow,just wow OP! I appreciate that there is your DH to consider here but he is definitely not considering you and your feelings. Take a deep breath and assert yourself as a grown woman. You are not going to the Netherlands with crazy MIL and the next time she speaks to you in such a disrespectful manner you will be leaving immediately with your DS and won’t be returning. Your “D”H needs to start backing you up and making it crystal clear to his mother that she can’t treat you and your son like this. She does it because she gets away with it. Don’t let her!

spanishwife · 19/10/2018 15:26

She's not going to start being nice to you just because you're doing what she says. Stay firm and stand up for yourself. You knew he didn't need changing, so why bother going to check. Say with confidence that you know he's fine and make her look stupid for making a fuss, rather than allowing her to make you look stupid.

Of course, don't go on that trip.

Your husband needs therapy if he still truly believes he is responsible for his mothers suicide attempt.

7yo7yo · 19/10/2018 15:27

She’s fucking evil.
Telling your 16 year old he’s responsible for his mother suicide attempt!
I bet his behaviour was bad because of her!
Avoid avoid avoid and steer husband towards articles about FOG and toxic parents.

RedDrink · 19/10/2018 15:30

No fucking way would I go on that holiday.

Her suicide attempt is NOT your husband's fault either.

DarlingNikita · 19/10/2018 15:31

Anyone who suggested a DNA test/called me a slapper would get hung out to dry. The only thing I'm unsure about would be whether it'd be me or DP who did the hanging out first.

Should I really be expected to spend a week around this horrible woman and have her call me a shit mother 24/7?

Fuck no.

Ifoundanacorn · 19/10/2018 15:34

Op I would have upped and left long before the second round of sniping happened. If you packed up your child and left without a word you would not U for doing so!

There is no way you should go on that trip, not in a million years.

The fact your MIL has laid so much guilt at his door that he will be forever in her debt because of her suicide is really very bad indeed. Seriously he needs to get some counselling to untangle the mess that was his childhood and her place in all of this. She has him just where she wants him and she is gunning for you to get in line too.

Go nc with her, and tell him you are staying at home for christmas and have no intention of seeing her again. Invite your family over now so you can not back out or give in.

A baptism of fire awaits you at the holiday cottage, do not go.

idontknowwhattoput1 · 19/10/2018 15:34

You need to sit down with your DH and tell him
How she really is making your feel, tell him he has 2 choices he either sits his DM down has a real chat and tells her enough is enough and even if she doesn't like you she needs to hold her tongue OR he can leave her to it but you and DS won't be having anymore involvement with her. And tell him if he's not happy with either option your more than happy to pack his bag and drop him of to his mothers so he can took her in at night. My MIL is a witch, DH stopped speaking to her 3 months back after she slagged me of for nothing at all

Ifoundanacorn · 19/10/2018 15:35

*attempt

Gemini69 · 19/10/2018 15:36

Tell your Husband to pack his bags and go live with his unstable Mother... Flowers

Fridaydreamer · 19/10/2018 15:43

Seriously. If my MIL had treated me like that I’d have said to her face that she was clearly having a medical problem if she could smell imaginary smells and she should see her GP. I’d have batted her weirdness straight back to her.

But more importantly, your DH needs to man the fuck up. He’s either got you as his wife who comes first over his mother, or he should go live with his mother.

Honestly, pull up the big girl pants, tell them to shove the holiday and tell your DH to either back you up or pack his bags.

Mix56 · 19/10/2018 15:45

You must stand up for yourself,
I would not have gone to change baby's nappy, once, or any number of times,
I would have handed baby to the father, & said, your mother is determined he needs changing, so either you do it, or you tell your mother to stop it, or we are leaving
1 we are here to enjoy a meal
2 does she know how much nappies cost ?
3 this PA bullshit is abusive
4 I am going nowhere near her, here or anywhere else until she pulls her neck in
5 I will not be spoken to by her like this, she doesn't like me, thats fine, I can assure you I don't like her either. but without any support from you, this is going to end very very badly, which is precisely what she is aiming for, so fucking grow a pair, & tell her to shut the fuck up.

Blatherskite · 19/10/2018 15:46

You should have done the sympathetic head tilt and asked her if she was feeling OK as smelling things that aren't there can be a sign of a stroke.

What is it your husband thinks you've done to be as bad as her?

tillytrotter1 · 19/10/2018 15:47

She who smelt it, dealt it!
Remember that for next time! Not sure if 'smelt' is a real word but it works here!