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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my sis being a bit precious about naptime or AIBU?

118 replies

Toms0909 · 14/04/2019 15:42

Ok, so I'm prepared for a flaming on here, but I'm asking as I don't have kids of my own and I'm unsure whether I'm being a bit of a walkover or whether this is perfectly reasonable and one of those things that you'd only understand when you have them sort of thing.

Dsis (step-sister, not that it matters, though might help to know she's older and a bit of an age gap). Has a 3 and a half yr old + baby on the way. Was a single parent initially as the dad went AWOL when she was pregnant, so been through some tough times. Now in a relationship with a lovely guy, hence baby number 2.

So here's the AIBU. DN has a lunchtime nap. Lunchtime nap can only be at home. Needs settling time before nap. So any meet ups have to be first thing, as 11am/11.30 is about the cut off. Now when dsis first had the baby, parents (who are over an hour away, as we both moved to our nearest city) made a point of always arranging meet ups which were baby friendly, so that dsis didn't feel excluded, which I understood. This has just naturally continued.

Im not a raging party animal, but for a while now I've found it a bit tiresome that any family get togethers have to be planned for first thing in the morning. Dsis doesn't like to plan anything for later in the day in case DN doesn't sleep well and so might be cranky, or might be sleeping later than planned and they'd be rushing. Because parents live a bit of a distance we can't do and hoc on the day, so it's always mornings.

I'd been prepared to grin and bear it, but then it occured to me that with baby no 2 on the way it's going to get a lot more restricted, even if she's blessed with another easy sleeper it's going to be another 3-4yrs of breakfast meet ups.

I've got a couple of friends who have children and while socialising is obv less spontaneous than it was before kids, I don't remember it ever needing to be quite so timetabled as this. I get that children can be massively different re how well they sleep/don't sleep, so this might be part of it. Also dsis was a very anxious new parent, which is entirely understandable for a FTP but especially for one who is unexpectedly going it alone. But I also remember that before kids dsis was quietly assertive - not demanding, but in MN style 'that will/won't work for me' so things often did end up in a way that would accommodate them best (eg things like going to venues that suited her taste/budget/preferred location).

I know that dsis is not going to change her parenting because it doesn't suit me. But AIBU if I start asking parents to meet up outside of baby friendly times? It's difficult because they're reluctant to show favouritism. But the alternative is my relationship with them suffers because I just can't tolerate another brunch!

OP posts:
JoinTheDots · 14/04/2019 15:47

Well, DSis is not being unreasonable to ask... but can your parents do baby friendly meet ups with her, and not you, then see you for something later in the day? You don't all have to meet up at the same time.

CottonSock · 14/04/2019 15:48

I've always been way more flexible it winds me up a bit too when people are like this.

Rarotonga · 14/04/2019 15:56

YANBU. I would think it'd be fine to see your parents separately. Maybe you could arrange to do things with your parents that naturally fall later in the day (e.g. afternoon tea, cinema, theatre trip etc). You can always invite your sister and family along so it isn't excluding her - she has the option to join or not to join.

I do have sympathy with your sister though. Some children can easily fit in around their parents' lives and priorities and some really can't. You mother the child you have, in my experience.

AnnaMagnani · 14/04/2019 15:56

I'd say now is the time to start cultivating a relationship with your parents that is unique to you, doesn't involve counting how many visits you have had compared to your sister and is about how you and they relate to each other.

If you always meet up together as a gang, it will naturally become harder and harder to do, regardless of naptime, as her kids get older, get childhood illnesses, go to parties, do activities etc etc. And when you do meet, conversation will be about what the children are up to.

Start splitting off and have your own relationship as well and just do the mad brunches as an occasional thing.

Toms0909 · 14/04/2019 16:00

@jointhedots I've suggested things to parents before, but they're reluctant as they don't want to seem rude. Dsis is the only one in the family with young kids so I think they've always felt that to do something non child friendly would be obviously excluding her. I'm wondering if I might start pushing it with parents (and how I do that without sounding like a stroppy teenager!)

OP posts:
Neverender · 14/04/2019 16:01

YABU

CalmdownJanet · 14/04/2019 16:01

I have two kids and still find people like your sister a pain in the ass!!! Yanbu

WingBingo · 14/04/2019 16:05

Totally understand.

My ex best friend arrived half way through my wedding due to his highnesses’ precious nap time.

Once for DS’ birthday party they arrived 3 hours early and left before it started.

Last month she didn’t even turn up at my other DS’ birthday party as his highness was tired.

I get you.

heymammy · 14/04/2019 16:05

So your dsis is building her day around the naps of a 3.5yr old?! That's a bit bonkers tbh.
I agree with pp who have suggested seeing your parents separately and seeing you dsis when it suits you.

Redorangeyellowgreen · 14/04/2019 16:06

I have a friend like this and honestly it does wind me up just a tiny bit.

I think YANBU and every now and again it wouldn't hurt for your sister to be just a tiny bit more flexible.

I do have DC who still nap, so I get it, but 3.5 years of everything revolving around that seems a bit much to me.

MightyAtlantic · 14/04/2019 16:07

YANBU. I think it is a bit unfair that you all have to meet up together and always with the child. What happens if you say you can't make brunch on a particular day? Do your parents still meet up with your sister and family? Can you suggest the occasional evening meet up and your sister leaves her child at home with her partner or a babysitter?

DameSylvieKrin · 14/04/2019 16:10

Be like your sister and say ‘that doesn’t work for me’.
Consider overlapping plans, e.g. your parents and your sister meet at 9am for breakfast. You arrive at 10, your sister leaves at 11, you and your parents have a last cup of coffee together until 12.

Toms0909 · 14/04/2019 16:11

@annamagnani, it's not about counting the visits, more that when they come to the city to visit they want to see both of us, and don't want to think the other is being cold shouldered.
I think because our meet ups used to be things like going to restaurants and naice wine and the like, things that obviously don't work for a new parent, they stopped suggesting those as it would have seemed a bit cold. But I guess it's been long enough that dsis probably doesn't care too much about those sort of things (not that she doesn't miss it a bit, but I think she's adjusted to family life compared to life without kids, if you see what I mean).

I know our parents are very protective of her because of what happened, but I think we started off being accommodating and now it's become a bit of a rut. I am frustrated with dsis I suppose because it does sometimes feel a bit over the top, but I guess I have to work on my parents and let her get on with it.

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 14/04/2019 16:12

At 3 1/2 is he not at nursery and starting school in the next year or so?...

How does that work?

lanbro · 14/04/2019 16:12

YANBU but you won't change her! I always let my dc fit in with me, if they were tired enough to need sleep it would happen wherever...and certainly by 3.5 neither of mine had set nap times

CurcubitaPepo · 14/04/2019 16:13

3.5 is quite old to still be having a nap. I was quite anal about naps, particularly with ds1, mainly coz he was a grotbag in the afternoon if he hadn’t had a proper sleep. I suspect everything might get blown out of he water when baby no 2 arrives tbh.

lanbro · 14/04/2019 16:13

Also I've a dsis that we've all allowed to dominate plans but I know that won't chance after nearly 4 decades!

MightyAtlantic · 14/04/2019 16:14

Also, the chances of having a new baby and a 3.5 yo on the same nap schedule are slim, so she is going to need to be more flexible or never go anywhere at all!

Toms0909 · 14/04/2019 16:15

NB am relieved with the consensus to hear that I'm not being entirely unreasonable. My sis can be a bit 'you'll understand one day...' about anything child related, and while I'm sure there ARE plenty of things about parenting that don't make sense to non parents, this always felt a little odd. I thought she might mellow a bit as DN got older, but no sign of it so far!

OP posts:
Guyliner · 14/04/2019 16:16

She is not being unreasonable. So people need the patterns and the sanity that they get from routine. She'll probably gwt more relaxes after baby nunber two rather than less though.

However yanbu at all to meet parents at other times either.

Guyliner · 14/04/2019 16:18

thought she might mellow a bit as DN got older, but no sign of it so far!
The kid is only 3!

I didn't do routine but having children does change your outlook. I respect a parent's right to do whatever gets them through the day.

Whoops75 · 14/04/2019 16:20

If you don’t have other commitments during that time YABU

Why would you want a potentially cranky child at an evening event?

Do brunch and then when she’s gone for nap time you can do an adult activity with your parents.

I think it would be unfair to your parents to mess up an arrangement where they get to see their two children together.

Fatted · 14/04/2019 16:26

I'll give you some perspective. My youngest is 3, about to turn 4. He hasn't had a day time nap for 2 years. I could empathise with your sister when her DC was little, but at 3 she needs to be more flexible.

My own sister has been like this since having kids, exceptionally anxious and controlling about routine. She only has one who is 7 and I have two kids and more laid back than she is.

Italiangreyhound · 14/04/2019 16:27

Agree with AnnaMagnani

"Start splitting off and have your own relationship as well and just do the mad brunches as an occasional thing."

You should be able to see your parents on your own terms some of the time.

Incywincybitofa · 14/04/2019 16:29

Your parents had children they do understand there can be flexibility with naps. I suspect they were looking for a way to show support and this was an easy one.
I'm a bit Grin that as soon as that excuse is going to be irrelevant DS starting school etc she's having another baby with a nap routine to accommodate.
That said it probably gives her some security to have control over something and she may need to feel that because of her life circumstances.