To be annoyed...ex MIL told me I shouldn't be at work and should claim benefits

[Wadingthroughshit]

My ex partner cannot take responsibility for his child, I have two boys, and have a mixed family (or unconventional, or a nightmare, call it what you will). I'm on my own with both boys, 8&4, both have different father's, I was in relationships with both (7 years and 3 years, both cheated).

8 yo dad picks him up every other Friday from school at 12.25. Youngest starts school this year...and he's supposed to have him every weekend, starting Friday (I take him back Saturday nights every other week so only one night one week, two nights the other week) but this has been a struggle for over a year. He took a manual job, highway maintenance I think, around the country, without telling anyone.
No evey week I do 120 mile round trip, or his ex MIL meets me half way.

I spoke to MIL this morning as I was so upset after ex had moaned that he won't be there and won't be coming along to any school induction events. I shouldnt have phoned. she said everyone she knows only work Mon to Friday, that it would be a struggle for ex to pay all his bills, that women she knows only work at night when their partners are home in the co-op, that she didn't work when her children were young as wouldn't take to childcare. Then she said I should give up work and look after the boys and then I wouldnt have to pay childcare and then I could claim benefits. Since my children have been born, I've done a Diploma, an undergrad and Masters, and I got a job straight away in my field. I work PT, do all the running around to clubs, attend school events, take them lovely places.

I am so f*** annoyed that as a woman, I am expected to drop work so her son can work a manual job without worrying about a Friday. That rather than set a good example for my children, she's stuck on the view the ex should be allowed to work FT without worry and I pick up the slack... because I'm a woman.

Well she's a charmer, isn't she

If her son had kept it in his pants then you could have worked at night whilst he did days. dads still manage to attend school events, even when they work.
Whole family sound like losers, just cut her out, she's an ex mil, not even worth a consideration, especially when she behaves like this. You owe her nothing just go nc with her.

I'm just so surprised, but so disappointed that this is her trail of thought. That his job ought to take precedence over my career, even though I am primary carer and provider. I certainly won't be phoning again.

I think I'm going to book my son into nursery on a Friday, tell nursery to bill him, and that he will have to pick him up from there. It's not ideal I know, but given the circumstances now, I think it's best. Then when he starts school, school will know that dad is picking him up.