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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Lost my calm

37 replies

IABUQueen · 02/06/2019 12:11

I’m pregnant and so a lot more snappy than usual.

My in laws, are self made wealthy people. They believe they’re on top of the world.

They’re constantly constantly sneering at friends and relatives. Every conversation and visit I have with them or phone conversation, they’re talking amongst themselves being entertained by mocking someone close to them.

When I say close... I mean someone that thinks they dearly love them.. I find them very very two faced... however, they think this is a normal way of joking.

When I married DH, they were constantly mocking my relatives in front of me and behind my back with DH, as a “joke”. One of my aunt’s is on benefits, they made many comments about how she lives in a nice looking housing association and how it’s coming off their taxes.. constantly asking nosey questions about private financial situation which I obviously don’t share... however DH sees it as harmless joking because “they love your family” and continuously is transparent with his family about anything I share with him. I’ve told him about my aunts financial situation once as his families mocking made him believe she was taking advantage of the system and I was naive and instead of nipping it in then bud I told him her story and how she needed the help.

When it was time to vote brexit or remain.. they voted brexit even though they don’t live in the UK, because apparently they don’t like how their taxes are going to poor people who are “milking the government”. I introduced them to a family friend and behind closed doors they joked about how “he came to the UK and married his wife so he can live in council house and take our taxes”. Btw they only pay taxes on their house... their income isn’t declared.

Their house is an ex council which they bought....

I’ve spoken to my DH about it several times.. he thinks I’m being over the top. And that this is harmless banter.

Yesterday, I found out that his mother who works abroad and has a very high salary has not declared her income in the UK. Has been taking some benefits over the years. Not all benefits but things like grants for their kids education and so on.

I don’t usually consider it my business but I’m shocked and disgusted.. because out of all the people they mocked, they are a genuine case of someone who don’t need help at all.

Moreso.. I’ve been the subject of their sneering before and it knocked down my confidence for years.. I’m not from a wealthy background and they used to treat me like I owe them my life for being accepted - DH excluded.

When we say at the dinner table yesterday, they started sneering at a man who gave them a gift. He sees them weekly.. he trusts them with his life. He considers them family. Does sooo many favours for them..

He gave them a small gift and they started mocking his lifestyle.. how the gift isn’t adequate for them. This isn’t the first time they mock this man.. and he has been more than respectable to them. Doting with love

DH joined in.. so I got sick of it...

I raised my voice and I said “this man sees you as his close friends, he doesn’t realise that you are judging him this way. It’s good enough he wants to share with you something he liked. You would’ve done the same”.

And during the conversation my DH was having with his DM where I overheard that she said that she doesn’t declare Her income and her daughter wasn’t applying for a government help scheme- I texted him and said “ I hope you aren’t condoning fraud because I will report all of you”

Then we went back home, I lost my wits and told him how his family are wealthy but the way they think about money and other people make them seem like the most classless people I know in my life.. he was defending them and so I kept arguing telling him how I think they’re nothing more than money hungry people and value relationships based on money and that makes them very poor in their soul.

I admit I got very rude.. but that’s because over the years they used to joke between themselves that I come from wreck. “As a joke”.

DH is insulted. I feel great. AIBU?

OP posts:
Walkamileinmyshoesbeforeujudge · 02/06/2019 12:14

Whole bunch of twats op. Including your dh.
Wouldn't be mapping out my future amongst them tbh...

PhillisPearce · 02/06/2019 12:14

Nope, I agree with you

Knittedfairies · 02/06/2019 12:19

You've got years of resentment off your chest and given him something to think about. Well done you!

Gamble66 · 02/06/2019 12:26

I love the fact you deal great and not guilty! Good work - keep it up x

Auramigraine · 02/06/2019 12:30

Well done OP I hope it put them in their place, bunch of nasty shits x

NeatFreakMama · 02/06/2019 12:31

You're not wrong but ultimately they're your in-laws so I'd try not to fall out with them. People have different views from each other.

MissPollyHadADolly19 · 02/06/2019 12:33

Eurghh I hate that snobbery attitude!
Yet a majority of people who are wealthy will still take advantage of the NHS and not make the choice to go private, will still enroll their children in state schools, reap the benefits from the govt. When it suits them all while slagging off anyone who appears to have a less lavish lifestyle than their own.
Oh and when they do encounter someone with the same level of snobbery it will be constant competition, either that they would then have the audacity to call the others snobs. Angry

As you can tell I have had first hand experience of this in the past!!
Good for you OP on stating your mind!

Vulpine · 02/06/2019 13:00

Well done for speaking up. They sound awful. I'm curious as to how they made their wealth though just being nosey!

HollowTalk · 02/06/2019 13:04

They sound really awful and I'd be tempted to report them if they are abusing the system.

AtrociousCircumstance · 02/06/2019 13:20

They sound like the worst kind of people. Utterly gross and no ethical roots at all.

Well done for saying something at long last.

ThatssomebadhatHarry · 02/06/2019 13:24

Well done op yanbu!

user1493413286 · 02/06/2019 13:30

I don’t know how you’ve kept your calm for so long, they sound horrible.
I intensely dislike people who think money somehow makes them better than other people.

Fairenuff · 02/06/2019 13:34

You don't really have to have anything to do with them but what are you going to do about your dh?

girlwithadragontattoo · 02/06/2019 13:41

Can you report them for fraud at all for not declaring income? It's the least they deserve

Rach182 · 02/06/2019 14:01

I couldn't be with a man like that who condones that behaviour and joins in. I couldn't have children with a man like that as such attitudes get passed on. I would've cracked a long time ago OP but you need to sort your husband out. You've done well to keep calm but I think people like them need to be gently put in their place consistently until they get the message.

Rach182 · 02/06/2019 14:02

Oh and no YANBU, not one bit. I'd be tempted to report them.

marvellousnightforamooncup · 02/06/2019 14:07

Dob the bastards in. They totally deserve it.

IABUQueen · 02/06/2019 14:07

I think I’m angry enough to contemplate reporting them. I think they do deserve it and it’s the fair thing to do.

But with my circumstances, I don’t feel I’m in a good position to be taking such actions and it will backfire greatly on me and my kids. I’m not in a strong position and they have a lot of influence on my life. I so so wish I was.

Also I like to give people a chance before ruining them.

My DH admits he had wrong upbringing and is “impressed” by my ethics. He says he never thought of it as anything but harmless and that he needs me to be advising him on these things.

However I cannot but help be repulsed. I can’t understand how this could be someone’s norm.

I don’t understand how they can love someone but slag them off obsessively. It’s a mystery to me.

I haven’t been quiet all those years. I was just diplomatically defensive of whoever they sneer at and mostly telling my husband how I disagree. However this time I was a lot more blunt. And with an angry face.. because now I’m able to see things in a non personal way and realise it’s not me who is misunderstanding, that they do this to many people and I was just one victim.

OP posts:
IABUQueen · 02/06/2019 16:36

MissPolly you are very much spot on with your description. That’s exactly the attitude I’m dealing with. Did you distance yourself or did you have to deal with the situation? How did you deal?

Is there memorable small phrases that I and DH can use in these situations to put a stop to this behaviour and not engage? Distance isn’t an option at all.

OP posts:
GeorgiaGirl52 · 02/06/2019 17:22

I really like that statement - "rich in money buy poor in the soul". It says what I so often think about people who brag about what they have and what they "got away with" by cheating, lying and gaming the system.
Thank you for giving me the words!

BogglesGoggles · 02/06/2019 17:28

New money people tend to be like that when money is all they have also often seems to be the case 🤷‍♀️

IABUQueen · 02/06/2019 19:45

Goggles I would assume it’s not to do with the fact they’re new money people as much as they never had the ethics and their money gave them the power to freely demonstrate it.

My FIL has a best friend from teenage hood. From before he was even out of debts.. that friend became quite well off as well. He found a villa next to my in laws and move in (my in laws pointed it to them).

My MIL constantly inviting the mans wife to different events and occasions. Weddings and gatherings... the lady puts effort to be friendly. She doesn’t come from a wealthy background but is now well off with her DH and their kids are all doctors )..

MIL constantly slagging off the woman’s intelligence.. her kids... shaming them behind their backs and spreading stories about them... shaming her looks and even disgustingly elaboratively describing her boobs as “dragging behind her” (saggy). All to her DH. And kids..

This is their way of being entertained. Of bonding.. it revolts me I often leave the room but sometimes I can’t.

When they meet the woman and her husband they pretend to be best friends. It’s gross.

OP posts:
IABUQueen · 02/06/2019 19:52

I’m just trying my best to not forever resent them because the type of people they’re slagging off constantly are the type of people I strongly associate with and respect.

OP posts:
MissPollyHadADolly19 · 02/06/2019 22:30

I didn't really deal with it tbh. It wasn't a long term relationship as such or anything I had to maintain a commitment to, they were friends of the family, my DM looked after their kids whilst they built their careers and their egos then when my DM fell on hard times they helped her abit financially (picking up shopping, paying her TV license for the year but also still getting free childcare from her!) But not all of their giving was done in good faith, mainly it was to look good and so they could boast how charitable they were.
They were always snobby but it wasn't until I overhead one of them on the phone taking the piss out my DM that I realised how bad they were Angry
Me and DM went NC with the family apart from their eldest DD who doesn't share their awful views.
Unfortunately I never had the courage to pull them up on their behaviour but I wish I had!!

Cherrysoup · 02/06/2019 22:36

Your pil are nasty people. I wouldn’t let a single future unpleasant comment go unchallenged. Fuck ‘em, tell them you know your mil doesn’t declare her income and she’s a thief, therefore. Horrible people.

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