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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

It's an in law vent!

50 replies

Witsendagain · 02/07/2019 10:20

Bil and Sil have been staying with us for a few days, we live abroad and only see them maybe twice a year.
They don't have kids, we have an 18 month old.
I don't know if I'm being unreasonable as I've been dreading the visit anyway. Bil and Sil are very uptight, they like things their way on their time scale, don't really do 'down time' and are very focused on ticking tourist boxes. The complete opposite to how we operate as a family.
They are visiting us as part of a longer holiday in our country which is absolutely fine but they are making no allowance for our son. They have literally bounced from one tourist thing to another taking a few pictures in each one then left. We've had to push them to stop for food etc (they brought their own snac bars). Ds will be sobbing and we will be telling them we need to go somewhere for food and they will still pop into every shop etc. but also act really funny with us if we offer to go wait for them in a coffee shop.
Annoying but not a major problem.

Then they are being really crappy with my son, shouting at him for doing things we've told him are OK. For example me and ds were playing with some toys by tipping them onto the floor and counting them back in to the box, bil came out from another room shouting at my ds that he was naughty for chucking his toys around. They have told him off or told him that he's naughty at least 5 times per day over the 2 days they have been here. He is not naughty but has been a bit whiny because his routine has been completely upended!
They told me I was 'rewarding his bad behaviour' because ds was throwing a tantrum (tired, overwhelmed and thirsty/hungry) so I settled him down for a breast feed. I then got the silent treatment when I said I didn't agree with them.
I feel bil is being mean to ds, deliberately scaring him then laughing about it, offering him things (like a biscuit) then saying 'no it's not for you' and eating it in front of him, that kind of thing.
Then bil has made loads of comments along the lines of 'ds is a perfect example of why not to have kids' and 'why would you want a second when they are nothing but hard work' and how normal playing noise is 'an unpleasant environment'. I get that I'm biased but ds is a beautiful, funny and joyful toddler who loves people and sharing but, admittedly, has some normal 18 month old tantrums over food and drink, tiredness and (occasionally) being forced to do something he doesn't want. Most of the time he is happy to go with the flow.
So far I have been biting my tongue (mostly) because they are only here for a couple of days and the relationship is really important to my dp.
But last night I could see them through the crack in the door where I was playing with ds and they were whispering about us and our parenting and generally being really judgy and rude so I've reached the end of my tether. They were due to leave this morning anyway and I've told my dp they won't be welcome in my house again. I don't think dp is in agreement so I just wanted some opinions on whether or not you would find this acceptable.

As back ground, they are from a medical background and are, to put it politely, disparaging over dps medical issues (making comments such as 'what's wrong with him now' and rolling their eyes at each other). They have also critiqued every single meal I've made them and not thanked me once.
I guess I'm just a bit fed up!

OP posts:
DartmoorDoughnut · 02/07/2019 10:23

Fuck biting your tongue! Tell them that if they don’t have anything nice to say to not say anything at all if you’re feeling generous or get up and hiss in their face to fuck off if you’re feeling furious ...

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 02/07/2019 10:24

Honestly I don't know how you have coped up until now because if I were in your position I'd have told them to fuck off and find somewhere else to say. Horrible and rude.

Alsohuman · 02/07/2019 10:25

Kick them out, they’re obnoxious. What a way to treat your hosts.

Stressedout10 · 02/07/2019 10:26

Yanbu they sound vile

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2019 10:28

Suggest (forcefully) that they leave now, and refuse any further visits.

Why are they important to your DP as they put him down too? Does he ever say anything?

And thank your lucky stars you live in different countries.

ISmellBabies · 02/07/2019 10:28

They wouldn't be back in my house ever. What rude and nasty people.

doxxed · 02/07/2019 10:28

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

Shoxfordian · 02/07/2019 10:29

Yanbu at all
Maybe if you ever do have them there again though then you should send them off out for the day on their own so they can charge round at their own pace

Owlbert · 02/07/2019 10:32

Wow, they are just horrible! YANBU and they would not be welcome to stay in my home again. I am very impressed that you have managed to bite your tongue, not sure I would have had the same restraint.

LorelaiRoryEmily · 02/07/2019 10:32

Why bite your tongue? They don’t. I’m not normally rude to anyone but if someone is rude to me like that I’d see it as perfectly fine to treat them the same. They deserve it.

Your poor little boy. Tell them to fuck off home and don’t come back. If dp wants to see them he can go on his own. No way would they be in my house ever again.

EarlGreyOfTwinings · 02/07/2019 10:37

Your house, your rules! Why do you bite your tongue if your child is playing nicely anyway?

You are also BU to follow them on what is a nightmare sightseeing day for you. Either let them go alone, or you are in charge and you tell them you are doing place A, B, C and that's that.

You have been too patient, but if they are gone now, they are gone. It would have been easier not to tolerate behaviour than refusing to welcome them again.

2beesornot2beesthatisthehoney · 02/07/2019 10:38

They sound awful. The biscuit incident was just horrid as is scaring him. The other stuff could be put down to just not understanding young children which might improve when DS is older.
Get rid quick.

NannyRed · 02/07/2019 10:40

Why are you putting the feelings of these rude, selfish, cruel twats above your own child’s welfare?

Teasing him with food, telling him off and citing him as a reason not to have children is just beyond rude. Tell them to get out now. You owe these freeloaders nothing.

BiscuitDrama · 02/07/2019 10:42

You child is just a baby. They, however, are idiots.

QueenoftheBiscuitTin · 02/07/2019 10:44

They're horrible people. I'd have kicked them out long before now.

Drum2018 · 02/07/2019 10:48

Well I'm delighted they are leaving this morning. If they have not left yet, please tell them they will not be welcome to return, ever, and that you cannot believe how rude they have been. I wouldn't let them go without them knowing what I thought of them. How did your dp let them away with it? Has he always been a doormat to his sibling?

xoxoluna · 02/07/2019 10:48

Oh my you YANBU at all, they are! Who are they to parent your child? And after all you've done for them, they couldn't even say a simple thank you? Tell your husband they are not to be staying at your house anymore. How disrespectful and ungrateful. I would reason with your DH. Surely he's seen how they have treated you and your DS!

7yo7yo · 02/07/2019 10:51

Why are you biting your tongue?
Stick up for your child for gods sake!

Disfordarkchocolate · 02/07/2019 10:55

I know the relationship is important to your husband but they sound bloody awful. No more biting your tongue, you boy sounds perfectly normal, they sound like pricks.

huuskymam · 02/07/2019 10:55

Why are they still in your house, they should be out on their ear for shouting at your child. I'd also be telling them a big fat no on the tours if they wont accommodate a baby that needs feeding and sleep.

Omzlas · 02/07/2019 11:11

I only made it halfway through your OP and my mind was made up. Tell them "there are hotels X, Y & Z nearby, we'll all be more comfortable with you staying there". And don't invite / host them again. They're fucking horrible humans.

krustykittens · 02/07/2019 11:16

They are rude, obnoxious bullies! Who teases a baby like that?! Every thing you have written down is beyond rude - would you take this crap from strangers? You don't HAVE to put up with this you know.

Sundancer77 · 02/07/2019 11:21

What utter CF’s..! They wouldn’t be staying at mine again 😮

elpapadelapepa · 02/07/2019 11:49

Jesus they sound like an uptight, overbearing, selfish, inconsiderate, self-entitled and downright rude and obnoxious couple.

They sound as if they are totally clueless about children and childcare - but also and basic manners and human relationships. If they have a medical background and are openly disparaging about a relative's medical issues they must make the shittiest most arrogant clinicians going.

Your BIL in particular sounds like a really nasty piece of work. His behaviour would have got short shrift in this household.

Shouting at your toddler? Telling him off? Rudely criticising and undermining your parenting? Deliberately scaring a toddler? Teasing a toddler with food - then laughing at him?

I would have read the riot act at any one of them. We live abroad too and if he didn't shape up I wouldn't have hesitated to send them packing to find a hotel for themselves. Preferably a long way away.

Make a definite agreement never to have them back in your house or involved with your DS again. If your DP wants to maintain the relationship, let him do it outside you home. You and he need to stand up for your DS. The relationship wouldn't survive another visit anyway.

This is speculation, but some of the comments from your BIL suggest like loud public self-justification for not having children.

"DS is a perfect example of why not to have kids" / "Why would you want a second when they are nothing but hard work?" / "'An unpleasant environment".

Maybe there is backstory here. Maybe SIL has wondered about having children, and BIL doesn't want to. Could there have been speculation, pressure from the family? "Look at these photos of Witsend's DS, such a lovely toddler, doesn't it make you want to have kids yourselves?" "They're talking about number two, how nice for little Witsend to have a brother or sister".

In that case he might have deliberately set out to be as negative as possible about your DS and children in general to "prove" that parenthood is awful and not for them.

Not that this would justify his vile behaviour in any sense.

Never let them darken your door again! And stop biting your tongue!

Nautiloid · 02/07/2019 11:54

I'd have told them to get stuffed and leave early, so I think you're more than reasonable to say never again.