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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mil always commenting on my clean house.

105 replies

Bumblebee1115 · 16/10/2019 11:06

Bit of an odd one.. I am pretty house proud. It’s by no means a show home. But the dishes are usually done and put away, it’s nearly always vacuumed (I have a cordless takes me no time at all), floor mopped, bathroom cleaned there’s no laundry lying around and it’s tidy as it can be with kids etc etc. I have ocd, anxiety and depression. I wish I could relax more around mess but I cannot and I would never judge anybody else’s home though.

I am fortunate enough to be a SAHM so I generally clean when DC are at school so the weekends with DC are for fun things as a family. I do plan to go back to work but both Dc have additional needs, DD only started school last month so I’m having some me time for now as I have raised them with very little support or help from family and Oh is always at work.

Anyway, every time mil comes over she comments on my clean home. Not in a well done, nice house house kind of way but a way she’s either jealous or making a dig because I have more time on my hands than her and I’m sick of it.

Things like ‘oh your house is so clean, but you have all the time in the world don’t you’ ‘my house is never clean because we both work’ ‘come clean my house because you have more time than me’ ‘you need to spend more time with the children rather than cleaning’ (again bullshit I clean when they are at school and don’t clean constantly) ‘must be so nice to have all the time in the world’. She says it all in such a bitchy way.

I just think you’re either house proud or your not. I’m aware if I worked I’d have less time but I would still want a clean house. I would never go over there and judge her house and truthfully it’s not be cleanest.

Every single time she comes over... But yet there’s been the odd time she’s turned up, usually unannounced and it’s been a mess and she’s judging me that way. I can’t bloody win!!

She’s also very intrusive. Looking through my stuff. Looking in a box (a parcel I had delivered yesterday), telling me how to re arrange my house. Telling me this and that, I should stop using my tumble dryer so much.

It’s just constant digs that I don’t work. Me and Oh agreed I’d have some time at home before finding a job. It’s hard. Both Dc have additional needs, we’ve had no family support raising them (literally didn’t have any time to myself before DC were both at school). I could be needed to pick them up at any time, school meetings, hospital appointments.

My life isn’t as easy as she thinks it is being a stay at home mum!

OH tells me to ignore her but he doesn’t stick up me for it all!!

Aibu to expect him to say something to her? I dread her visits! I feel like a failure most days as it is and she just tops it off!

OP posts:
AdoraBell · 17/10/2019 18:08

Your comment ‘I can’t bloody win’

Stop trying to win, or please her. Ignore, ignore and then ignore some more. Your house, your time, your standards. No one else’s bloody business.

And once you’ve done all your cleaning/tidying, put your feet up and have a Brew

lynzpynz · 17/10/2019 18:18

Either ignore ignore ignore, and if that isn't working then you need to be blunt with her and call it out. Neither is easy but this is obviously affecting you, and with OH not stepping up to help in tackling it you're stuck being the one to do it...

'you have no kids of course you have time MIL don't be sodding ridiculous, dear god I didn't know how much time I had before I had kids HAHA'

'you work 3 days out of 7 MIL who you kidding wumman'

'I've actually spent loooooads of time with the kids, it's them who cleans, I just stand over them yelling instructions and encouragement, thinking of starting up a cleaning business actually as child wages are so low I'd make a killing - you could be our first client MIL?!'

manicmij · 17/10/2019 18:29

Would say just ignore but with OCD, anxiety, depression etc that will be impassible for you. Would you say you are sensitive to most MIL says to you? Perhaps you need some CBT to enable you to deal with these remarks and to reduce your sensitivity. Sorry, but a lot of MILs do say snide remarks but most would be ignored or turned into a joke both very hard for you. You know you are depressed, perhaps you need to discuss with a professional to alleviate your anxiety. Vicious circle as you will no doubt well know.

Peterrabbitcandoone · 17/10/2019 18:35

I totally get you OP my older sister is always making sly comments about how tidy/sterile my house is..I'm a sahm mum who also suffers from anxiety.
I often don't clock what she's said till after she has left and then I'm annoyed with myself for not saying anything at the time. She manages to say it in such a passively aggressive way that if I brought it up she'd say I was imagining it. She lives with someone with OCD so her house is pretty tidy too.
Here's to having a tidy house, tidy mind! X

RhinoskinhaveI · 17/10/2019 18:37

look her square in the eye and say 'what exactly are you insinuating?'

browneyes77 · 17/10/2019 18:46

Her sarkyness sounds passive aggressive to me.

I don't think it has anything to do with your clean house. What she really means is that she thinks that you should be working and not be relying on her poor, poor put upon son who has to work all hours of the day to support you in your lady of leisure of role.

Ignore, you don't have to explain anything to her. She is a cow.

This is exactly what I thought.

OP, you don’t have to justify yourself to this woman. This is your home and it’s got nothing to do with her. If you don’t feel you can say anything to her yet, then just don’t answer the door to her. You don’t have to have anyone in your home you don’t feel comfortable with.

Your DH needs to grow a spine and tell his mother to back off. As many have said on here before, you don’t have a MIL problem, you have a DH problem.

TrishTeres · 17/10/2019 18:56

Sounds like you have been very forbearing so far. Wow. I think a lot of people would have "lost it" by now. Me included! I have definitely made mistakes and I don't anticipate I won't make more but I am deciding never to give up on repaying perceived unkindness with actual genuine kindness on my part. It is really tough to do and with some people I really have to persevere. But it has been surprisingly transformative for several of my close relationships. Having said that there have been some people in my life and family with whom I have just had to part company. These have been with regards to quite serious matters. If it is badly affecting family life with it might be the right thing to request "space" and certainly no unannounced visits. Well done you for holding it together!

youcantchoosethem · 17/10/2019 18:56

Lots of really good suggestions from PP - and you’ve already been strong one time with not letting her see the DC on the evening visit. You can’t win - she is jealous and it is her problem. My (now X thank goodness) MIL was awful and used to goad all the time - mine the other way that I wasn’t clean enough to her standards, I wasn’t good enough for her DS etc then one time we were visiting the IL’s and my youngest son (aged around 2/3) pointed to a cobweb in the dining room and said “what’s that mummy?” I said “a cobweb darling - spiders make them” and he replied very innocently “we don’t have any of those do we mummy?” I couldn’t have loved him more! [love] keep strong, look after you - it sounds like you are doing a great job Flowers

Toomuchtrouble4me · 17/10/2019 19:04

Ignore her
Go out when she comes
Or tell her to stop criticising you and trying to tell you how to run your life, straight out, no hints, just tell her.

Ambridgedweller · 17/10/2019 19:06

Oh, OP, life is too short for this. I was a SAHM with two small children and I too enjoy a clean and tidy comfortable home. There is nothing wrong with taking a pride in your family and home. It is your choice. You have no control over MIL behaviour but you can choose your response to it. Just focus on this when she visits. Smile, relax and be proud of your home. It is her issue. You're doing a great job. Flowers.

FavouriteSong · 17/10/2019 19:08

I would just treat her comments as a compliment and say a breezy 'thank you, I do enjoy living in a clean and tidy house'and change the subject. Try not to let it bother you, it's her problem not yours.

KittyMcV · 17/10/2019 19:12

You should not have to justify your life choices to anybody, even relatives. You are fortunate to be able to be a SAHM and good for you. You are a skilled organiser and get things done. Good for you. People would be frowned at if they criticised someone with a messy house, so why should they criticise someone with a tidy house? Trust me - your house will always be tidy, even if you do go back to work. My house looks the same slightly dishevelled but just about acceptable state that it has always looked, whether I've worked full time, part time or not at all. Ignore her, but I wouldn't ask your DH to intervene, it'll just cause upset. Just be secretly, knowingly proud!

phoenixrosehere · 17/10/2019 19:14

Could you not let her in? She obviously has no respect for you and your DH isn’t backing you up so why allow her into your home if she is going to constantly disrespect you in it. Yes, it’s your DH’s too but if he’s not there you have no reason to let her in if you don’t want to.

IdblowJonSnow · 17/10/2019 19:30

Why is she over so much? If stop inviting her and reduce contact a bit. She sounds horrible. And you shouldn't have to bloody tell her BUT if you really feel like you can't be blunt get your husband to tell her to (fuck) back off.

NamedyChangedy · 17/10/2019 19:30

My MIL used to play a sick game where she'd pit me against my SIL. To me she'd say "oh your house is so nice and clean, not slovenly like SIL's". And to her she'd say "it's lovely and homely here, not all clinical like Namedy's". It took us a while to work it out but once we did we refused to engage with her. Strange lady.

Bellringer · 17/10/2019 19:37

Tell her it makes you feel in control,cos kids are tiring and too many ppl telling you what to do

Jodie626 · 17/10/2019 19:38

I know the exact type of woman she is. Your partner needs to stick up for you more 100%. You have no obligation to spend time with this woman. Go out when she plans to come round. Leave her with the kids or husband. Go treat yourself if you can. I love some of the replies with sarcastic comments people would say. You should totally say one of them to see the look on her face haha.

FelicisNox · 17/10/2019 20:11

Your MIL is a jealous cow.

I also have anxiety and depression and my house is also tidy, even though I have 6 kids and a full time job.... I'm not wonder woman and I don't pretend to be but I can't function in mess no matter how small.

Why don't you turn the tables. Have sly digs at how you don't actually have all the time in the world as you have dc with additional needs and no family support... see how she likes that. You could also say: poor you, I had noticed your house was a little untidy, do you need me to give you tips on time management? Then smile sweetly.

You will also have the opportunity to show her you can work AND keep a tidy house when you go back to work.

She's insecure and mean, hence why she goes through your stuff... she's jealous of the great job you're doing and is looking for chinks in your armour; remember this and laugh her off.

As for DH: tell him you are past the point of coping with her spite and as he has no intention of growing a spine and dealing with her appropriately she will no longer be welcome until she learns to behave.

You're an adult not a child. What you tolerate from others is a CHOICE and you are not duty bound to put up with this passive aggressive behaviour.

I'm not brave but I'm way past the point of tolerating other peoples 💩 so I'm straight in there with the kind but firm: I see what you're doing, I don't like it so don't do it again or you're not welcome in my life.

As the saying goes "no one can drive you crazy if you don't give them the keys".

FeeLock28 · 17/10/2019 20:17

Would definitely expect your OH to stop being so manipulative by saying, in essence, "oh, it's so difficult having to decide whether to stand up for my partner against my bullying mother ... but what's a chap to do?"!

Dontknowwhyidoit · 17/10/2019 20:24

If I was in your shoes I would demand that your husband speak to his mother to tell her to stop commenting on the cleanliness of your home as it has always been that way and will be for the foreseeable and its extremely grating for you. Same goes for the job topic. It's non of her business if you go out to work or not and you don't need to explain why you make this choice as it's between you and your husband what you do. Or you could just lose the plot on her and let all this built up stress out verbally by telling her to mind her own and to stop making digs. She probably feel inferior and this is her way of dealing with it, I have experienced this type of treatment from friends. I worked full time and was a single parent to 2 boys and had a tidy house and did fun things with my kids like bday parties and Halloween parties etc and was called a stepford wife. People don't like others who seem to have it together better than them so they have digs but not in an overtly nasty way, just in a backhanded manner. What ever way you choose to deal with it just do it, as she won't change otherwise. 💐

Sb74 · 17/10/2019 20:45

Read some but not all. I’m not sure it’s all about jealousy I think it’s more that she doesn’t like her son working and you not working. She doesn’t like her son being the sole breadwinner and feels he might be stressed out working while you’re at home having an easy time in her opinion. That’s how I see it, not that she’s jealous. I think you just need to ignore her. She won’t be happy until you’re working too so nothing your son says will change things. Good luck op.

Ambridgedweller · 17/10/2019 20:48

*no one can drive you crazy if you don't give them the keys".
I must remember that Grin

Harls1969 · 17/10/2019 20:57

Just ignore her best you can. You've married her DS and it's her job to make sure he still loves her. Rise above it, she's just a bit jealous

MrsNotNice · 17/10/2019 21:03

SummerHouse

How do you manage to not get worked up and how do you manage to not look passive and welcome further negativity when you just nod and do your own thing?? I did it for a while but I felt sometimes it’s wiser to pull people up on pushing boundaries but that bit is very hard too

nuxe1984 · 17/10/2019 21:44

"Oh, I couldn't live with your mess, my standards are much higher" should do the trick.

That and limiting her visits.