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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to not want my DP brother and sister in my property

68 replies

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 12:55

Me and my DP have hardly spoken since Boxing Day evening because i found out he had had his sister in my car on Xmas day.
Let me go into a little background on this.
So, his brother and sister are drug addicts, each using cannabis and crack, his sister also uses heroin. He doesn't have a great deal to do with any of his family, well siblings.. mum deceased and dad not around. He is the only one of 3 of them that has made anything of themselves. Holds down a decent job, sustains himself rather than abusing the benefit system. He is the only one that ever gave their mum anything to be proud of. Never done drugs, barely even drinks alcohol.

I absolutely loathe his sister. Until me and my DP lived together he was living with his sister, although hardly ever there as either with me or working so it was just a case of sleeping there a few nights a month. He ended up living there as he moved back to the area and it was just an easy option and his sister wasn't on the drugs then (she's been on and off for years, 2 kids already in care). She also had her 2 year old there and he was helping out with his nephew. So he put his house stuff in storage. Their mum died and his sister ended up back on drugs and slowly but surely the drug use got heavier and heavier.
She began stealing from him, money, keys to his storage unit, sold his furniture, he was having to sleep with his wallet and phone under his pillow. She'd use his phone to call drug dealers and then he'd have them ringing him threatening him when she owed money. He has life insurance policy and she questioned him on what would happen to his money in the event of his death, 2 weeks after this he found a note in his wallet saying "my name is such and such, i am (name) sister and next of kin, please contact me in the event of an emergency"..
She started having dealers there cutting up on the kitchen worktops because she'd be paid in drugs, then men for sexual favours. If my DP was asleep in bed she would go out at all hours leaving her son and my partner unaware that he was supposed to be looking after the little one. He would pay his rent and that same night all the money would be gone that she'd be asking, begging and crying for more money. He did the weekly shop, ensuring nephew had milk, nappies etc. Taking his nephew out to get him away from the situation as much as possible. (Social services are involved)
He gave his sister a lift once and she dropped crack in his car, down the edge of seat and couldn't retrieve it. My DP walked to the shop with nephew and came back to find his seat had been taken out of his car by a neighbour after his sister had asked them to remove it so she could get the crack. obviously it's better out of the car than in it but the whole thing was insane.
His brother was constantly stopped by police and if they seen him in a car that car was pulled over and he was searched, vehicle was searched. DP had been stopped a few times with him in the car and he was searched at side of road too. It got to the point where my DP told him he isn't giving him a lift anywhere again and to not bother asking.. and he hasn't.
So, sorry bit of a long one..
Xmas day my DP went to go see his nephew, i don't have anything to do with any of them (i've been there before where dealers turned up to use kitchen and after that i said never again) i stayed at home with my family while he went to see his nephew. He turned up there and his nephew wasn't there, just his sister. I'm annoyed about my DP taking his sister back to where his nephew was, at the nephews dad for number of reasons. 1 - his nephew is not allowed to see his dad over fears for his safety, nephews dad has some serious mental health issues, once trying to put a drill through his ear to stop the voices. so that annoyed me that she shows complete disregard for that.
2 - my DP used my car, he did have a car of his own but since living together sold it as he drives a van and he just uses my car when needs be, so what if she'd dropped some of her crack/heroin in my car, a child in my family gets hold of it or we are pulled over, it's found by police.. we wouldn't have a leg to stand on in saying it's not ours.. how many times have they heard that!?
3 - she has stolen from my DP car before so why wouldn't she mine. She stole from their own mother.
Fortunately, he won't tell any of his family where exactly his living now, so that she can't turn up here begging or potentially stealing from us. We both work very hard for what we have and i don't want any of them jeopardising any of that.

I genuinely don't think my DP thought about it like i have, but we haven't spoken properly since Boxing Day evening because he can become defensive about it, although he knows it's the truth he is just so ashamed of his family.

AIBU to not want them in any of my property, including my car!?

OP posts:
Winterdaysarehere · 28/12/2019 12:58

Imo you need to walk away from the lot of them.
Dp has made it clear he is still committed to his family rightly or wrongly.
Yabu to make him choose.
He can't and won't it seems.
Unless you can deal with constant drama Ltb.

Cherrysoup · 28/12/2019 12:58

Go over the car to ensure there’s nothing dodgy. Presumably SS are aware of her child’s circumstances?

WorraLiberty · 28/12/2019 13:01

It's just a lift.

As long as he kept his eyes on her while she was in it.

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:07

@winterdaysarehere
He hardly sees them, he will literally go pick his nephew up and leave. He didn't want to leave his nephew there but it got to the point where he was losing his temper with this druggies and he kept having to throw them out. He removed himself from that situation because he didn't want to end up hurt or on the wrong side of the law.
I'd never ask him to choose but to make more sensible choices for damage limitation i guess.

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GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:09

Social services are fully aware and were preparing to sign his nephew off as safe or whatever they do as my DP was there living. But when my DP left he contacted the social worker and explained everything so his nephew is back on higher checks again. If it's decided that his nephew goes under a care order, he comes to us basically.

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GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:13

@worraliberty
i understand to most people it's just a lift but it's not really is it. As his old car was already marked by police because of giving his brother lifts. And she wouldn't know if she'd dropped anything until she went to smoke it, i know chances are slim because normally gone same day but there is that danger my kid will find it or the police if we were pulled.

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SuperMumTum · 28/12/2019 13:17

YANBU to be annoyed but try and see it from his point of view, he is clearly very torn and none of us would want to see a family member in so much trouble. You shouldn't be giving him the silent treatment, he's probably gutted that he let you down as well as being unable to properly help his nephew. Try supporting him.

vickielisabeth · 28/12/2019 13:18

You need to update the social worker that your dh's nephew was in his father's care on Christmas Day despite this not being allowed.

Canadianpancake · 28/12/2019 13:24

You need to update the social worker that your dh's nephew was in his father's care on Christmas Day despite this not being allowed.

Definitely

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:26

@supermumtum
I understand where he is coming from, i would feel the same way if it was one of my brothers. But we have tried and tried helping her on so many occasions, signed her up to groups, spoke to doctors.. whatever we could. Once i stopped going into the house, there was a time when i turned up there to drop a charger to her and there was a dealer there banging her door, she owed him £80, i ended up paying that for him to leave her alone but they still keep ticking her drugs.
Surely there comes a point when we've exhausted all avenues. We've got kids of our own, so that's £80 from their mouths in my eyes.
We are talking, just not full conversations like normal.

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GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:29

@vickielisabeth @canadianpancake
100%, he also said he's going to contact his school, so they are in the know. They also have contact with Social Services.

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FGSJoanWhatsWrongWithYou · 28/12/2019 13:30

You need to update the social worker that your dh's nephew was in his father's care on Christmas Day despite this not being allowed.

This, except it needs to be your DP who reports it.

FGSJoanWhatsWrongWithYou · 28/12/2019 13:31

Is he sulking or is he processing?

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 28/12/2019 13:32

There is no right answer because he was focussed on his nephew’s safety rather than thinking through the implications of giving his sister a lift in your car.

He is a decent person trying to navigate a shit situation. A family member now has custody of her grandchildren after giving her drug addicted child multiple chances. It’s hard because you can’t rescue the addict but you don’t want their children to like in that environment either.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 28/12/2019 13:34

to live

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:34

He feels like he's betraying his sister but his priority is making sure his nephew is safe.

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OoohTheStatsDontLie · 28/12/2019 13:39

I think he is in a horrible position. He sounds like he wanted to see his nephew not be ferrying about his sister. Which is probably a good idea to keep seeing the nephew as it could be life changing for him to have a good relationship with his uncle. I understand your concerns if it was regular but if it was just a one off I think I'd let it go, an addict isn't likely to be leaving their drugs behind them for long and she would surely be in the front seat, while any children would be in the back. Also I'm not sure if the police would get that wound up about a one off small amount of drugs for personal use, though it's unlikely that a. She would drop them and not remember b. The police would stop you and search the car after just one lift to her

FGSJoanWhatsWrongWithYou · 28/12/2019 13:40

Sounds like he was minimising then your reaction snapped him into realism.

Is he just being quiet as he gets his head round how bad this is. How you guys may well have the nephew living with you soon. How he cannot help his sister but the nephew ties him to her?

katewhinesalot · 28/12/2019 13:43

Support him helping his nephew whatever that entails. Be stronger regarding dsis. In this instance it was for his nephews benefit. So let it go but use it as an opportunity to push towards getting more help for him.

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:47

@fgsjoanwhatswrongwithyou
He is defo a processor rather than a sulker. There was no argument between us, he just didn't like hearing what i was saying.
@chazsbrilliantattitude
i feel a certain level of empathy for addicts as it can't be easy but first and foremost i feel worse for the people around them, especially when there are kids involved. I could go on and on about what his sister has done as some of it is completely bizarre. It's just so frustrating to watch and see these things unfold. I feel social services should be doing more too.

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Binglebong · 28/12/2019 13:48

Would the dad have given the nephew to your DP without his sister being there? I completely understand your fury (I would be raging too) so I think it would be an idea to make fallback plans to prevent anything happening like this again.

If he needs to collect his nephew he let's sister call the person who nephew is with then collects nephew on his own. If he needs to pick something up he takes a list etc. And EVERYTHING gets reported. Nephew not there? Report. No nappies? Report.

Try to forgive DP, explain why you are hurt and angry and work together to help the nephew without endangering either of you, physically or mentally.

sonjadog · 28/12/2019 13:50

It sounds like he is in a difficult position. I would let being annoyed with him about the lift go, but use it to push him towards doing something about this situation.

Partyforone · 28/12/2019 13:53

I think your dp is betraying his sister by engaging with the situation. Ive learn that addicts do not change until the alternative to stopping becomes unbearable. Helping the sister is enabling her to continue her addiction.

Im not sure how much my experience will help you and dp, it seems we all have to find our own path through the addiction of a loved one, most of us hit a point where we walk away, disengage with love.

DP's sister needs to understand that the chaos and destruction of her life is not going to be normalised by the family, nor will you accept these influences in the life of your own family.

Try to ensure that ds knows the moment she is ready to try a different life, her family will support her emotionally. Until then, you are all bowing out.

"I have no control over your choices, but refuse to stand by and watch you destroy yourself" and "if I wanted the lifestyle of an addict I would be one myself" tend to sink in.

DP will in time, come to the conclusion that he can't help his poor sister, but probably needs some support in getting there. If you push he is likely to be involved longer.

Lulualla · 28/12/2019 13:56

Tbh, I'm questioning why he hasn't taken his nephew in. I took in my friend's child for 2 years whilst she got herself sorted out. That wee boy is his blood, why hasn't he taken him in?

I know everyone is saying to walk away and he should choose you or the family. His sister is going to do what she's going to do but he should offer to take the kid and leave her to it. But be available when she is ready to quit.

GiftedFish · 28/12/2019 13:57

@Binglebong
I don't know if the dad would have let my DP take nephew. I would hazard a guess and say no. They don't really know one another. Relationship between the dad and my DPs sister was very short and they never actually met when they were in a relationship.

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