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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to not want to talk to MIL

41 replies

MrPenguin · 31/07/2020 17:56

MIL recently told me that my partner and I are obviously bad parents and doing a bad job raising our son, as he can get really frustrated, can be loud or not sit still sometimes, and not always follow instructions. He's 7 and has autism... She doesnt see anything wrong with this and I've put up with her snide comments and questioning my parenting for years as my partner doesnt want an argument and my son likes her.

OP posts:
tableanadchairs · 12/08/2020 00:24

No way

Serin · 12/08/2020 00:31

No this isnt right at all, your DP should be on your side, not her insulting ignorant arse of a mothers.
There is no way I'd be letting my son stay with someone who spoke to me this way.
This woman will drive a wedge between you.

Popsiepops · 12/08/2020 02:50

@MrPenguin

I missed that after saying I found what she said upset6and offensive she replied, so you really think you're doing a good job parenting him? -(offensive tone of voice)
Next time she says this, I'd say 'Yes thank you, how do you think you're doing with your support and parenting job of DW?'

She is an unhappy woman, jealous of her own daughter that she has your love and support. Does she have a distant husband by any chance?

Ask her to attend an Autism workshop with you and DW.

Good Luck OP. By calling her out, you are protecting your DS. Sign of a great parent.

frazzledasarock · 12/08/2020 02:58

I’d tell your ‘D’P to duck off as well.

You are completely justified in never going anywhere near your DP’s family again.

justilou1 · 12/08/2020 03:16

WOW! I think it's time you lose your shit at DP for not having your back. I assume you're teaching through all of this? Perhaps it's time you step in and protect kid from bitchface Nanna permanently.

IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 12/08/2020 03:30

What is it with this Mumsnet thing "you don't have a MIL, PIL, family (delete as necessary) problem , your problem is with your DP? As an individual I can handle my own problems and deal with them myself. Or are we going back in time to where "hubby" deals with all the difficult situations?

roxfox · 12/08/2020 03:37

Wow. Your partner is the biggest problem tbh. The fact that she sat in and had a cup of tea while you waited then let mil come out and try to force you in. And then trying to make you apologise?! No way would I put up with that.

Tenebrae · 12/08/2020 04:02

There is obviously no love lost between you and your MIL. However, your DS and MIL love each other and your DP does not want a rift.

I would suggest that you step back, avoid MIL as much as possible, but don't obstruct your DP and your DS in their relationship with her. Don't make DP choose as, although she will probably choose you, she may resent you for it in the long term.

Can you not just sit down with MIL and try to talk things through in a calm manner. If you don't have experience or understanding of autism - and a lot of the older generations don't, as it has only been diagnosed relatively recently - your DS may well seem badly behaved. You and your DP should explain the situation to her, so that she understands. I can see that you would prefer to just cut her off, but I think that would be cruel, not only her, but to your DP and DS.

Hopeisnotastrategy · 12/08/2020 04:26

Your DP dumped on you from a great height when she agreed to stay for a cup of tea and created this situation. Is the problem that she is under the thumb, and MIL resents that you are not?

Keeva2017 · 12/08/2020 06:06

Your dp is massively failing you and your son here. YANBU. To be honest if mil perceives adjust parenting for asd as failing I’d be worried about her approach and behaviour towards your child during these sleepovers.

whoopsivechangedagain · 12/08/2020 07:55

My MIL was a deputy head teacher fifty or so years ago. According to her, autism 'did not exist' in her days, only 'bad parenting' and 'badly behaved children'.

When my children were young, she would often admonish them for being impolite (e.g. not speaking to her) or for playing with their hands (which they did when they were nervous. She would call them 'rude' and 'spoilt' to their faces, and tell us we were ineffective parents.

We spoke to MIL about this, tried to explain the boys' needs, but, in the end, we decided it was best to keep the boys away from their grandmother because her negative comments were damaging to them.

I feel sorry for my MIL. I am almost certain she is also an individual with autism. She has very rigid ideas and opinions and a massive need to control everything and everyone in her environment. She did not seem to realise the impact her behaviour or her comments had on others. Now she is in the early stages of dementia, this rigidity and control can be particularly intense. Yet, her behaviour has denied her a relationship with her grandsons.

OP, from your posts, it seems that your MIL has a positive relationship with your son, but she may not understand very much about autism. Someone suggested attending an autism awareness workshop with MIL and, I think this may be a really helpful activity, because she could learn strategies that could help to calm your son a little or aid instruction. Once she finds out that autism friendly strategies work, she may begin to accept his diagnosis a little more and stop the parental blaming.

Lofari · 12/08/2020 07:58

Do not apologise!!!
I have a son with autism and its bloody hard. We do our best. If anyone criticised me for this i would absolutely lose my shit

Jokie · 12/08/2020 08:23

As often said on here: you have a DP problem here. She shouldn't have stayed for a tea and shouldn't be putting you into a difficult position like this

CambsAlways · 12/08/2020 08:45

YA BU

CambsAlways · 12/08/2020 08:46

Should say you are NOT being unreasonable it sent before I’d finished writing your MIL is being unreasonable

ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble · 12/08/2020 09:58

You need to talk to your partner. I know MIL is her mum ,and she probably loves her and wants an easy life, but this is not ok. She needs to have your back and your son's back.

Does MIL make comments in front of your son? Because that can seriously affect his confidence and self esteem. Your DP needs to put her son and his needs first.

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