Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be worried this will change our relationship

492 replies

topandtailem · 26/08/2020 08:45

Good relationship with parents in law. See them regularly, they dote on our 3YO and help with childcare (at their request, we’ve always been clear we’re happy to put her in nursery more often). I’ve always been aware that MIL doesn’t necessarily agree with everything we do or parenting choices we make but that’s up to her and we’ve always rubbed along okay.

They recently promised us money to help with buying a bigger house in a better area. Now, after we’ve sold our house, had an offer accepted, paid for a survey and paid for mortgage arrangement fee, they’ve withdrawn the offer.

That’s fine, they’re within their rights and although I’m gutted, this is one of the reasons you have to be careful accepting money from others. I get it. I can move on.

But the reasons they’ve given basically boil down to them thinking that it isn’t the right house for our daughter and she won’t be happy there and they can’t condone our decision.

This is what I keep dwelling on. We have chosen that house purely based on it being the perfect house for our family. Great area, great schools, lovely garden. Do my parents in law think I’m a bad parent? That they need to intervene to stop us from making a selfish decision that will hurt our child?

So putting the house and the money aside, how do I get past this? I want a good relationship with them but when we spoke on the phone last night she just refused to be moved and said she wasn’t making the decision lightly and she hadn’t slept in days. She just wants what is best for her grand daughter. Which to me is reiterating that point that we can’t be trusted to make that choice ourselves. I’m not sure I can easily forgive her for this.

If it matters, we’re early thirties, gainfully employed, daughter is thriving.

OP posts:
Weirdfan · 19/02/2021 00:35

The only thing I think you've got even slightly wrong throughout this is allowing yourself to be made to feel bad about MIL not sleeping. Considering she's never been able to give you any concrete reasons why the house is 'wrong for DD' it couldn't be clearer that this is all about control, manipulation and emotional blackmail and you are letting her win a tiny bit if you feel even slightly guilty that she's 'suffering'. So we'll have no more of that thank you OP! Enjoy your new house with not a scrap of guilt Flowers

Oh, and I'd advise reading the book Toxic Inlaws by Susan Forward in preparation for future incidents, this won't be the last time she pushes your boundaries.

BlueThistles · 19/02/2021 00:44

Fantastic news OP 🌺

ConquestEmpireHungerPlague · 19/02/2021 00:56

I remembered this thread as soon as it popped up on my feed again. Glad you stuck with the house - but how long it's taken to get to this point! Good luck in your new home. Flowers

Mockolate · 19/02/2021 01:00

@DurhamDurham

They want far too much involvement and control in your lives. I think the worst thing you could do is let them dictate where you live, I would look for a house you can afford without their contribution because it seems to come with an awful lot of strings attached.

I can't imagine letting my family or in-laws have much say over where I lived or how I brought up my children.

This. No way. Least you found out now what they'd be like - you don't want a house with strings, or control.
AmberItsACertainty · 19/02/2021 01:00

@topandtailem

DH very much united with me on this. He’s spoken to them with me and without me but all he gets back is that they’re doing what is best for their grandchild and it’s not about money. It’s not about money for us, either! I just don’t want to be a family that falls out over something like this especially as DD has such a wonderful relationship with them. But I don’t want that to come at the expense of my boundaries and feelings being eroded.
You're thinking about it all wrong.

It's not about then thinking they know best for DD. It's about them wanting to control you. This is the phrase they've chosen to use because it's hurtful and gets you doubting yourself. It's gaslighting.

How to move on now you've seen them in a new light? With distance. Low contact. Because you can't un-know something once you know it and you now know they're toxic.

They have a great relationship with DD because she's s child and under their control. As she grows either they'll successfully manipulate her or their relationship will falter as she kicks back at their control. In an ideal world neither would happen, but I can't see them changing, they're still trying to control their adult son!

It's not you falling out with them. They've started this. It's them falling out with you. There isn't any way to maintain your boundaries and not upset someone who wants to bust down your boundaries. They're not going to be happy unless they control you, you're not going to be happy unless you're not controlled. So, someone's going to be unhappy. Make yourself happy, you've every right to, their unhappiness is their problem and not yours to fix.

Mockolate · 19/02/2021 01:03

@topandtailem

I don’t know if anyone remembers my thread or cares about the outcome 😂 but I thought I’d pop back and update that we’re due to complete on this house tomorrow, without help from the in laws.

As I worried, our relationship is unfortunately very different now. We keep them at arms length and I know MIL in particular feels very anxious about the house and isn’t sleeping. I feel bad about that but ultimately I feel that whatever house we chose would have had a similar result, unless she had chosen it herself.

Putting that aside though, we’re so excited about the better house for DD and feel glad that we stood up for ourselves and drew a line in the sand.

Over the last few months I’ve revisited this thread on and off and the advice was just so wise and helpful. Thank you so much to those who took the time to respond and understood where I was coming from.

Just seen your update! Congrats on your new house, so glad you could do it without input. Sorry to hear your MIL isn't sleeping and anxious, but not much you can do about that, is there?! It's right for your family
AmberItsACertainty · 19/02/2021 01:08

I'm glad you and DH are in the same page with this. But you're being too nice! OP, you and your partner have every right to be angry. They've promised you something and now withdrawn the offer after you've spent time and money. They've put you potentially in the position of feeling embarrassed or bad for letting someone else down by pulling out of the purchase, or suffering financially with a tighter than expected budget if you go ahead with the purchase. And they've no reason for their behaviour other than 'we want to control you and we can't'.

Yes they have the right to withdraw their offer for any reason. But that doesn't change the fact that in this particular situation you've been let down badly by them. Because they don't have a good reason for doing this. It's ok for you to not be fine with that.

Tankflybosswalkjam · 19/02/2021 01:13

Wow I’m glad you’re moving, on your own terms. Did you get any further on why MIL was so against this particular house?

Fwiw anxiety is weird - a relative of mine rejected a place at a fantastic school for his children because it was within a mile or so of an airport and what if a plane crashed or overshot the runway...Confused

BlueThistles · 19/02/2021 01:21

Read the THREAD 🙄

Tankflybosswalkjam · 19/02/2021 01:39

I’ve read the thread Thankyou very much and the OP has said that the MIL had pond fear but not really got to the bottom of it.

BlueThistles · 19/02/2021 01:45

@Tankflybosswalkjam

I’ve read the thread Thankyou very much and the OP has said that the MIL had pond fear but not really got to the bottom of it.
not you... all those posting prior to you.. you have clearly read OP's updates... other clearly haven't 🙄
OhCaptain · 19/02/2021 01:49

@topandtailem brilliant update! Congratulations to you.

justilou1 · 19/02/2021 01:54

Interesting that you know that MIL isn’t sleeping... she’s guilt-tripping you. What a pain! Meanwhile, I’m very happy for your family. Hope you love the new house and live happily ever after!

Cameleongirl · 19/02/2021 01:59

Congratulations on your new home! Your MIL sounds like she needs help with her anxiety. Sad

Cocogreen · 19/02/2021 02:51

Congrats on your new house! So happy for you.
I’m new to your story and just read through your posts.
Your MIL sounds like she has some pretty major mental health issues if she’s lying away worrying about your house. So glad you went ahead without them, it makes a statement that you can’t be controlled by her.
Enjoy your new home. Xx

Cocogreen · 19/02/2021 02:53

lying awake

agonyauntie2020 · 19/02/2021 02:57

Well done! I hope you are super happy in the new house and I also hope your MIL chills out a bit.

DownUdderer · 19/02/2021 03:06

Your MIL is toxic maybe a narcissist, or just narcissistic personality. She'll always want you to consider her feelings in regards to everything, but she'll never consider your feelings. She'll feel wronged by things that are nothing to do with her. Her power comes from making people around her feel guilty all the time. Keep your boundaries strong and don't give in to the guilt trips. She'll never be sorry, she'll be pitiful and a wounded rabbit, but she'll never be sorry. Keep your head up. Learn not to feel guilty all the time it's a waste of your time.

CrisisManagement · 19/02/2021 03:21

I remember your thread and am so pleased to read your update.
You have been very gracious. I think your PIL have tried to be extremely controlling and I would have told them so. Buying the house regardless is a good move.

I echo another poster above ^^ How do you know she isn't sleeping? Has she told you? If so, that is some manipulative shit.

ChikiTIKI · 19/02/2021 04:47

I hope everything goes well for you on moving day and beyond!

ladycarlotta · 19/02/2021 05:46

Well done, OP! So pleased for you. I remember your thread too, it's really nice to have an update.

Nancydrawn · 19/02/2021 06:51

Delighted to hear this, OP. Congratulations!

Mummyoflittledragon · 19/02/2021 06:57

Thank you for coming back. I read your thread back in august. It’s really good the two of you are on the same page.

CarbsAreNotMyFriend · 19/02/2021 06:57

Congratulations! Happy moving day, so exciting for you. I hope things settle down with the in laws eventually x

Shoxfordian · 19/02/2021 07:01

Congrats on the new house! Sounds like a much better idea than taking money from your in-laws, you don’t want them to have that power over your lives