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.

SIL sending out bday cards ON MY BEHALF!

204 replies

TataMamma · 01/10/2021 10:08

I find my brothers long term live in girlfriend hard to handle. She's 10 years younger than me, very extroverted and seems to take control of everything, when I basically want to be left alone.
There's been something that is really irritating me though. When she sends out cards or gifts to family members, she signs them with my and my DDs name on as well as hers and my brothers. This has been irritating me for a while. I'm currently visiting my parents and it was my Dads bday last week. There was a bday card from her, with my name and my DDs name on too. Obviously I sent a card to my Dad from me and my DD, and I've visited this weekend with a present. Last night I said that I was really irritated by the way SIL does this and my mother just replied that that was how she was, and I should just be less irritated. That made it worse, and basically I want to send SIL a sharp email telling her this is not normal or acceptable and she should stop. (There's no point talking to her - she doesn't listen.) Just to be clear, I do not have any sort of reputation for ignoring/forgetting bdays and other events in my family!
AIBU to get so irritated by this? Should I send that email? It's been going on for some time, and I know it will continue if and until I make things very clear to her.

OP posts:
2Two · 02/10/2021 23:53

It's a strange thing to do, but it's even stranger that you've never said anything to her up to now. If you've allowed her to think it's OK you're not in the best position to complain.

Mollymoostoo · 03/10/2021 00:12

@fruitbrewhaha

It's so weird.

Perhaps sign her name on a few things, like a skip hire contract, or marketing crap etc

Grin
ChopstickChips · 03/10/2021 00:40

@Tippexy

You sound like hard work.

Let’s face it, if you don’t even send your own parents cards then they are probably quite thankful to receive them from their DIL (who sounds lovely and thoughtful, to be fair).

But the OP clearly says she does send cards and gifts of her own, so there is absolutely no point in the SIL doing it 🙄
Dnaltocs · 03/10/2021 02:24

Whatever the reason, she’s using your name against your will.

What lesson could this be to your daughter? Time to have a chat now before the Christmas cards are written.

QueenBee52 · 03/10/2021 02:46

but I really do think she’s just trying to be lovely, and ensure you don’t ‘miss out’ on events that she thinks are important (maybe she doesn’t realise you don’t care?)

WTF ..

could you be more patronising... 😳

Firsttimecatlady · 03/10/2021 06:54

You’re right. Wasn’t the intention, but on reading my post back this morning, that’s how this reads. Apologies OP, and thanks for flagging QueenBee (it’s good to have these things pointed out)

SharonasCorona · 03/10/2021 07:28

I think it’s cultural, I’m Asian and mum puts my name and brother’s name in cards to family and I do the same if I’m sending cards.

I’m glad you’ve dealt with it but I think the people calling her ‘nasty, manipulative and controlling’ should be ashamed.

The woman took the the feedback with good grace so that was completely unnecessary.

I’m glad OP’s mum likes her at least.

StrongLegs · 03/10/2021 08:04

@Dragonsmother I love your comment: "send your DB an Xmas card from her"

That is it exactly.

diddl · 03/10/2021 08:07

"I think it’s cultural, I’m Asian and mum puts my name and brother’s name in cards to family and I do the same if I’m sending cards."

What's the reasoning behind it & is it only women who do it?

My name would be put in by the adult writing when I was a kid & also as an adult unless I started to send a card myself.

RachaelN · 03/10/2021 08:32

It is a very weird thing for her to do. I would tell her to stop doing it immediately.

SharonasCorona · 03/10/2021 08:47

@diddl

"I think it’s cultural, I’m Asian and mum puts my name and brother’s name in cards to family and I do the same if I’m sending cards."

What's the reasoning behind it & is it only women who do it?

My name would be put in by the adult writing when I was a kid & also as an adult unless I started to send a card myself.

I think it’s just acceptable that a card and present could be sent from one family, even if they live separately. My husband does it too (he sorts his own family’s presents out).

For a recent wedding we went to, my mum put my name in the card from her, and I put her name in my card from me. The bride told us off for sending two cards with two lots of cash 🤣

I can see why OP would be annoyed by it though and I’m glad she has spoken up instead of letting it fester.

diddl · 03/10/2021 08:54

"For a recent wedding we went to, my mum put my name in the card from her, and I put her name in my card from me."

Now that is odd to me-you were both going & both knew that the other would write a card.

So why would you both write on hehalf of the other person?

GreyhoundG1rl · 03/10/2021 09:01

For a recent wedding we went to, my mum put my name in the card from her, and I put her name in my card from me. The bride told us off for sending two cards with two lots of cash 🤣
That's barmy Confused

User112 · 03/10/2021 11:26

Oops! I thought she was OPs husband’s sister.

Wait, did she send a card to YOUR parents on your behalf? How weird !

lottiegarbanzo · 03/10/2021 12:17

It's the kind of things mothers of adult children - matriarchs - do with wedding presents, cards to distant relatives etc. To save their own adult children from having to contribute or remember.

Not recent incomers by marriage, same age or younger than the adult child, trying to insert themselves between a mother and her own daughter.

It screams 'I see myself as female head of this family now' (or am positioning myself as such for the future). Very, very pushy and presumptuous.

lottiegarbanzo · 03/10/2021 12:20

Still, if she wants to position herself as doting DIL and next in line to the matriarchy, at least she'll be first to volunteer for elder care responsibilities, when your mum declines to the point that space for a new matriarch and centre of family life, opens up.

SallyWD · 03/10/2021 12:53

When you mentioned she was Asian (Bangladeshi Muslim) it made more sense. My husband and family are Indian and often sign each other's names on cards. You really can't underestimate cultural differences. Given this, I think everyone's being rather harsh on your brother's partner!!

lottiegarbanzo · 03/10/2021 13:15

Well OP isn't from the same culture, so, if the SIL didn't know already, she has now learned about a cultural difference that's relevant to her life and relationships. So that's a good thing.

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 03/10/2021 14:49

@catsandhens

I did wonder before your update if she came from a very matriarchal family and she was making sure she established her place as the matriarch of your generation.

Now though I am inclined to think its a combination of feeling a loss of her family and so cementing her place firmly in yours and not seeing you as a 'real' family. My mother was like this when I was single, despite the fact I left home as soon as I could she would go on about how I didnt understand how hard it was to run a house etc, blindly ignoring the fact I had my own house. Because of course unless you have a husband you aren't really a family.

Its an annoying attitude so I hope your email does the trick

I know what you mean. When you have a husband, you're not really a family unless you have a child. It's infuriating.
3scape · 03/10/2021 14:56

It is very odd. My (not great at family events but does try) cousin has recently had to move in with his mum, taking his teenage son with him. My aunt doesn't do cards from them all and they're all a household at the moment! - though they have been sharing postage, very sensible too!
I'd be very disturbed by someone doing that who didn't live with me.

bemusedmoose · 03/10/2021 21:12

That is seriously weird, controlling, presumptuous and just wrong! Tell your brother to make her stop it or you will loose you bat crap with her. If she doesn't stop then I would start sending crap with her name on it. How does your mum and dad nor think she's deranged?

Etinox · 03/10/2021 23:16

Having read your updates, I think she’s just very keen to be accepted. I’m guessing if you’re swamped by her and her gifts she’s picked up on this also relationships with her family are strained and precarious; she’s just desperate to be accepted and ‘solid’ in the family.

QueenBee52 · 04/10/2021 11:37

I think anyone would be baffled by their Sons new wife sending cards/gifts with their own Daughter and granddaughters names on them...

it's not normal Confused

Mirw · 04/10/2021 16:45

Give all the excess presents to a, charity shop or to a charity that supports single parents, they would love these things. New clothes for babies is not something that gets handed in, unless it is due to the death of a baby.

TataMamma · 05/10/2021 09:44

Well thanks for all the replies.

I'm not so sure about the cultural arguments people have come up with. She says she does the same for her own brother and sister, although they also send their own cards to their family too. To me that suggests that it's something she does, and her siblings tolerate it in a way that I won't, rather than being a broader cultural thing. Also, just to be clear, she was born and raised in London, and lives a totally normal independent life for a 29 year old - yes, her family background is Bangladeshi Muslim, but it's not like she is not familiar with more mainstream British culture. I personally think it's far more personality based than anything to do with background - the vast majority of which she openly rejects and eschews, hence the difficulties with her own family. (Her parents have been told she lives with a friend, although my parents and I think think they must know the truth and it's more a "don't ask, don't tell" situation, so everyone can avoid confrontation. She normally visits her parents once a week, although her and my brother do go away, and have just come back from a 2 week holiday. Presumably her parents were told she was on holiday with a friend and just never saw the photos or something. It all sounds weird to me!)

I have not been on holiday with her, and nor would I do that, although she often drops hints about this. I've made a decision to not ever spend the night in the same place as her, because I just find her too much and I've been open with my parents that it's a matter of time before I completely explode. (This is because of her extreme extroversion, combined a bit with the constant control. She just won't shut up at all.) My parents have decided not to have all their children visiting at the same time because there's not enough space and they are getting older and can't handle it. (I have a much younger brother too, with significant disabilities, who mostly lives in residential care, but always comes home whenever anyone else is visiting.) I've not openly asked about it, but imo this is just a pretext for not having her down at the same time as me, which suits me fine, as I wouldn't be doing that anyway! She takes over my DD, leaving everyone else who is related to her feeling like a spare part. Also, she is too OTT for my baby who ends up crying and tired and so on, when other people are more sensitive to the fact that she is overwhelmed, wants a sleep, needs a reassuring Mummy cuddle in a new situation etc, whilst of course adoring her and wanting to play.

SIL is not nasty, or manipulative, but defo controlling and just so loud and imo stupid (I always think this about extreme extroverts - they talk so much, what they say is almost always stupid. She asks you something and you answer but then the next question/issue has no bearing on the first and this goes on and on. I really don't know how my DB can cope with it.) I do also think underlying all this she is absolutely desperate to be accepted and part of the family, but my parents view is very simple: she is my DB chosen life partner (it looks that way), and that is that, and therefore she is part of the family. We'd all prefer it if she relaxed a bit more.

@Firsttimecatlady I hadn't thought about the points you raised (and no need to apologise - there was nothing offensive and they were good points). It wasn't the things to me from my DD that bothered me massively, beyond just not being my cup of tea. I do get that it would be nice for my DD when she is young to have someone helping her with this, and my parents don't live near me and she does, so in some ways there's a fit, and I'd like my DD to be able to do this.

She has agreed to stop, and that's what matters to me. I expect there'll be more issues in the future, not least surrounding my DD, where she just takes over and makes assumptions about what I want, which are often wrong, and I'm left not really knowing what to do. I'm hoping their own children when they come are some time after I'm done, simply so it's more difficult for her to "mother" them together. I've been clear with my parents that I won't be spending either DDs first birthday or Christmas with SIL because I want happy memories and not to be undermined as a mother the whole time by her.

OP posts: