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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would you still go after this?

9 replies

Burnt0utMum · 19/12/2021 07:35

My birthday was a couple of weeks ago. My mum arranged for me and some other family members to get together at her house. She has some physical and mental health issues and when I got there, she told me she wasn't feeling good and was warning me straight away as she might not be very nice. I brought my kids with me, ages 5 and 7. My mum smokes but usually airs the house out for a couple of days before we visit and will smoke outside in that time. My 5 y/o DS has been hospitalised twice in the last couple of months with chest infections and breathing trouble. He's still a little bit chesty but we're managing it. Anyway, my mum knows that I won't be in a smoky house with the kids but this day she started smoking in the kitchen with the window open just a crack. My auntie joined her too. I begged her not to and she just fobbed me off and said there was a curtain across the door so the smoke wouldn't go in the living room where the kids are. However, if they needed the toilet they would have to go through the kitchen. I got very upset and said I'd have to leave but my sister then convinced them to open the back door fully and smoke near to it. It just spoiled the day for me and I don't feel like I can go back there if she's going to be smoking inside. I know it's her house and she can do what she wants but should she not be sensitive to her grandchild's needs especially as she invited us. We've been invited again just after xmas to exchange gifts etc but I don't think I can go if it will be like that again. She won't ever visit me as we're not local and she doesn't drive so if I want to see her it has to be at her place. What would you do?

OP posts:
Burnt0utMum · 19/12/2021 13:04

Bump

OP posts:
ChangeChingyChange · 19/12/2021 13:06

Yuck. I wouldn't visit, she can come to you to exchange presents and smoke outside if required. No wonder she feels ill puffing away like that every day.

and I'd ask for the asthma nurse at your GP to consider if your DS is showing signs of asthma and needs to go on an inhaler trial.

Youngatheart00 · 19/12/2021 13:10

I’m in two minds - she is being selfish to not be sensitive to your child’s asthma but also it’s her own house so if she wants to smoke in it it’s hard to tell her not too. If you’re addicted to smoking it’s not as easy as just not smoking for a couple of days to let the house air!

Cherrysoup · 19/12/2021 13:10

I wouldn’t go. I hate staying at my mum’s place, she smokes and it stinks and made me start coughing again having just stopped.

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 19/12/2021 13:12

I do feel for your mum, she must be feeling extremely brittle and fragile and she feels smoking helps her.
As a mum of a child who has been hospitalsed with breathing issues I wouldn't go back either.. Visit again when she's feeling better or have her to your house.

girlmom21 · 19/12/2021 13:14

I wouldn't take my children to a house where people smoked inside.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 19/12/2021 13:31

Nope, I wouldn’t be taking my children to a house where people smoked inside either

GastricBland · 19/12/2021 13:37

No I wouldn't. I think I'd also frame it that during the last admissions you have been told the significance of passive smoking and the increased risk of problems in poorly ventilated environments

Blackberrybunnet · 19/12/2021 13:37

I really feel for you. My parents both smoked inside all the time, and refused to stop when I was there with the children because "it was their house they could do what they liked"/ I had the same choice to make as you. If I didn't go, I wouldn't see them (they wouldn't come to me because I wouldn't let them smoke indoors). In the end, I just put up with it and washed everything when we got home. I never really forgave them for it, though.

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