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AIBU?

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In laws in grandparents role driving me mad (slightly lighthearted although feel so sorry for my children)

39 replies

JanuaryBluehoo · 09/01/2022 11:15

Unfortunately and to my regret, relations over the years have broken down with the in laws.
We have tried so many times, especially when I had a cancer scare as they are unfortunately the only living gp. But the dc don't enjoy going to them and they want all contact to be at theirs which is a very controlled formal uncomfortable environment.

Dh has had an extremely troubled relationship with them and now I have. It brings pain.
So... We are v low contact and with covid this has all been fantastic. But they do spring on us and pop around unexpectedly like this am. And it riles me so much Grin

So they don't come in, they are hugely critical and would be mentioning all the bad things like mess etc. They stand at the door but it's fils questioning tone and clear annoyance with what he doesn't like to hear that drives me mad. I don't speak to them so I didn't go to the door but I can hear fil questioning teen dd.
On her language choices at school for instance. He's been repetitively going on and on to dd about learning mils mother tongue since the poor kid could speak. Relentlessly going on about it, so again... Are you learning mils mother tongue. When she said no, his voice, the astonishment! " BUT WHY er why is that? How come you've made that choice?? " deadly serious tones.
Dd just said, I prefer blah.
Then asking her if she's still into his subjects (maths) again she says no... I like x... I can hear fils voice constricting with displeasure.

To think they have not seen dc in the flesh for a good year and this is what he does when he gets his hands on her so to speak! Interrogation about mils mother tongue again!

It took me all my strength to stop tearing down there to tell him to bloody well back off.
We are extremely lucky that dd is an excellent student and is doing very very well with her preferred language. Not everyone finds language easy! Her teacher also seems to adore her and there is no need to learn mils tongue. Mil has lived here for 40 years and speaks perfect English as well as her family.

What's wrong with some people!!

What's going through his head! Go around... And find out what's happening to my grand daughters language choices!! It's like he always relates what they can do back to themselves with fil surprised she's not as into maths as him? It's like he can't see her as separate and he definitely doesn't see his son my dh as separate at all! It's like we are all an extention of a them and not people in our own right!

Anyway.. Got that off my chest. Hopefully we won't get sprung on again for a while!!

It just staggers me the trying to control etc even in these circumstances!

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 09/01/2022 13:06

Why wouldn't your dh encourage his child to learn his mother's language? Is he fluent?

Artesia · 09/01/2022 13:28

I guess I just don't understand what the actual concern is, beyond them being flipping annoying? He can't pin a 17yr old down and force her to learn a language.

JustLyra · 09/01/2022 13:37

@JanuaryBluehoo

2pink gins.

Shouldn't dh have done that??

He should, but he didn’t so you should have.

It’s likely much harder for your DH as he probably still feels FOG. You have a more outside perspective.

ElegantlyTouched · 09/01/2022 15:00

Out of interest as DH brought up bilingually?

ElegantlyTouched · 09/01/2022 15:00

As=was

Josette77 · 09/01/2022 18:05

This doesn't seem like a huge deal.
They are older and obviously mil's culture and language is important to them. It's not to you so just ignore.
What does dh say? Can he speak her language?
I actually think it's a good thing for kids to grow up bilingual, but regardless just ignore and move on. Your reaction seems over the top.

Hankunamatata · 09/01/2022 18:31

Is dh fluent in his mums language?

LittleBearPad · 09/01/2022 18:42

I wouldn’t have stayed upstairs whilst my DD got harassed

billy1966 · 09/01/2022 18:53

@ChargingBuck

It took me all my strength to stop tearing down there to tell him to bloody well back off.

I can't believe you left your DD in the firing line.

Appreciate you know what FiL is like & there is no reasoning with him - but for goodness sake, what was to prevent you from swooping in to retrieve her from the doorstep & being harangued by a nasty old man she doesn't even like?

Next time - use your strength as a force for good!
Sounds like you rarely see them anyway, so what's wrong with telling FiL "that's enough hectoring, we're all happy with DD's choices" ?

Word for word.

Why on earth would you hide upstairs and leave your child face that.

Awful behaviour.

Fraternaltwin · 09/01/2022 19:20

I can’t believe you didn’t intervene. You should have done, rather than leave your daughter to deal with him.

Schoolchoicesucks · 09/01/2022 19:31

I get that there must be a big backstory here as on the face of it, relatives encouraging children to learn some of their heritage language (which doesn't have to be in place of learning another one) and sending games, books etc linked to that language isn't unusual.

If they haven't seen the children for a while, asking them questions about school, or subjects which they are interested in and that a few years ago when they saw the dc more regularly, they were also interested in isn't unusual.

If they're toxic and you are low contact, that's fine and your choice. But the things you have mentioned here are trivial.

You say your dh rushed to open the door. Did he know it was his parents? Is low contact his idea and choice? Or is he going along with you?

JanuaryBluehoo · 09/01/2022 20:23

Dh was down there and I asked him why he didn't back dd up and dd then said she didn't need backing up.

Of course it's quite wonderful to have bilingual children but I am sure it's usually easier for the main care giver to do it.
Dh is extremely good but wasn't around enough to bring them up bilingual.

His family abroad is very small and they all speak English anyway.
I don't mind gentle encouragement of learning to speak their language at all. If dh had been able to instruct them into mils language, great!! Easy win... A whole other language and they wouldn't even have any stress learning it. But that didn't happen and its not an issue.

What I am fed up of is the constant, constant pushing of it in endless communications!! And it's not just that it's also about him and his subjects

On and on... It's relentless.
Hopefully now they know she's not doing it, it will stop!
Yes he's definitely low contact, as I said in pp he's had a rough time with them.
Trying to control him, pushing him to do what they want etc.

OP posts:
JanuaryBluehoo · 09/01/2022 20:27

He tries to make it sound "jovial" and up beat.
This is I think the sales man in him. But I know them well enough now to know its Iron fist, velvet glove.
I can't say what I'd say if I got involved and ideally I want them to fade away and me not make fuss about it... If I go on about it, then it turns it into something more serious.
What we want is silly annoying boring grandpa.

OP posts:
JanuaryBluehoo · 09/01/2022 20:46

Artesia she's 14 now but several years ago she had more exposure.

OP posts:
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