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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Dh is jealous of my parents treating me

581 replies

vbnm89 · 20/02/2022 08:38

My parents are in their late 70's and have had a tough couple of years
My dad isn't well but is doing OK. They enjoy good food and theatre. So a couple of times a year they treat my brother and me to a theatre show and a meal out. My husband doesn't like this - I think it is jealousy- he says it is selfish of my parents to exclude him and my SIL and the grandchildren.

My dh hates eating out and theatre so he wouldn't enjoy it. Obviously this is quite expensive and he says that the money would be better spent on taking us all out for a lunch in harvester and to a theme park/ cinema as they are purposely excluding grandchildren and son and daughter in law.

My parents see us and my brothers family regularly but also enjoy going out and as just the four of us and doing something the four of us enjoy . Dh says he thinks it is very odd that PIL want to spend (in his opinion waste) money on being pretentious and purposely excluding the extended family. I think he is over reacting but he says they are selfish and next time they invite me out I say it is all of us or none of us. My SIL loves these days as she gets my brother out of her way for a day!! Opinions please.

OP posts:
Mellowyellow222 · 20/02/2022 10:32

@HufflepuffPride

I’m going against the grain here, but I’m with your DH. I also find it a bit odd. I’m single but my DB is married with a baby and there is no way my parents would exclude DSIL or my niece from any kind of family meal. It’s almost as though they are saying they don’t see your DH or DSIL and your kids as part of their family.
I am single - parents love my brother in law. He loves fine dining so would be included in a fancy meal.

But my sister and I sometimes do things with my parents - the original four.

There is a lack of maturity here from the husband. He thinks they should spend their money on a cheap pub lunch that they wouldn’t enjoy but he would.

His father in law is very ill, but this man doesn’t think he should his own money treating his two daughters to the theatre and a meal.

He is selfish and lacking in compassion for an elderly man who just wants to do the things he lives with his children.

pictish · 20/02/2022 10:32

I’ll tell you something as a basic…even more basic than the ins and outs of this particular scenario.

When you love someone you don’t put barriers in the way of reasonable things they enjoy. Like hobbies and interests…or relationships with other people whom they love. You enjoy the fact that they enjoy and have those things in their life.
It’s a selfish, peevish, greedy partner that grudges it.

user26147 · 20/02/2022 10:33

So your DH does want them to be included, but for your parents to change the whole plan to focus on what he and the kids would prefer to do? He's being a twonk, ignore him

Ellie56 · 20/02/2022 10:33

@vbnm89

Treasure your parents (and these outings) while you've still got them. Your "D"H is being a monumental twat.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 20/02/2022 10:34

He's being very silly and childish about it.

Tell him to mind his own, and carry on going out with your parents and brother.

pictish · 20/02/2022 10:34

If you can’t go to the theatre with your dad, just what the fuck is the point? This is what life IS.

Brefugee · 20/02/2022 10:35

he says that the money would be better spent on taking us all out for a lunch in harvester and to a theme park/ cinema as they are purposely excluding grandchildren and son and daughter in law.

your DH is a knob, i think it's lovely of your parents to do this. If your DH wants to go to a child friendly harvester - he's surely welcome to invite your parents too? He doesn't even like the theatre, he wants you to stop doing something you like?

Tell him to stop being a jealous baby, or to give up something he likes but you don't. Then tell him to jog on.

twilightermummy · 20/02/2022 10:36

He sounds truly awful. The update about your dad having an incurable cancer just makes it worse. When I’m older, I’d also hope to meet with my children alone, however old they get!

My (very) abusive ex used to try allsorts of tricks to divide me from my family. He’d cause entire family arguments and it’s to my shame that I allowed any of it to happen.

I suggest you make your parents aware of how unreasonable he’s being with his request just to embarrass him, as controlling people like to work behind the scenes and don’t like being exposed. If it continues, I’d honestly think of leaving. I don’t often say that on here but he sounds really controlling, jealous and grabby as well as downright nasty.

OfstedOffred · 20/02/2022 10:37

Sorry op but I think this is a bit weird.

I can't think of any time my parents would expect to socialise with me/siblings without our spouses, except something like a girly day with sister/mum/me - but this would often be matched by our dad planning a football or cricket day and my DH going along with him without me.

Our family very much regard it that spouses are added to the family, they would consider it really odd not to include them (and grandchildren, where the activity is suitable).

NoSquirrels · 20/02/2022 10:37

@pictish

I’ll tell you something as a basic…even more basic than the ins and outs of this particular scenario.

When you love someone you don’t put barriers in the way of reasonable things they enjoy. Like hobbies and interests…or relationships with other people whom they love. You enjoy the fact that they enjoy and have those things in their life.
It’s a selfish, peevish, greedy partner that grudges it.

Hear, hear!
Puffalicious · 20/02/2022 10:37

@RightOnTheEdge

Some of these posts remind me of that Beautiful South song 'We are each other'

I don't get someone having to offer to buy a ticket to something they know the other person doesn't like and always says no to but having to ask everytime anyway so their feeling don't get their feelings hurt Confused
What a weird little game.

I think your husband is an idiot OP. He doesn't want to go to the theatre and is pretty scathing about it but can't stand the thought of you and your family going and enjoying it. So either you invite him and he goes reluctantly which would ruin the whole dynamic of the trip or you all have to go do something he wants that none of you want to do.
What a controlling, baby.

Huge Beautiful South fan. Love that song: it encapsulates this situation perfectly.
angieloumc · 20/02/2022 10:38

Your parents sound wonderful and your H an obnoxious selfish so and so. Who in their right mind would expect a terminally ill person to go to a theme park?
You say you're reevaluating your relationship; I don't blame you. No doubt when your parents are sadly no longer here he'll be trying to get his greedy paws on their money.

ImInStealthMode · 20/02/2022 10:38

Your DH sounds like a petulant kid. Why on earth wouldn't you spend time as a nuclear family, even as adults?

DP's Mum (lives in another country) came and stayed with his Sister near us for a few weeks last year. I joined to visit / out for meals some of the time, and other times me and DP's BIL would both bow out and leave the blood-related family to spend time together just them.

SolidGoldBrassiere · 20/02/2022 10:39

OP, my ex husband was the same about me seeing my parents and sisters without him being invited, and was also the same about not wanting to "waste" money on doing anything nice. It's no fun.

I used to encourage him to do stuff just with his own family - being married didn't mean we had to tag along or be included in everything. He thought we should do everything together.

We are no longer together at all, and life is much better.

Puffalicious · 20/02/2022 10:39

@pictish

I’ll tell you something as a basic…even more basic than the ins and outs of this particular scenario.

When you love someone you don’t put barriers in the way of reasonable things they enjoy. Like hobbies and interests…or relationships with other people whom they love. You enjoy the fact that they enjoy and have those things in their life.
It’s a selfish, peevish, greedy partner that grudges it.

Beautifully put, Pictish. I often wonder on here what pond people have crawled from.
frazzledasarock · 20/02/2022 10:39

My FIL invites DH to the opera regularly. They’ve done it for years and years before I appeared on the scene.

Why on earth would I put demands on how my FIL spends his money?

I like that DH has a close relationship with his dad.

You should carry on going and enjoying your days out with your mum and dad. Your husband can get money together to go to harvester and a theme park if that floats his boat.

NoSquirrels · 20/02/2022 10:39

To everyone who says their spouse must always be invited to everything involving ‘family’ - is this true of your other adult relationships too? Friendships etc.?

Abridget7 · 20/02/2022 10:39

Mmmm how old are you all? I think I would be slightly put out if my FIL & MIL only invited my DH out and not partners too, especially if you've been married a while. I'd get over it considering the circumstances but I would be a little put out. Is your husband like this with every solo outing though? Meeting a friend etc. That would bother me

affairsofdragons · 20/02/2022 10:41

@vbnm89

Wow so many responses. I am seriously re evaluating my relationship with my DH. We were brought up so differently and although when we met 15 yrs ago it wasn't really an issue the differences are becoming more apparent now. I got a bit emotional this morning as my dad sent me a lovely text saying what a fabulous day he had yesterday and we must do it again - he has incurable cancer - and although doing really really well he does feel he is on borrowed time. But he doesn't mean he wants nothing to do with the grandchildren or DH, just sometimes wants to spend time with his immediate family.

Thinking back 15 yrs apart from the first 2 dates my DH has never taken me out out. All comes down to the money I think. He thinks eating out and a decent wine is snobby and pretentious and always has as well as a complete waste of money - I just chose not to let it worry me but thinking about it it does and I don't want to spend the rest of my life not doing anything nice because it costs money.

Your DH sounds vile, frankly, thinking your parents should be spending money on him rather then spending precious time with his adult children doing something you all love together a couple of times a year.

His behaviour is quite repulsive, specially knowing that your father has incurable cancer.

I'd divorce him now, not just because now you see him for who he is, but because you now know you need to ward off any issues of him wanting his hands on any future inheritance on your side.

OfstedOffred · 20/02/2022 10:43

But then my DH and my parents like each other. For me it would have been a red flag early on in a relationship if my parents weren't that keen on DH or vice versa.

camperjam · 20/02/2022 10:43

I don't know how you can bear this pathetic man

Rosebel · 20/02/2022 10:44

@pictish

“Obviously it's nice your parents want to spend time with you but surely when you marry and have children things change.”

Yes they do, which why it’s nice to have the odd night out without the spouses and kids.
My mu died years ago now but I did loads of stuff with her without dh. Miss it and her beyond all measure.
Wtf is wrong with you that you need to go out as a collective all the time?

What is wrong with going out with the whole family? Maybe I'm just strange to enjoy spending time with my parents and husband. It's a real fuck you to DH and SIL. A real we don't see you as part of the family.
converseandjeans · 20/02/2022 10:44

He sounds awful - presumably he knows your Dad is unwell. It sounds like he wants to control what your family do with their money & because he doesn't spend money on taking you out he's jealous.

Does he see his own parents?

movpov · 20/02/2022 10:45

Like a few other posters on here, I think he sounds very controlling and actually quite unpleasant and a bit of a bully. In addition to that, he's tight which is very unattractive. He's never taken you out in 15 years apart from the first 2 dates? ! Not even to the pub/cinema?!! What's he like when you/the kids need new clothes/shoes? Does he have any redeeming qualities? What's your relationship like otherwise?

So here's the thing - your parents can do what they like with their own money and if it gives them pleasure to treat you and your sibling, that's a nice thing to do and the four of you obviously enjoy it. It would be different if that was all they did to the exclusion of everyone else all the time but that doesn't sound like what's happening here. I can see why they would not want to invite him though, I don't think I would like his company either. The fact he's not happy about you being taken out for a treat occasionally - and especially looking to stir up trouble when your dad is not well - tells me there's a really unpleasant and uncaring character there and if it was me I'd be doing some serious thinking about a future with him. Sounds like you might already be doing just that.

Kinko · 20/02/2022 10:46

I mean, he's over reacting for sure.

But I see both sides here - what needs to happen is a loving conversion, not an argument. He sees this as unfair and probably feels rejected. If he's not usually a control freak - if he's a normal loving husband and he's just got a bee in his bonnet about this then for me the conversation needs to be handled sensitively.

No argument you just need to sit down with him and ask questions about how he feels. Why does this upset you so much? Etc. And let him really tell you and don't argue that his feelings are wrong. Meet his statements of well I think they should spend the money on xyz with responses like 'that's true' or 'that would be nice' and nod and agree. Disarm him. Show him you're willing and agreeable with him so that you have given ground enough for him to be sufficiently warmed up and feeling understood enough to listen to you.

So tell him you completely get it but explain the conflict you're feeling because you also understand your parents view. Then explain it from your parents point of view. Help him see it from their perspective and look to your own children, e.g when we're older wouldn't you want to be able to spend with just our children? Also explain the tradition. Don't tell him your sil doesn't care so he shouldn't either sort of thing. He does, so that's where you are at.

You can make the point that your parents have worked hard for their money and you want them to feel free to make choices over how they should spend it. Again help him understand how he might feel if in the future a partner of your child was making demands about how you should spend your money, e.g if him and his son love the football/concerts etc how upset he might be if a son or daughter in law started to say you shouldn't have that experience and instead you should spend the money on a spa weekend.

So you want to be saying things like:

My parents love the theatre and they love this little tradition of having us together. They love you too and they love their Grandkids but just once a year they like to have 'their' babies together so we can share old memories of when we were young. I want to be able to do that with our children when they're older, don't you? I love my Mum and Dad and they're getting older now and I think they should have more of the things they want to do just for them. I know I would feel like that at their age after a lifetime of making sacrifices, do you think you would feel like that too? I completely appreciate your point. And it would be lovely for us all to get together and go to lunch or a theme park but that's not what my parents would really love to do with this money. For them having the 4 of us together is one of the highlights of their year. Wouldn't you be sad for them to not have something they so look forward to? I do really want to go. My parents are getting older and I really treasure these moments. It's not about not wanting you there. It's about one night of the year taking some time to do something my parents really love to do and reliving old times. I really hope you can be OK with that and - how about, since you're looking after the kids - I bring you a breakfast in bed/watch a football match/take you for a pint (whatever it is) the next day.

In a relationship telling someone to F'ffff off and deal with something their upset about is just about the worst advice anyone can give. It's just a horrible way to behave in a relationship with someone you love. But loving someone doesn't mean doing as they say either.

Relationships are at times a constant negotiation. Sometimes we see things from our point of view only. In this case it seems like he just needs help understanding from other people's perspective and help with understanding his own feelings of rejection without being argued with or patronised or told to ffff off or issued an ultimatum.

Like I say a loving conversation needs to take place while you hold firm to yourself that you are going.

If he completely disregards a very well thought out and loving conversation - then absolutely, put your foot down and tell him he is being very unreasonable and you can't respect the attitude he is displaying. You are very disappointed in him. You think he is being incredibly selfish to make demands on what your parents should be doing with spending their money on things he wants to do. You also find it controlling and a particularly unattractive quality in him dictating whether you go or not. You're not talking about this anymore but he's free to come find you when he's had a chance to reflect - and you will be going.

Then swan off to have a bath or something with a disparaging and disappointed look!

But hopefully it won't get to that after some handholding on working through his feelings and seeing it from an alternative perspective!