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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

My husband wants to start sending our 15 year old son, to stay with his mum on a Friday night.

136 replies

Anonymous170822 · 17/08/2022 23:15

Hello all, I need a sounding board and that, would normally be my husband, however, this involves him and his mum.

My husband and I, have been married for 19 years and we share 3 children together they are 18,15 and almost 3 years old.

My husband, wants us to send our middle child, over to his mother's house, on Friday evening like we used to do. Before our 18 year old moved out of our family home, (in October 2019).

Our 18 year old, has totally rebelled, and my husband's mum, took our son's side, things got really ugly so much so, that my mother in law, said to my husband, to treat her, as if she was dead, (that was in February this year), by the way my husband is my mother in law's, only child.

The thing is, there has been more downs, than ups, when it comes to my mother in law. She doesn't realise boundaries and thinks it's fine to be interfering in my marriage to her son.

It all started 18 years ago, when I was pregnant with my first child, I walked into, my mother in law's house, she and my husband were having a conversation regarding what religion our child, was going to be baptized and she said, that, if our child was going to be baptized a different religion than to what, my husband's family was, then my mother in law, wanted nothing to do with our child. She was, going to be God mother however, after that conversation, I said no.

The truth is my mother in law, lives on her own and is always emotionally guilt tripping my husband, regarding her loneliness and that nobody cares about her, but that is not true. Over the years, I've worked very hard to forgive and forget and to reach out and include her in our family and inviting her to our, family events such as birthdays, Christmases, Easters, school plays, family days, out her answer would always be sure you wouldn't want me there. We also invited and made her part of our last two children baptisms, were she was asked by my husband and I to be God mother to our last two children. I've put my feelings to one side, and to bite my tongue, on more than one occasion, for my husband's sake. But his mum still insists that she doesn't feel welcome in our home and she doesn't participate or involve herself as grandmother role with our 3rd child.

Things over the years were amicable, to begin with, for example she gave us furniture and kitchen appliances, for our first home and for our third home, she gave us some money to which I acknowledge and very appreciated of, but wouldn't any parent do the same, to help their child and their child's family if they could. But because of this, my husband, thinks that we should forget, all about the water that have gone, under the bridge.

You see, it's not as simple, as that, it has came out, in the wash, that over the years, my mother in law has been speaking badly about my husband and I, this happened before our eldest child moved out of home, (both children were going over to their Nanny's home on a regular basis, on a Friday evening).

Our middle child informed my husband and I, that his mother had been casting up old arguments and making belittling comments, about us, each time that the children went over. I mentioned this to my husband and he said, sure that's mum she's always been like that. I said, to him that your mum, isn't taken any responsibility, for contributing to the downfall, of our family unit, I said, she thinks that she hasn't done anything wrong. And my husband agreed. And said, she doesn't take responsibility for anything, that she's done wrong because in her eyes she hasn't.

However, last night my husband, took his mother, to see a consultant privately, regarding her health and because of what the consultant said, they are making out, as if she's on deaths door, even though no tests were done.

My mother in law, can be nice but when she's bad, she's one of the worst, and my husband would also have taken my mother in law's side, until lately, when he saw, what way his mother was yet again, interfering with us and our eldest child, (who she thinks is the golden child), rather than taken her own son's side.

And now because of this latest news, about her health and the fact that our eldest child, moved out of her home in March of this year, who has very little to do, with her now. My husband wants to ease his conscience, by sending our middle child over, even though she refused to go to our child's 15th birthday in late July to which she was invited to.

So, am I being unreasonable here, by preventing our child from going over?

OP posts:
WeAreBob · 18/08/2022 08:11

DaughterofDawn · 18/08/2022 01:33

Why is there always one comment questioning their english skills? Her grammar and spelling was fine. Is it just that you don’t like OP so you’re trying to passive aggressively patronize her? Because that’s certainly how it is coming off. You do realize that the UK is not the only english speaking country right?

Her grammar was absolutely not fine. She chucks a comma in every few words for some bizarre reason. It is understandable but it is also total nonsense.

There was no need for someone to comment on it because you can just about get what she is saying however it is very, very wrong to say that her writing is correct. Because then she will think she is using commas correctly when she used almost all of them in places they do not belong and it makes the reading a challenge. I'm dyslexic and that was a challenge to read.

diddl · 18/08/2022 08:11

He can only handle her in small doses

Yet he thinks a child should stay over alone?

So he's "sacrificing" his son to appease his mum?

What a shit father he is.

Although it seems that things would be tricky when you were pregnant with your first.

She's the Godmother to 2 of your kids yet you don't really get on with her?

How fucked up is that?

MarshaMelrose · 18/08/2022 08:13

So he's "sacrificing" his son to appease his mum?

How is his son being sacrificed?
His son used to go every week and enjoyed himself. He's now wanting to go again.

butterpuffed · 18/08/2022 08:17

Your eldest son lived with your MIL for a few months and your middle son wants to see her once a week so they obviously both like her .

ParsleyPesto · 18/08/2022 08:40

Well if she is at death’s door then clearly she cannot be responsible for anyone else 🤷‍♀️

ShepherdMoons · 18/08/2022 08:47

It sounds weird, at the age of 15 your son should have some say over where he goes.

MyLifeIsFictional · 18/08/2022 08:49

your MIL is your children's Godmother? That's weird to start with. You should have set boundaries a long time ago.

It's up to your 15yo if he wants to go to Grandma's (clue: most 15yo's would rather shit in their hands and then clap than go to their Grandma's when they could be out with their mates)

Strikes me that you and your husband were both brought up to be obedient and neither of you know what a healthy relationship should be.

Sooverthisnow · 18/08/2022 08:52

Generally you don’t “send” a 15 year old anywhere. What would he like to do?

Hangingoninthere88 · 18/08/2022 08:57

Allost all 15YO's are emotionally mature enough to make an autonomous decision about such a thing. If your child isn't then maybe you should work on it. If they are then this whole issue is a moot point as forcing a practical adult to do anything will only lead to them resenting you. What does your 15YO actually want?

BeenHereAWhileNow · 18/08/2022 08:58

If she’s at ‘deaths door’ does your dh really want to risk your 15 year old being the person to find her dead one morning?

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 08:58

unkownone · 18/08/2022 02:03

My MIL Is a bit similar ...but thankfully her and FIL just moved a long long way so it solved our issues. I ended up letting mine stay over on the rare occasion. I had to pull right back after MIL kept telling my 16year old she can leave school if she wanted to. She also would make up stuff about DH silly things to try and paint him in a bad way..and she just hated me for what ever reason. When the kids were older and would tell me because they were older we were able to explain the MIL said a lot of rubbish and to ignore most of it. But if she was the one that talked your eldest into moving in with her..then no way.

Thank you
Your absolutely right

OP posts:
CatsandFish · 18/08/2022 09:10

TheLadyofShalott1 · 18/08/2022 06:29

So a 15 year old child should be physically stopped from going to see and stay with his grandmother even though he wants to go?

I pity his lack of chances to learn in a "safe" environment about a person's character (his nanny's home IS a safe environment), and how to learn to recognise any useful signs that an individual personality emits.

At 15 years old I had started to learn how to spot a bull-shitter whilst I was in safe environments. I was also starting to learn that scenarios like the above have at least 3 truths.

a) The OP's own truth.
@Anonymous170822 apparently cannot stand her MiL - whether for reasonable reasons we will never know. So there is the OP's own "truth".

The OP accuses her MiL of dripping lies into her grandchildren's ears, when MiL has them on her own. I would say that she should of course not do that - if it does actually happen? Which I question because the OP seems to get a little confused (at least it looks like she does) when she is not wearing her spectacles.

My interpretation of what the OP is saying is that she also - the OP herself - more than "drips" negative things about her MiL to both her Grandchildren and her husband (unfortunately her husband is a man, and there is a certain type of man, who will change being from told what opinion to have by his mother, to that of being told by his wife, but on this occasion the OP's husband has stood up to her, and is sticking up for his son.

[Well done Mr Anonymous, try to do this more often, it will be good for you, and will hopefully be a valuable lesson for your wife, as long as she can open her bespeckled eyes long enough to recocognise that at least some of her views may need revising.

I do recognise the irony that I am yet another woman saying what you should do, but I am suggesting, not mandating, and sorry if my advice is condescending - that is not my intention.]

b) The DGM's truth.

c) The actual truth.

Of course, strangers on the Internet have no way of knowing what either DGM's truth is, or The Actual truth.

I believe that as long as her DS wants to go to his DGM's, that it is imperative that she lets him. At 15 years of age he really does need at least both of these safe environments, to enable him to start recognising that the truth can be a very complex concept, and how try to understand it. He might also be able to start/continue making his own judgements on his family members, and maybe that is actually what the OP is most worried about?

@TheLadyofShalott1 I don't think you read the OP's first post. You say she clearly doesn't like MIL yet OP is the one who invites her to all family gatherings. She has made a big effort for many, many years. So don't turn this on the OP.

Secondly MIL's place is NOT a 'safe space'. In fact, anything but. The MIL badmouths the childrens' parents. That is toxic, and dangerous. And will cause emotional harm to the children. The children need a safe space, so they need to be kept far away from grandma.

@Anonymous170822 Your son might be 15 but he is young and impressionable. I think your MIL is very dangerous to your children, she is not a safe place, and you should say no to protect him.

Spohn · 18/08/2022 09:15

Your husband can stay with his mother, who cares. All sounds like a chaotic load of unnecessary nonsense. Keep your kids out of this bullshit.

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 09:15

TheLadyofShalott1 · 18/08/2022 06:29

So a 15 year old child should be physically stopped from going to see and stay with his grandmother even though he wants to go?

I pity his lack of chances to learn in a "safe" environment about a person's character (his nanny's home IS a safe environment), and how to learn to recognise any useful signs that an individual personality emits.

At 15 years old I had started to learn how to spot a bull-shitter whilst I was in safe environments. I was also starting to learn that scenarios like the above have at least 3 truths.

a) The OP's own truth.
@Anonymous170822 apparently cannot stand her MiL - whether for reasonable reasons we will never know. So there is the OP's own "truth".

The OP accuses her MiL of dripping lies into her grandchildren's ears, when MiL has them on her own. I would say that she should of course not do that - if it does actually happen? Which I question because the OP seems to get a little confused (at least it looks like she does) when she is not wearing her spectacles.

My interpretation of what the OP is saying is that she also - the OP herself - more than "drips" negative things about her MiL to both her Grandchildren and her husband (unfortunately her husband is a man, and there is a certain type of man, who will change being from told what opinion to have by his mother, to that of being told by his wife, but on this occasion the OP's husband has stood up to her, and is sticking up for his son.

[Well done Mr Anonymous, try to do this more often, it will be good for you, and will hopefully be a valuable lesson for your wife, as long as she can open her bespeckled eyes long enough to recocognise that at least some of her views may need revising.

I do recognise the irony that I am yet another woman saying what you should do, but I am suggesting, not mandating, and sorry if my advice is condescending - that is not my intention.]

b) The DGM's truth.

c) The actual truth.

Of course, strangers on the Internet have no way of knowing what either DGM's truth is, or The Actual truth.

I believe that as long as her DS wants to go to his DGM's, that it is imperative that she lets him. At 15 years of age he really does need at least both of these safe environments, to enable him to start recognising that the truth can be a very complex concept, and how try to understand it. He might also be able to start/continue making his own judgements on his family members, and maybe that is actually what the OP is most worried about?

The truth of the matter is this I have highlighted a few keys moments in two decades of what actually has went on in my family's life.
My MIL has made a difference in our children before I found out what, was said regards to husband and I behind our backs.
She ranks the eldest child as golden child and she's said so herself that our middle child doesn't have to come over to her house and as far as the youngest child goes she doesn't bother with him at all. I not worried about my feelings I'm a big girl and I can handle what so throws at me. But I'm concerned at what type of message I am sending to my child, oh dear son you can go and stay with your nanny never mind how she belittles your father and I at every hands turn, however don't be shocked if your older brother comes back onto the picture and you are dumped again. Because that's what she has done previously.

OP posts:
Addicted2Sugar · 18/08/2022 09:17

Surely if she is at death's door (might not be but allowing everyone to think it for now) she wouldn't want an extra person around. It's your husband's suggestion, does your MIL actually want this to happen?

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 09:19

CatsandFish · 18/08/2022 09:10

@TheLadyofShalott1 I don't think you read the OP's first post. You say she clearly doesn't like MIL yet OP is the one who invites her to all family gatherings. She has made a big effort for many, many years. So don't turn this on the OP.

Secondly MIL's place is NOT a 'safe space'. In fact, anything but. The MIL badmouths the childrens' parents. That is toxic, and dangerous. And will cause emotional harm to the children. The children need a safe space, so they need to be kept far away from grandma.

@Anonymous170822 Your son might be 15 but he is young and impressionable. I think your MIL is very dangerous to your children, she is not a safe place, and you should say no to protect him.

TheLadyofShalott1
Thank you. You get it. I appreciate it.

OP posts:
TheLadyofShalott1 · 18/08/2022 09:20

butterpuffed · 18/08/2022 08:17

Your eldest son lived with your MIL for a few months and your middle son wants to see her once a week so they obviously both like her .

@butterpuffed I think that might be what the OP's actual problem is.

beachcitygirl · 18/08/2022 09:23

No no no no.
Keep him the hell away from that toxic narcissist

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 09:25

diddl · 18/08/2022 08:11

He can only handle her in small doses

Yet he thinks a child should stay over alone?

So he's "sacrificing" his son to appease his mum?

What a shit father he is.

Although it seems that things would be tricky when you were pregnant with your first.

She's the Godmother to 2 of your kids yet you don't really get on with her?

How fucked up is that?

diddl

She sucks you in with kindness and misleads you, into a false sense of security and she shows me that she can be attentive, in her role as a grandmother. But beware, it's short lived. She should come with a warning label.

OP posts:
CatsandFish · 18/08/2022 09:27

I'd also worry about the emotional and psychological damage it would do to the youngest child, seeing their older brother go off to grandmas when he is not welcome and his grandma rejected him. What about the harm that would be done to them?

I'd say you take BOTH, or neither.

allyouneedismarmite · 18/08/2022 09:31

AussieMozzieMagnet · 18/08/2022 00:08

I found this too difficult to read with all those misplaced commas.

Me too. Gave up.

WilsonMilson · 18/08/2022 09:34

That was a hard read. Your comma use is frankly insane. That is, however, besides the point.

What does your 15 year old want? He’s not a piece of meat to toss about to different households just to keep the peace.

You said your 18 year old moved out in 2019. Assumedly at 15 years old? Where on earth did dc go? To his granny’s? That’s weird.

The whole set up sounds bizarre. Mil seems to be a bit of a martyr and occasional troublemaker, DH seems to have a guilt complex about her which leads him to accept all sorts of nonsense from her, and your dc seem to be used as pacifiers in the whole strange set up.

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 09:35

CatsandFish · 18/08/2022 09:27

I'd also worry about the emotional and psychological damage it would do to the youngest child, seeing their older brother go off to grandmas when he is not welcome and his grandma rejected him. What about the harm that would be done to them?

I'd say you take BOTH, or neither.

Actually that's what happened when the eldest started going over to her house she she didn't want the middle child to go over at all until I said that both go or neither of them were going. I really don't feel safe sending the youngest at all as he has a few health problems and I would worry that he would be neglected and far as medication goes.

OP posts:
drspouse · 18/08/2022 09:39

AussieMozzieMagnet · 18/08/2022 00:08

I found this too difficult to read with all those misplaced commas.

I gave up after 10 or so commas as well.

BorsetshireBanality · 18/08/2022 09:40

At 15 your DS should be spending time with his mates. It’s not up to him to keep toxic granny happy!

Once he gets sucked into visiting every weekend, he won’t be able to go to social events that fall on granny’s time…and when he goes to Uni at 18 it will be the youngest’s turn to take over the visits because the others did.