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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:
noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 11:50

@Anonymous170822

I've been no contact with my father for 32 years, since my mother emotionally blackmailed into dropping all contact with him when he left her for another woman when I was 21.

I deliberately live on the other side of the world from my mother - I've seen her twice in the last 25 years. It's been 13 years since I last saw her.

Both my parents are/were terrible selfish narcissists who always put themselves first and I had a incredibly stressful childhood. Neither myself or my two brothers have had children of our own. I was diagnosed with C-PTSD 5 years ago.

Sapphirensteel · 18/08/2022 11:51

My parents were toxic about me, made awful remarks to all and sundry ( goodness knows what as I led a very boring life, working and looking after my two kids but they actually got my godmother to cut me out of her Will. They reduced my lovely uncle ( in poor health) to tears with the dreadful things they said)
The minute I realised they were doing this I cut contact. I would never have allowed them to have any contact with my children while they had such awful behaviour. Just as I’d protect my children from any abuser.

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 11:58

noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 11:50

@Anonymous170822

I've been no contact with my father for 32 years, since my mother emotionally blackmailed into dropping all contact with him when he left her for another woman when I was 21.

I deliberately live on the other side of the world from my mother - I've seen her twice in the last 25 years. It's been 13 years since I last saw her.

Both my parents are/were terrible selfish narcissists who always put themselves first and I had a incredibly stressful childhood. Neither myself or my two brothers have had children of our own. I was diagnosed with C-PTSD 5 years ago.

Awh that's heartbreaking to hear,God love you. I worry about the bigger picture and I am concerned that this will have negative quality in the long run for the family unit.

Awful to see that you've been diagnosed with CPSTD. How are you with it now?

OP posts:
Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 12:01

Sapphirensteel · 18/08/2022 11:51

My parents were toxic about me, made awful remarks to all and sundry ( goodness knows what as I led a very boring life, working and looking after my two kids but they actually got my godmother to cut me out of her Will. They reduced my lovely uncle ( in poor health) to tears with the dreadful things they said)
The minute I realised they were doing this I cut contact. I would never have allowed them to have any contact with my children while they had such awful behaviour. Just as I’d protect my children from any abuser.

It's hard to see that you've went through that, as I see my husband being manipulated by his mum for her own gains. His judgement is so clouded.

OP posts:
noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 12:07

@Anonymous170822

I see a psychiatrist and a psychologist on a regular basis. I've attempted suicide twice in my adult life - last time was in early 2020. Dealing with the trauma has become harder as I've got older, without help your mind can only supress severe trauma for so long before it comes out. I managed a 'normal' life until I was nearly 40, and then had a massive nervous breakdown and had to give up full time work in the legal field. I'm now 54 and am now classed as physically (due to a suicide attempt when I was 17) and mentally disabled. I do odd bits of freelance work, that's all I can cope with. I've been married twice, I've been in a relationship for 13 years but choose to live alone as I need a lot of peace and quiet.

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 12:08

Just a update everyone I have spoken at length with my 15 year old son and I 've asked him what he wants to do? His response is that he doesn't want to go to his Nanny's because of everything that's going on, especially with our 18 year old, and he also feels that her behaviour is incorrect and that she's not taken responsiblity for her actions and for how she handled the situation with our 18 year old, which was quite hurtful to him and the rest of the family unit.

Thank you all in kind for your responses it's helped me immensely figure out how to get a lid on this matter.

OP posts:
noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 12:10

Sounds like your 15 year old has a wise head on his young shoulders. He's quite right, of course - no way on Earth should he have to deal with all this shit, he should be enjoying his teenage years!

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 12:12

noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 12:07

@Anonymous170822

I see a psychiatrist and a psychologist on a regular basis. I've attempted suicide twice in my adult life - last time was in early 2020. Dealing with the trauma has become harder as I've got older, without help your mind can only supress severe trauma for so long before it comes out. I managed a 'normal' life until I was nearly 40, and then had a massive nervous breakdown and had to give up full time work in the legal field. I'm now 54 and am now classed as physically (due to a suicide attempt when I was 17) and mentally disabled. I do odd bits of freelance work, that's all I can cope with. I've been married twice, I've been in a relationship for 13 years but choose to live alone as I need a lot of peace and quiet.

That's just awful, Bless you. I hope that you do find the light, at the end of your tunnel and pray that it's peace and happiness. I am so sorry to see that you are struggling truly heartbreaking as a mother.

OP posts:
Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 12:14

noirchatsdeux · 18/08/2022 12:10

Sounds like your 15 year old has a wise head on his young shoulders. He's quite right, of course - no way on Earth should he have to deal with all this shit, he should be enjoying his teenage years!

Thank you, I do like him to voice has option to us and it helps me assess how to approach the matter.

OP posts:
LoisLane66 · 18/08/2022 14:14

Sending best wishes to you and your family. It's difficult to juggle everyone's needs especially as it's usually 'mum' who has to sort out any fallout or bad feeling, so I hope you can come to a happier resolution which you all agree on. I think your MiL may have a habit of interfering which can't be broken. In that case it's best to grin and bear it when you have to whilst remembering her good points. I'm sure you'll manage fine
By the way, I apologise for the comma comment. I hadn't read the whole thread about your glasses and dyslexia, however, I did understand the original post, it was just a bit stop/start. Never mind, you managed and did well on a first post which is never easy.
Take care 💐😁

Anonymous170822 · 18/08/2022 14:30

LoisLane66 · 18/08/2022 14:14

Sending best wishes to you and your family. It's difficult to juggle everyone's needs especially as it's usually 'mum' who has to sort out any fallout or bad feeling, so I hope you can come to a happier resolution which you all agree on. I think your MiL may have a habit of interfering which can't be broken. In that case it's best to grin and bear it when you have to whilst remembering her good points. I'm sure you'll manage fine
By the way, I apologise for the comma comment. I hadn't read the whole thread about your glasses and dyslexia, however, I did understand the original post, it was just a bit stop/start. Never mind, you managed and did well on a first post which is never easy.
Take care 💐😁

Thank you 😀

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