Trying to sense check if me and DH are being unreasonable here!
We’ve just come away from a weekend with my extended family. My sister had my niece about 18 months ago. I’m one of 5, so there’s a lot of us, and we all live quite spread out, so it’s only the 3rd time we’ve ALL been together with my niece since she was born (although we’ve all seen her more than that). I came away feeling a bit confused and drained as I found that my siblings - particularly my 2 brothers - were just OBSESSED with my niece! It was a bit overwhelming - constant need for everyone to get down on the floor and play with her, pass her things and pass her from one to the other… when my sister and her husband put baby to bed they all had an argument over who got to read her a story and it meant my sister said she could have 3 stories. By the last one niece was clearly over tired and was crying.
It was like this the whole weekend! They’re just completely obsessed with her. I think she’s really sweet and I like spending time with her but I’m able to focus on other things when she’s in the room - I just felt like no one was having any kind of conversation. My sister even thanked me at the end of the weekend for making so much of an effort to chat to her about her work!
Anyway, in the car on the way home DH and I were discussing how OTT we found it. Then we were wondering if we’re the odd ones out maybe we’re in the wrong! Is it normal to be so obsessed with nieces/nephews?
AIBU?
What’s a normal level of involvement with nieces and nephews?
drunkinthebackofthecar · 23/09/2022 12:35
Youdoyoutoday · 23/09/2022 12:37
Weird behaviour by fully grown adults!
WhatNoRaisins · 23/09/2022 13:32
I don't think there is such a thing as normal with nieces and nephews, families are all different, some live together, others far away etc.
That said the dynamic here seems odd. Do these people like to try and outperform each other in general?
theemmadilemma · 23/09/2022 13:23
Everyone's experience will be different and depend on family dynamics.
But yeah, that sound really OTT. I take it don't yet have their own children? Did they have wives/gf's there?
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mathanxiety · 23/09/2022 15:05
Would you consider your brothers to be extremely competitive? Are the men in your family used to overriding the wishes and priorities of the women?
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