Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would this wind you up from MIL and SIL ?

98 replies

umbrellaellaeheheh · 25/01/2023 13:20

It's minor but I've noticed it happens a lot..

My son is 3 and barely needs a booster seat at our dining table, as our chairs are quite high and they're like little arm chairs. A pillow does the job.

Whenever he's at MIL house, she insists on putting him in a high chair. I think it's a bit ridiculous. He can easily sit at the table with a booster and even without, he manages fine. But her house, her rules. No harm done.

Whenever she's at my house with SIL and I set him up to eat. Set his place etc, they're always commenting on if he's ' ok ' to be sitting like that or does he need another pillow or booster seat or high chair. I always say, he's absolutely fine, which he is. They then always want him to use the teeny tiny cutlery or they want him to eat with a tea spoon. I think he eats better with normal cutlery and does just fine. But again, every time without fail, they'll say whether they should get him the small cutlery etc.

It annoys me because it's my house and I've set him up that way and continue to set him up that way, so why do they need to keep banging on about it ? It's just disrespectful. He'll be eating and they'll turn to me and say ' shall I get him a small spoon ? '.

He eats fine, he's just a kid. Sometimes he struggles eating from a teaspoon and manages much better with a big spoon.

Yes, this is a non issue in the grand scheme of life, but it's annoying when people do stuff like this repeatedly.

OP posts:
KettrickenSmiled · 25/01/2023 15:10

ShirleyPhallus · 25/01/2023 14:18

I feel like I’ve missed some sort of important parent memo. My DD has just turned 3 and still uses a high chair, she’s too short for our dining chairs and it sits her nicely at the table. She can get in and out just fine.

When are they meant to stop using them?! What should we be using instead??

You stop using the high chair when you decide DD is ready, & you transfer her into any chair that you deem suitable. Because you are the parents, & you don't need anybody to instruct you to seat her differently. It's kinda the whole point of the thread!

Calphurnia88 · 25/01/2023 15:11

Once is okay but to keep mentioning it is annoying, and implies you don't know what you're doing (been there).

FWIW a quick Google search will tell you that most children stop using a high chair between 18mo and 3yo.

Stick to your guns.

Sceptre86 · 25/01/2023 15:11

Ignore it. Is he dropping food all over the place? That's the only time I would think of suggesting a small spoon to s 3 year old. By aged 2 mine were sitting at the table albeit in a booster seat. My 16 month old is in a booster at out table for dinnertime but all other meals in her high chair. Also mine didn't nap at age 3 either.

crosspusscrossstitcher · 25/01/2023 15:14

I'd train your DS to say "I'm a big boy now, Granny Batshit, and I don't need a babies high chair or little spoons, thank you"
Halo

britsabroad · 25/01/2023 15:14

I think it's annoying but I find my MIL annoying. It's a difference of opinions, but you're the mum and you make the rules.
I'd stick to your guns in your house. Let it slide at hers.
My MIL keeps chocolate in the fridge at her house, which is accessible to all the kids. She let's them eat as much chocolate as they want then has a go at me because my toddler won't eat his lunch/dinner (because they're full of chocolate) I just have to ignore her and let it go over my head but its really annoying, the way she infers I'm not parenting correctly because my son isn't eating meals. But weirdly he eats them at home with us.

Aquamarine1029 · 25/01/2023 15:14

I would put an end to your son being forced to use a highchair. He's 3, FGS. It's ridiculous and your MIL is fucking bonkers. Tell your husband to have a word with her. She's undermining your parenting and it's absurd.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 25/01/2023 15:14

How often do you all spend time together? This would frustrate me so much that I'd be spending less time with them.

Who wants to be around people judging/criticising us repeatedly to our faces?

Fink · 25/01/2023 15:30

I just wouldn't engage with it. If they ever say 'Don't you think ...?' just answer, 'No, he's fine.' or 'No, I don't.' and move on with something else. If they complain that you're rude, you can say a bit more - that you've had this conversation before and you don't appreciate having your parenting decisions undermined in your own house.

KettrickenSmiled · 25/01/2023 15:36

Aquamarine1029 · 25/01/2023 15:14

I would put an end to your son being forced to use a highchair. He's 3, FGS. It's ridiculous and your MIL is fucking bonkers. Tell your husband to have a word with her. She's undermining your parenting and it's absurd.

Agree totally, but not with having DH make an issue of it.
Far easier to just quietly & calmly tackle it in the moment "thanks but Ben's a big boy now & he doesn't want to be squashed into a high chair any more."

Asking DH to talk to MiL hands too much control to her: she will be able to make an issue out of it, claim to be hurt/upset/attacked, or make some kind of pass-agg drama out of what should be a non-event.

maryxanne · 25/01/2023 15:38

I'd suggest the next time this happens, you just say "thank you for your concern, but he's really fine, and i'd appreciate if we didn't have to address this situation continuously" then change conversation and stay stern. Your son, is yours, regardless if it's in your home, or theirs, your child, your rules.

Bettyboop3 · 25/01/2023 15:43

Suzi9989 · 25/01/2023 13:51

Is it a safety concern? Children in highchairs are more secured. They sound caring not disrespectful 🙄

He's not a baby, he's 3 years old!!

Calphurnia88 · 25/01/2023 15:43

Far easier to just quietly & calmly tackle it in the moment "thanks but Ben's a big boy now & he doesn't want to be squashed into a high chair any more."

Agreed. 'He's fine' probably isn't going to cut it, I think you need to make it clear that the high chair isn't necessary anymore.

hazelnutlatte · 25/01/2023 15:43

My mum us exactly like this with my kids - eg "it's cold, she needs a hat where is her hat, go and get a hat' 10 times over even though she knows my child point blank refuses to wear a hat!
As its my own mum and not MIL I can tell her in no uncertain terms to stop going on about it but it would drive me mad if my MIL did the same thing!

BethDuttonsTwin · 25/01/2023 15:50

crosspusscrossstitcher · 25/01/2023 15:14

I'd train your DS to say "I'm a big boy now, Granny Batshit, and I don't need a babies high chair or little spoons, thank you"
Halo

😆

HikingHairDontCare · 25/01/2023 15:59

crosspusscrossstitcher · 25/01/2023 15:14

I'd train your DS to say "I'm a big boy now, Granny Batshit, and I don't need a babies high chair or little spoons, thank you"
Halo

Granny Batshit 😂😂😂

Redraddisho27 · 25/01/2023 16:03

Isn't he a bit heavy for highchair? I'm sure they usually have a weight limit. I'd be worried he could topple it over. High chairs aren't for 3 year olds.

itsabigtree · 25/01/2023 16:10

Non of the 3 year olds I know use a high chair. My 2 year old doesn't either. But that's not the point. It's annoying because they think they know better than you. Trying to parent your child when you're in the room is so annoying, especially when they're trying to over ride your decisions.

NumberTheory · 25/01/2023 16:15

I’d find it annoying too, OP and I’d ignore it, mostly. Because, as you say, it’s not a fight worth having. Just get on with your own thing.

The high chair at DGP’s house might be a fight worth having, though. As PP’s point out, high chairs aren’t normally designed for 3 year olds and it might actually be a bit unsafe. But that would depend on the chair and your DS.

Ihatethenewlook · 25/01/2023 16:17

crosspusscrossstitcher · 25/01/2023 15:14

I'd train your DS to say "I'm a big boy now, Granny Batshit, and I don't need a babies high chair or little spoons, thank you"
Halo

I was going to suggest something similar. Get him to say ‘I don’t want a baby chair and spoon’ whenever she tries to force it on him. I had to train my dd to do the opposite when she started reception. She’d embarrass some of the mums by pointing at their 4/5 year old children and shouting ‘why has he got a dummy and a pushchair when he’s not a baby’? She had a point tbf

saraclara · 25/01/2023 16:23

My DGD has been in a booster seat at my house since she was two, possibly a free months younger even. She's only just three and I can't imagine her in a high chair. She'd be really cramped, surely?

Is you DC just three, or three going on four? If the latter, I'd think a high chair would be downright dangerous.

BOOTS52PollyPrissyPants · 25/01/2023 16:26

They sound annoying and controlling. Tell them ok you heard them the first time but get your husband to say something as they are just annoying and just nit picking at you. Just tell them your son is very advanced for his age and does not like the small spoons.

NoSquirrels · 25/01/2023 16:36

Sounds like you’ve got an unusually compliant 3 year old, OP - mine had definite opinions about cutlery and chairs at the table etc. This wouldn’t even be able to have got on my nerves because my DC would have done an effective job at loudly and forcefully training Granny & Auntie not to change things!

LightDrizzle · 25/01/2023 16:54

My mum wasn’t like this about the children, thank goodness, but it was her go-to way to stubbornly asserting her views. Very passive aggressive and annoying!

I do think you should say something next time they do it, along the lines of “I really would prefer not to hear any more comments about cutlery or whether Ben is comfortable in his chair. It really is every visit! Is that possible please?

If they are like my mum this will cause major offence and they will claim they don’t always say it but you should calmly stand your ground and say it is not a huge issue but you are finding it very irritating.

I get it, it’s the drip-drip, - and then you end up anticipating it with your teeth gritted and hackles at the ready 😂

Streakymirror · 25/01/2023 17:00

I have had a similar issue with repetition with my (amazing) MIL today. My DD sat an exam last week. MIL overheard us discussing it last week when she was round. She has messaged me every day since asking have we had her results. I have replied, every day, saying "Not yet, results are out 6th Feb". She has asked daily. She wont text DH as he leaves her on read and ignores her if he has already answered a question, or screenshots the last answer back at her (I do not feel I can be this rude). So we are now on day 5 of her texting asking. I was annoyed about something else this morning and she caught me at a bad moment so I replied today saying "no, as I have said every day, the results are out 6th Feb. Its only 25th Jan today". She instantly replied saying oh yes, she knew that and had us mixed up with her other granddaughter who has results due today. We had a nice back and forth chat afterwards about other things so I know she isn't annoyed and I'm hoping this is the end of it. So maybe be direct with them and just say "No, as I have said before, DC is fine. At our house they use a chair/knife and fork etc".

KettrickenSmiled · 25/01/2023 17:31

She wont text DH as he leaves her on read and ignores her if he has already answered a question, or screenshots the last answer back at her
You should learn from your DH

(I do not feel I can be this rude)
Why?
Why do you owe DH's mother more attention than he is prepared to give her himself?

So maybe be direct with them and just say "No, as I have said before, DC is fine. At our house they use a chair/knife and fork etc".
OP does do this. It doesn't stop the constant badgering. She doesn't need to explain it yet again - she just needs to tell them to stop doing it.

Swipe left for the next trending thread