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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Sil complaining about her birthday card. AIBU to be at the end of my tether with her?

99 replies

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:19

Bit of background – Me and dh have had a stressful 3 years. I would say the worse 3 years of my life. Starting with my son from age 2 to 3 who had behavioural issues and a big language delay. He would run off outside and would not listen to instructions and had no sense of danger. He would hit me on purpose and by accident – I have had black eyes, blooded noses, bust lips and countless bruises from him. When he turned 3 we started on the year long process of getting him an autism diagnosis and getting the right help. The whole process was slow and it kept me up at night with worry. Worry about the future and if I am doing enough, getting the right help for him. Both me and my dh ended up on anti depressants because of this. He started to improve with his behaviour and language since turing 4 but he still has a language / communication delay. The whole thing has been a very long emotionally difficult time for me. So we decided to have another baby but at 24 weeks I ended up hospitalised with phenomena for 5 days because I had breathing difficulties and felt reduced movement from the baby. Then my baby was not growing any more and I had to have an induction and then an emergency c section. Then my 1 week old daughter was hospitalised with seizures for 6 days. This was the scariest few days of my life and it just felt like one thing after another. They think it was meningitis. She is also quite a difficult baby and still does not sleep well so we are both quite busy and exhausted from the last few years.

Bit of background with Sil – since I have known her Sil has always made demands on our time and it is not a two way street. Like she expected us to break lockdown rules at Christmas and travel 60 miles to clean Mil's rental property (it would have taken 3 hours by public transport since we both could not drive at the time). She of course was not going to help clean. One time she arrived in a neighbouring city next to us early and she than expected us to drop what we doing to come see her (it would have been an expensive taxi ride to get there on time). She would ask for expensive makeup that costs £40-60 from us for every birthday and Christmas and she would get us a £5-10 gift in return. On Christmas day when we would stay at Mil’s house (pre dc) she would bang on our bedroom door at 7am because she wanted us to open presents together (mostly watch her open presents and be stroppy if she got something she did not like). One Christmas she asked for a 20 pounds and a 40 pounds make-up item and we only got her the 20 pounds items since money was a bit tighter that year, and she actually said is that i! Mil would want help with Christmas prepping (perfectly reasonable) but every year Sil would point at me an dh when Mil asked who would help, she never once helped out. When at our house she does not lift a finger while here – she would not even take her own plate away after I made lunch. Tantrums or stroppy behaviour if you dont want to do what she wants. There is also her behaviour which both annoys me and I find odd – examples are - at my sons christening he started to cry when the water was poured on his head and she started laughing out loud. When my autistic ds pronounced something wrong and she said what was that and started laughing. Frankly at this point I do not want her around my son if she is going to laugh at things he struggles with due to his autism.
There is also massive boundary issues that is also a one way street. - like asking private information about us and our family but she would get annoyed with dh if he did the same, her personal life is private. She asked to attend dc's first video appointment with the paediatrician for his autism diagnoses. It really feels like she expects special treatment from dh.

Sil has just complained to dh that her birthday card is not signed with our children names on it. She did not enquire as to my well-being when I was in hospital with pneumonia while pregnant and she did not come to see my daughter while in the hospital with seizures yet she is complaining about her birthday card – wtf?
AIBU to be annoyed at this point by her behaviour and to ask what is actually wrong with her?

OP posts:
Doyoumind · 20/04/2023 14:22

No, YANBU. This is for your DH to sort though. Personally I would text her telling her to fuck off but this may not be your own solution.

Mangogogogo · 20/04/2023 14:24

It’s not clear in the post but is your dh indulging this?

because if someone kicked off and said I had to travel 3 hours and clean mill’s house I just wouldnt. Same with other stuff I’d just not do it tbh!

i see why you’re annoyed though, she sounds like an unpleasant child but I’d just ignore really

GU9 · 20/04/2023 14:24

Why do you allow her to treat you like this?

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:41

We did not go to clean Mil's house but you get stroppy behaviour and made to feel unreasonable if you don't give into her demands. After 14 years of her and her being bothered about the inside of a birthday card when she could not be bothered to ask how I was when I was in hospital with pneumonia or visit my daughter in the hospital I am really at the end of my tether with her. I do feel like texting her she is selfish entitled and to just f*k off.

OP posts:
Starhead69 · 20/04/2023 14:42

Awful woman. Say no, to it all.

JackieQueen · 20/04/2023 14:46

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:41

We did not go to clean Mil's house but you get stroppy behaviour and made to feel unreasonable if you don't give into her demands. After 14 years of her and her being bothered about the inside of a birthday card when she could not be bothered to ask how I was when I was in hospital with pneumonia or visit my daughter in the hospital I am really at the end of my tether with her. I do feel like texting her she is selfish entitled and to just f*k off.

Yes do it!

Rumplestrumpet · 20/04/2023 14:48

You need to say fuck off, possibly only in your head, but mean it.

Step back and go no contact. She is not your family, you don't need to deal with her. Decide this is the last straw and just disengage. Have nothing to do with presents for her, have no communication with her, and tell your DH if he wants to continue any relationship with her you don't want to know about it.

No way in hell would I have such a self centred and negative person around my kids. Keep her away and hopefully you'll feel a lighter load.

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:49

It’s not clear in the post but is your dh indulging this? used to indulge alot more of it until I put my foot down. Like the waking up at 7am on Christmas morning pre dc. I decided to just stay in my own house come Christmas mornings. I pick the gifts now for sil as I was sick of wasting 40 to 60 pounds of family money on her when we get alot less in return, especially when you have dc and Christmas is expensive enough and she is so spoilt about her presents. I mean who complains about a Christmas present not being good enough in front of the person.

Since dh did not say anything when she laughed at my son pronouncing a word I will get very angry if it happens again and wont be able to hold myself back at this point.

OP posts:
MsWhitworth · 20/04/2023 14:52

You need to find a way to not let her behaviour get to you. Ignore it, block it out, laugh behind your hand, pull her up on it every time, whatever. Because she won’t change, you can only change how you respond to her and how you let it affect you.

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:58

I would not invite her to my daughter's christening if I had the choice but it would cause an argument with dh and the rest of his family. I think I will say - I hope you have matured a little since last time and don't ruin things by laughing this time to her.
But if she comments or laughs at my sons difficulties because of his autism again what can I say to her that isn't just fk off you absolute b.

OP posts:
saraclara · 20/04/2023 15:02

I think I will say - I hope you have matured a little since last time and don't ruin things by laughing this time to her.

Realy, don't do that. You would actually be winding her up.

If she mocks your child again, you can go full ballistic on her. But don't look for trouble.

Natty13 · 20/04/2023 15:36

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:58

I would not invite her to my daughter's christening if I had the choice but it would cause an argument with dh and the rest of his family. I think I will say - I hope you have matured a little since last time and don't ruin things by laughing this time to her.
But if she comments or laughs at my sons difficulties because of his autism again what can I say to her that isn't just fk off you absolute b.

"Laugh at my son again and it will be the last time you spend with him"

I said similar to someone once, but it was re: a comment making fun of my culture/labguage. They did do it again so that was it for me. Cheapest cards I could find and generic bath bombs for presents so they couldn't complain to others in the family I hadn't got them anything. To anyone who pushed me to forgive and make amends I just replied "why do you think I should let someone who makes fun of my child in our lives?" "Why do you think I should let someone emotionally harm my child?" And point out she had had a fair warning, and enough chances. If a dog kept biting you every time you saw it, you wouldn't keep petting it would you?

EllenLRipley · 20/04/2023 15:39

Say nothing. Ignore her completely. If she tackles you head on snap and say something like "For fucks sake I have had enough of your tantrums to last a lifetime. Fuck off and leave me alone"
Yes you'll be unpopular, yes MIL and DH may think it is unkind. But she'll leave you alone and stop fucking up your life so: result!
I did this and BIL is now obviously scared of me and avoids me. I smile and continue to ignore him - 30 years and counting.

Summerfun54321 · 20/04/2023 15:39

There's no need to swear at her or tell her to f off. I have a tricky BIL who I just say "that's rude" every time he's rude. It actually works quite well. It sounds like she doesn't have a lot of emotional intelligence.

Sabretoothedgerbil · 20/04/2023 15:45

How old is she, OP? It sounds like she might be the spoilt baby of the family who has never grown up past the age of 6!
You are absolutely NBU. Your DH and his parents need to try to totally stop indulging this childish behaviour.

LucifersLight · 20/04/2023 15:47

I have no idea why you let this ghastly person in any of your lives.

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 15:54

How old is she, OP? She is 33 but the younger sister of the family. Yes I think the whole family indulge her childish behaviour. I am the only one in the family that seems to think there is a problem with her behaviour.

To anyone who pushed me to forgive and make amends I just replied "why do you think I should let someone who makes fun of my child in our lives?" Thanks I will use this, I need to make a list of good responsesso I dont just get angry or swear in the moment.

OP posts:
FictionalCharacter · 20/04/2023 15:54

Cut her off. Have as little contact as possible. Ignore her ridiculous demands. Don’t reply to texts. Leave cards and presents for your husband to sort out. Ignore tantrums from her and MIL. You’ve indulged this awful woman for way too long, and you really will benefit from learning to ignore her.

NurseCranesRolodex · 20/04/2023 15:57

Gut reaction based on much experience, she sounds like she has autism. If she has never had support for that then it is nigh on impossible she will ever change her ways. The inappropriate laughing & emotional response, lack of boundaries, not being able to empathise, being offensive, being self centric. Not everyone with autism is like this obviously but unfortunately lots are. She probably needs help to understand herself and gain insight into how others feel when she engages in certain behaviour.

If she has been assessed and definitely isn't on the spectrum then I would immediately stop indulging her. I would go low contact and give literal, black and white explanations to why you can't do various things, that leaves no negotiation room, 'It won't be possible for us to come, have fun/No we can't move your sofa, do you know a number for man with a van/Our children are our priority now, child presents only from now on!'.

WallaceinAnderland · 20/04/2023 16:08

I think you are indulging her too much. Stop contact with her, stop presents and cards. Remove this massive stress from your life.

There is no legal or moral obligation to suffer her demands so just stop doing it. You will feel so much better, trust me.

itsmylife7 · 20/04/2023 16:10

Your husband is to blame for ignoring her awful behaviour towards his child.

Stop buying her presents leave it to your husband.

I can't believe you put up with her behaviour.

Let this be a warning to all those who are thinking of marrying in to this type of family. This is your future

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 20/04/2023 16:17

You've posted about her a number of times, haven't you?

What's the point? She's not going to change so you either put up with it or cut her off.

cheekyffer · 20/04/2023 16:21

Tempting though it is, I would not tell her to F off. She may well have MH issues and not realise how unreasonable she is being. Just set reasonable boundaries and be polite, firm and clear. Low contact, rather than no contact, but tell her that if she laughs at your son again she will not be allowed near him.

Tealsofa · 20/04/2023 16:36

SilIssuesAgain · 20/04/2023 14:41

We did not go to clean Mil's house but you get stroppy behaviour and made to feel unreasonable if you don't give into her demands. After 14 years of her and her being bothered about the inside of a birthday card when she could not be bothered to ask how I was when I was in hospital with pneumonia or visit my daughter in the hospital I am really at the end of my tether with her. I do feel like texting her she is selfish entitled and to just f*k off.

Seriously - "Fuck off" is a complete sentence

Just fucking block her and let her complain to someone else

Mortimercat · 20/04/2023 16:36

So she complained to her brother not you, I honestly wouldn’t even give it a moments thought. Maybe tell him you don’t need to know the details of their conversations.

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