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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mother in law strain since moving in with her

128 replies

Shannon9955 · 31/05/2023 21:37

Me and my partner moved in with his mum and her husband late last year. We have a 13 month old.

I'm from up north, my partner is from down south and he was desperate to move home. We lived together in the north for 5 years. My mum passed away 3 years ago and she was all my family there. So during my maternity leave my partner said let's move back to where I'm from and save to buy by moving in with my parents. Me being hormonal, emotional, all of that fun first time mum mood. I said yes, I transferred my job, moved my whole life. My in laws live away 6 months of the year so I thought that can't be bad. Now 5 months down the line it's honestly the worse choice I've made. I'm starting to resent my partner. I had a lovely relationship with my mother in law prior to this move. I now can't stand her and her husband. Her husband is just horrid. The way he speaks to her, the way he is, everything.

We can't run a hot tap for to long, we can't do more than 2 washes a day. My MIL takes over shopping, plans meals, won't let us cook. At first that was amazing. But she's now planning dinners, not telling us and if we dare buy our own we get a lecture how she's wasted food. On Sunday I said I'll do the shop this time, you have a rest I'll cook for the week. She walks in the next day with a whole shop and said she just done it because she was passing. Gave me our bill and it's £47 for stuff we didn't even want or pick.

Our little girl has only just started sleeping through the night and she's in our room, in her own cot. It's now a huge debate everyday why aren't we moving her in the spare room. What I feed her it's wrong, what I don't feed her it's wrong. I'm dressing her to hot or to cold. I'm not allowing her rough and tumble because I wouldn't let her crawl in the garden where the dogs wee. My MIL had her out there crawling on hard stone and I got her in and said "no, dirty out there" she's letting her go where the dogs wee. I'm trying to be polite about it.

The husband is just awful. To name one Incident, we had nappy bin bag collection day and it was the night before. Our daughter was teething terrible, wouldn't settle on me or my partner we were taking it in turns to settle her. We then remember the bins and I said let's just do it first thing as bins don't come till 9am. At midnight the husband burst in our room while we were asleep and shouted "you've forgot the fucking bins" while our child was sleeping. He was going mad downstairs while I jumped out of bed to sort the bin bags half asleep. All they had to do was put them over the gate which we were doing in the morning. I had to bite my tongue the whole time as I didn't want to wake my daughter. The next day nothing was mentioned. I had my daughters jabs so that was my main focus that day. But since nothing mentioned.

Everything is getting on top of me. I feel like a shit mum like I can't do anything right or it's being judged. I in myself just feel a shell of who I was. I'm so close to losing it but I'm keeping it together for my partner, the environment my daughter lives in and the fact we have to live here. I want out and to rent, a mortgage means nothing to me but happiness does. Again my partner won't do it. So what do I do, break up my family for them?

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 31/05/2023 21:40

You choose to live there
It is a choice
Live with it or move out

nutbrownhare15 · 31/05/2023 21:40

You can't stay there. Is it one more month before they leave? I'd be having a serious ultimatum with partner I can't believe he doesn't want to leave as well. If he chooses to stay he'd be the one breaking up the family.

TheSnowyOwl · 31/05/2023 21:42

Which is more important, moving or staying with your partner?

Mum2jenny · 31/05/2023 21:43

Move out, with or without your dp asap as it’ll only get worse

Shannon9955 · 31/05/2023 21:44

@nutbrownhare15 yes, 3 weeks to be exact till they go. I wanted to rent like right now, like out and gone. Just use what we've saved and do a deposit and first months rent. But again, my partner is saying because they go we'll be here alone to save more. We also pay all their bills while they are gone apart from council tax

OP posts:
Shannon9955 · 31/05/2023 21:45

This is where I'm in a catch 22, I've packed my bags twice now ready to leave. Ready to just go. I have never been in a position where I've had to do this, never mind with my child. In a place I've lived all of half a year, don't know Adam from eve or where anything is. It's the most difficult situation I've been in

OP posts:
Shannon9955 · 31/05/2023 21:48

@TheSnowyOwl staying with my partner 100%, keeping our family. We as a family unit are fine, perfect. Just the living arrangements he's put us in, and I will say he because I almost feel like with my emotions I was falsely leaded into it. Sold the dream and I'm living the nightmare

OP posts:
Supertayto · 31/05/2023 22:00

Eeek that sounds rough. I’d say for the next 3 weeks have a very set routine that doesn’t include them. Every morning, up and out with DD for breakfast and activity. Naps on the go in the buggy or car. Eat what they cook for the sake of peace in the knowledge that you’ll have the run of the place in 3 weeks. Spend the evenings in your room under the guise of baby not sleeping well. Then have 6 months off from them. When they get back it will have been such a long time away that your DD will be totally different and the things you currently have conflict about (crawling, own room, seasonal wear) will be totally irrelevant. You’ll have regained confidence and your own way of doing things. Use their routine to set some FIRM boundaries in a breezy way. Save, save, save and leave as soon as you can. Good luck!

Supertayto · 31/05/2023 22:00

Their return* even.

2bazookas · 31/05/2023 22:02

3 weeks to be exact till they go

Then you'll have 6 months respite and saving up. Surely you can hold it together for three weeks.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 31/05/2023 22:07

I would stick it out for the next three weeks then plan to rent somewhere on a short term basis at least over the next winter unless you are able to buy.

inloveandmarried · 31/05/2023 22:21

Why don't you book into an AirB&B for the last three weeks? Dress it up as a holiday if you are concerned.

Then enjoy the peace but plan to be in rented accommodation by the time they return.

It doesn't sound sustainable and it's not worth the toll on your mental health. You need to be able to raise your daughter how you see fit.

OhComeOnFFS · 31/05/2023 22:35

cestlavielife · 31/05/2023 21:40

You choose to live there
It is a choice
Live with it or move out

That's exactly what she's saying! She wants to move out after choosing to live there.

Mischance · 31/05/2023 22:42

Were you renting up north? Can you do that again? Maybe you can use the time when PILs are away to sort out a plan of action for moving out to start just before they return.

You need to be very firm with your OH and say that under no circumstances are you willing to remain in PIL's home when they return.

Am I right in thinking that you are out at work each day? Are PIL looking after your child?

Mischance · 31/05/2023 22:44

It sounds as if your FIL is no happier with this arrangement than you are - and as though it was cooked up between your OH and MIL.

You must move out. It will be more expensive and put back your house buying plans, but the current situation is untenable - better to be happy in rented accommodation.

Tigofigo · 31/05/2023 22:47

Can you go to visit family / friends for a week in the next three? To break it up a bit and get away from them - chances are it would take you a few weeks to find somewhere to rent anyway.

Stick it out, you can do it.

goldorchids · 31/05/2023 22:50

I live with my in-laws who aren't awful sounding like yours but since having DC MIL has become overbearing and now I struggle being around her. So I just try to go out as much as I can. Maybe use the next 3 weeks to get out and get to know the area more / meet some new people?

Tinkerbyebye · 31/05/2023 22:56

I would suck it up for three weeks but once they are gone I would be seriously looking to move by the time they get back. If that means you have to rent on your own then that’s what I would do

Quitelikeit · 31/05/2023 23:03

Can you go to mother and toddler classes

tbf it’s hard for both parties

can they babysit so you’s can go away for the night?

bellabelly · 31/05/2023 23:05

You've done the hardest bit - it would be silly to move out now, when you're just about to have the house to yourselves for 6 months. Use the time they're away to enjoy discovering your new area, make some friends, go to baby groups, etc. Save like mad for a deposit - either for a rental or a house to buy. Maybe do some viewings or just look online. What could you afford to buy in the local area? What about if you moved back north? How many more months of living in P-I-L's house would you need? Is it worth it? Make sure that you and your DH come up with a plan together. Good luck, I really hope that you can be in your own place before too long. I love my M-I-L but I couldn't live with her.

Nevermind31 · 31/05/2023 23:07

Go and visit a friend for a week. Go on holiday.
sorting out somewhere to live would take at least 3 weeks anyway.

parietal · 31/05/2023 23:24

if you've survived 5 months you can manage another 3 weeks. just one day at a time.

CleanCar · 31/05/2023 23:33

Grin and bear the next 3 weeks at least

JeandeServiette · 31/05/2023 23:33

Shannon9955 · 31/05/2023 21:44

@nutbrownhare15 yes, 3 weeks to be exact till they go. I wanted to rent like right now, like out and gone. Just use what we've saved and do a deposit and first months rent. But again, my partner is saying because they go we'll be here alone to save more. We also pay all their bills while they are gone apart from council tax

He's right.

You'll be in a better position long-term if you can grit your teeth for three weeks to get six more months there alone to save.

Sugarfree23 · 31/05/2023 23:37

Op between houses we moved in with ILs, our house got delayed and we were there for 6mths. Took years for my relationship with MIL to recover.

Omg we were all sick of each other by the end of it.
Can you get away for a holiday for a week , cheap deal before the school start to break up. Then look for another house before they get back from their break.