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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell sister her parenting is alienating others

275 replies

OnionsAndLemons · 01/07/2023 06:54

I think my sisters parenting is so extra, that whilst I believe your children should be your top priority, I think her reactions to thinks are out of proportion.

Example: we both think our children should not have to kiss/hug anyone they don’t want to. So I said to her 2 year old after a family meal out, ‘cuddle goodbye?’ Her 2 year old just stood there so I said ‘no?, Ok’ and stood up. My sister pipes in, talking to her daughter ‘we can say no auntie Kate can’t we, tell auntie Kate we can say no’. I was so embarrassed as it was in front of everyone, I said I was not pressuring for a hug. She said oh I know we’re just teaching her she can say no. I agree with the concept but she’d have learnt from the interaction with me alone she can say no.

My mum was doing my sisters 2 year olds nappy. She initially wouldn’t lie down for it and when she did my mum said ‘oh well done, good girl’ or similar. My sister said mum was overdoing it with the praise and asked her to tone it down as girls are taught to be obedient and she doesn’t want that. (Note: my mum treats my son exactly the same, lots of praise when he does as asked). She does this sort of thing with my mum a lot and my mum is feeling constantly criticised and untrusted. My sister told my about the nappy thing, expecting me to agree but I told her you can’t micromanage every interaction.

I have an isofix car seat for my son in my car and bought a cheaper one (but new and from a reputable place) for my mums car for occasional use. My son is the same age as my niece so they both fit in it. However my sister has told my mum her daughter is not to use it as it’s cheap and doesn’t rear face. She doesn’t feel it’s safe. But hasn’t bought one herself. Didn’t share cost with me when I suggested we buy one together they can both use. Has never learnt to remove her own car seat to put in my mums car.

These are a few example but I could go on. Next time she says something similar to me or tell me about something to do with my mum I feel like it’s all going to spill out.

OP posts:
justlonelystars · 01/07/2023 09:11

I agree the first two are probably micromanaging but I’m with her on the car seat one. Can’t compromise a child’s safety in the car and maybe she can’t afford to buy one 🤷🏼‍♀️

saraclara · 01/07/2023 09:12

Thesearmsofmine · 01/07/2023 08:44

Of course it’s gossiping! Their mum needs to talk with OP’s sister about any issues she may have not OP. I wonder if she is so critical of OP’s parenting when she talks to her sister.

It's not gossiping. I hate gossip with a vengeance as I'm intensely private. But I have, very occasionally, asked one of my DDs for advice on how to handle a situation with the other, that they're anyway aware of. I'm at pains not to be critical of at all possible, but they understand each other and sometimes I get things wrong. I can trust them to be honest with me and tell me if I am getting something wrong, or give me advice on how to manage something that actually isn't my fault.

If you can't talk to your family, who can you talk to? Friends don't have the information on the dynamic to be able to help. And I'm enough of an unhealthy bottler-upper as it is.

AngryGreasedSantaCatcus · 01/07/2023 09:12

alloutofluck · 01/07/2023 09:09

@AngryGreasedSantaCatcus when people are upset they talk to those close to them. It is unreasonable not to expect people to do that.

Yes but that posters seems to think it's wrong of OP and her mum to do it. When some of the stories are actually passed on by the sister herself. Either lack of reading comprehension or deliberately ignoring facts to chastise OP and make her look like the bad guy.

Quiverer · 01/07/2023 09:14

TheCheeseTray · 01/07/2023 08:13

This and nothing wrong with affirming her child’s choices are ok - perhaps she felt when asked for a cuddle rather than standing doing nothing that it was ok to model saying no thank you. Rear facing at 2 is advised.

She didn't need to affirm her child's choice was OK. She had already told her it was, and OP had endorsed that. She achieved absolutely nothing with her child by going on about it, but she caused embarrassment to her sister. In itself, that was setting a bad example to her child.

Sprogonthetyne · 01/07/2023 09:15

Unless your DMum does regular childcare, I kind of get the car seat thing. I didn't want mine forward facing until at leat 3, my mum had cheap FF seats that she used for my sisters kids, but I didn't want mine in them until they were older. It was a total non issue, if we were going somewhere we either met there or went in my car.

Encouraging the toddler to vocalise the "no" is also a total non issue. You didn't need the no but others will, so teaching the child to say it is important. Plus it's generally polite to answer a question when asked, so trying to get them to speak insted of stare blankly is generally a good thing.

Is there anything else going on between you and your sister? Because it sounds like your getting disproportionately annoyed about very minor things.

saraclara · 01/07/2023 09:17

And yes. It's the sister that's gossiping with OP about her mother, if we're going to be calling 'discussing something with your family', gossip. She's the one who brought up with the OP the GM's 'unreasonableness' in calling the two year old a good girl.

Floribundaflummery · 01/07/2023 09:18

Really interested in thread as a GP to be and find it awful that your DMs kindness is being so under appreciated. Warning to self about clear future communication with DD. Obviously parents have to speak up about DC safety issues, but surely should also be modelling the values of loving kindness and equality and respect in the way they treat their own family.

It would be such a shame to lose the closeness with your sister although she may relax a bit more in her interactions with time, but is there a way to discuss the issues constructively as a subject without them becoming personal judgements? Your DN might miss out on a lovely close relationship with you and DM if DS carries on like this. Good luck in supporting your family OP.

Smallyellowbird · 01/07/2023 09:18

I think your sister sounds very trying, of course your mum has talked to you about her behaviour, your sister is being hurtful and critical, and your mum is talking to you to see if you think you think she's being unreasonable.

The pps who have turned on you about using a front facing car seat are getting a bit OTT in their better parenting. You've said you're going to get a new car seat. Government advice is for rear facing under 2, with move to front facing based on height.

You're not keeping crack with the playdough by getting a front facing car seat for your mum, and it doesn't mean you don't get to worry about how your sister is alienating family members, especially your mum.

alloutofluck · 01/07/2023 09:18

The mum does childcare one day a week. I am surprised the mum is still doing it with the constant barrage of criticisms and refusal from sister to even pay for a car seat.

alloutofluck · 01/07/2023 09:20

@AngryGreasedSantaCatcus I agree with you

Quiverer · 01/07/2023 09:20

Thehop · 01/07/2023 08:18

Of course she's right not to forward face a 2 year old it's WAY too young

That's not the point, though, is it? The point is whether she is right to say that her mother isn't allowed to go out in the car when she is kindly looking after her granddaughter, purely because she can't be bothered either to get a suitable seat for her mother's car or to install her own seat in her mother's car. Do you think she is right about that?

Gagaandgag · 01/07/2023 09:20

I agree with all of your sisters ideas - she just needs to go about them with a bit more tact

WeWereInParis · 01/07/2023 09:21

justlonelystars · 01/07/2023 09:11

I agree the first two are probably micromanaging but I’m with her on the car seat one. Can’t compromise a child’s safety in the car and maybe she can’t afford to buy one 🤷🏼‍♀️

Then maybe she should learn how to switch her own car seat from her car to her mother's. OP said her mum is providing weekly childcare (I'm assuming for free) - learning to move the car seat so her mum has a bit more freedom and it's a bit easier is the least she could do.

saraclara · 01/07/2023 09:22

Does your mum actually want to do this regular childcare? Because if she'd rather not be put through this, I suggest that she or you (and it's probably better that it's you, as it would be easier for you to keep it unemotional) says:
"if your really not happy with how I do/mum does things, I really think you should consider paying for childcare"

Quiverer · 01/07/2023 09:23

justlonelystars · 01/07/2023 09:11

I agree the first two are probably micromanaging but I’m with her on the car seat one. Can’t compromise a child’s safety in the car and maybe she can’t afford to buy one 🤷🏼‍♀️

Then she could learn how to put her own into her mother's car, couldn't she?

timberho · 01/07/2023 09:26

Your sister sounds extremely annoying and in the real world most people would agree. On mumsnet this type of extreme parenting ref sexism; consent and car seats, is deemed the norm, so you'll get shredded! I'd do less with /for her as she sounds a total pita. Maybe in a decade she'll look back and cringe...?

DemonicCaveMaggot · 01/07/2023 09:27

I voted YABU because I can't see a conversation like that going anywhere you would want it to go.

PrinnyPaupersPurse · 01/07/2023 09:27

My daughter is like this. Her BigThing is car seat safety and she regularly launched into these huge rants about car seat safety and rear facing being the only way but then takes her kid a pan in the back of a taxi or worse, on her knee in the taxi. She got rushed into hospital and me and my DH bought an emergency car seat for moving our grandbaby around and she got the roof that it wasn't rear facing. I offered to return it and she could pay for a rear facing one, and that wasn't good enough. We decided to ferry Gc arrive and suddenly the car seat became fine 🤷🏼‍♀️😂. What gets me the most though is she goes in and on about how awful the mum shamers are to her about her parenting choices, then goes on the local free group and lambasts petite for being idiots for wanting these second hand death trap car seats.... like somebody on a free site has much of a choice!

It's exhausting

Hollyppp · 01/07/2023 09:27

Car seat thing - fine but she needs to buy a more expensive rear facing one if she expects anyone to babysit

Nappy praise - should change all her own nappies

Hugs - I sort of get it. Solution is everyone stops offering hugs and just waves bye bye at toddler (what happens with my toddler most the time, he only hugs 3 particular people)

these aren’t reaaaally awful examples

Jellifulfruit · 01/07/2023 09:30

Lacucuracha · 01/07/2023 07:21

How is it fine? OP had already accepted no cuddle from niece and stood up to move away, there was no need for sis to use it to performance parent in front of everyone.

I don’t see it as performance parenting though. She’s teaching her daughter from a young age that she can verbally use the word “no”. Rather than freezing. If she adopts this when she’s an adult, it might save her from some hairy situations. Of course auntie took the silence as no, most would, but not everyone. Predatory men may not. And may use the lack of a verbal “no” as a way to surpass a rape charge

Fiddlesticks82 · 01/07/2023 09:31

I’ll take a punt OP that you and your sister aren’t exactly close and there’s just a teeny tiny back story to all this! 😂

Brightbear · 01/07/2023 09:32

OnionsAndLemons · 01/07/2023 08:02

@Brightbear i actually do like my sister very much but I’m just very frustrated

Really? Then stop listening to family gossip!

it seems the whole family is against your sister, blaming her for things outside her control, like SS actions. Moaning about her not wanting to use your unsafe forward facing car seat etc .

diddl · 01/07/2023 09:33

Solution is everyone stops offering hugs and just waves bye bye at toddler

Absolutely!

What a fuss asking a child if they want a hug-leave them to hug you if they want!

Emmamoo89 · 01/07/2023 09:33

YANBU X

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