to refuse to travel up to London(with 7 month old baby) to escort my 19yr old niece from Euston to victoria so she can visit us

[shrinkingsagpuss]

i could get flamed here, or not.. I've asked my Mum - of course, she sticks up for me.

DH's sisters daughter, travelling from somewhere else to London. 19 (!), nice girl, rather un worldly at times. Wants me to go to Victoria, cross London to Euston, meet said Niece, then travel home again together. 3 (4?) hours out of my precious toddler free time.

DH won't take a day off to do (which I don't blame him for).

Am I being the SIL from hell?

I have suggested she gets a taxi, which would be cheaper than my ticket there and back.

If she's nervous of using the tube for any reason tell her to come out of the station and get the no 73 bus from Euston Road to Victoria. |You can't go wrong as it will say "Victoria" on the front and when it stops and everyone gets off including the driver she'll know she's there!

My 14 year old dd (we live in Cork) can describe exactly how to do Euston to Victoria off train, down escalator, buy ticket, through machine.... She is willing to fly over (Gatwick would suit her better than stanstead) to chaperone.

o for crying out loud, there is no way you should be asked to do this.
why is your time with your child onsidered less important than your dhs time at work aswell? she is his high maintenance relative!
and victoria to euston - its all on the one tuve line, unless she is completely retarded, she cannot go wrong. send her an oyster card in the post and tell her you'll have the tea ready when she gets to your house.
ffs when i was 19 i was traveling round the world with my 1yo son. some people are so pathetic i want to throw my computer out the window!!!

Aged 11 I used to do overland train to Victoria (30mins, stopping) and then tube from victoria to oxford street, to meet my father who worked in portland place.
On my own.
Probably once a fortnight.

well can I just add my voice to the throng saying you are definitely not being unreasonable. As many other posters have said, a 19 yr old should be able to manage this on her own. If she can't cope with the tube, she can get a bus. And if your dh thinks she can't do either without help, he can take the time off work and not expect you to drag your 7 month old with you. Or if her family are so concerned about her, they can take a day off to chaperone her and do a bit of shopping or something.

I am sure by 19 yrs old I had done countless journeys on various different forms of public transport, some in other countries. (Can't top the travelling round the world with a 1yo though, respect to you PSCMUM.)

We have just got back from a meeting discussing DS' World Challenge trip - a bunch of 15-17 year olds have to organise a trip to remote areas of South Africa. Is OP's niece living in the real world or is she in the 19th century? I got myself, as a much younger teenager, from London to Toulouse by plane and from London to Rome by train. I think that one trip in Zone 1 isn't beyond the abilities of a 19 year old who is old enough to join the army and go to Iraq or Afghanistan if she so wanted.

WEll its all gone very quiet in the sagpuss household - the word "Niece" has not been mentionned........ not sure what he's plotting.

Off to Mum's tomorrow for Easter - will update on my return - there could be some very interesting results..

He hasn't threatened to leave me over the niece - it was him being a fool when our new baby was having a crying phase (like every evening for 3 hours in a static caravan) - what I was saying was that he can't threaten anything WORSE!!

Message withdrawn

Ok

Gave up on this yesterday, because IMO your DH is lovely but proper bonkers.

So forgive me if I am rehashing other ideas.

Have you stepped back and waited until your DH has booked his day off ??

If so, may I respectfully suggest, that you respectfully suggest he takes your DC with him.

He will be aghast.

QED

Case solved. IMO

Message withdrawn