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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To pull back from MIL as much as possible

135 replies

evb83 · 15/02/2024 16:25

It's a long post but need to give the background!
DH and I have been married 10 years this year, we have two DC ages 8 and 6. We met and lived in London until I fell pregnant and decided to move to either near my family, or near my in-laws. We chose my in-laws because it's a nicer area and DH was keen to come back here. Both sets of parents are approx 150 miles from London but in different directions, so it means I'm not close to my own family at all.
MIL has always been nice enough to my face but we've never been best friends, we wouldn't ever do anything just the two of us. She's never said anything until recently but I could always tell she thought I wasn't good enough for her son - that no-one would be. She's just one of those types!
She said to me when first DC was born that she's not the maternal type, she isn't a hands-on grandmother. Fine by me, I'm not the sort to want others around all the time anyway, although appreciate that children benefit from a grandparent relationship.
I was a SAHM for 7 years until both DC were at school so didn't need regular childcare; MIL would babysit every so often when DH and I went out but she always had to be asked, she would never offer. DC didn't like going there, they basically sat on tablets/phones the whole time with the occasional trip to the park. MIL wouldn't even think about taking them for a day out to the zoo or anything like that.
Then a year ago I got a term time job, 3 days a week, and we asked if she would do school pick up for 2 of those days each week and bring them home and stay with them until I'm home from work, so about 1.5 hours each day. She was happy to do it - great, it could improve their relationship, I thought!
Fast forward to just before last Christmas. MIL was upset about something trivial, she is a bit of a drama queen and gets upset like a toddler does. She said some things to DH about me, who in turn told me, and I said we need to all have a conversation the next day and get it all out in the open. I'm not a confrontational person at all, I hate it, but things needed to be said. So the next day comes and the three of us have a 45 minute long frank discussion - calmly, no raised voices - where she tells me that no one is good enough for her son, or her daughter (her daughter has been married for longer than us and has three children, the oldest being 8 years older than our eldest. She has always looked after them a lot but it's always the same with them in that they go to her house, she'll never take them out anywhere or do anything fun with them), she finds me unapproachable, we have nothing in common, and that I took her son away from her when we got married. (Bear in mind that he lived 150 miles away from her before we married, and now we live 3 miles away because we chose to come back here to start our family!! So as far as I'm concerned I actually brought him back to her.)
But what bothered me the most was when she said she doesn't care about anything or anyone in her life except DH and his sister...she doesn't care about her husband (not DH's dad), her elderly mum who is ill, her brother. Then she said "I love all my grandchildren but I wouldn't care if I never see any of them again."
Well. That's it. I didn't even really react at the time because I was dumbfounded! DH told her to stop talking then because she is burning bridges. She left.
DH apologised for his mum, he knows she's useless and has had many an argument with her over the years about how little she sees us and the kids. He said if I ever want to have it out with her and have a bitchy screaming match he will totally be on my side (not my style though!)
But ever since then you wouldn't even know she'd said all that, she's completely normal around me, texts me when she needs to and uses blowing kiss emojis etc, she's perfectly nice to my face. As far as I'm concerned I don't want her around us anymore, unfortunately unless we put DC in the after school club three days a week which is quite expensive, we need her. So I am civil to her, but I don't ask how she is and what she's been up to, like I used to. I won't go round to hers if I can possibly help it, DH can go and take the kids if he likes but I won't go. I don't want the whole thing brushed under the carpet because she said hurtful things (I don't really care what she thinks of me, it's the comment about my DC I don't like) but I don't know how to act around her. AIBU in not letting go in this way or should I just forget it and move on?

OP posts:
TimetoPour · 15/02/2024 17:47

Pay up and sack her off.

I dread to think what she will say to your DC as they get older.

chiwwy · 15/02/2024 17:48

I’d move near your mum.

goingrouge · 15/02/2024 17:49

I'd move. She's a mean and nasty woman and I wouldn't give her another moment of my time.

At the least get childcare and stop her looking after the kids she doesn't do anything with and gives no shits about.

But I'd be looking to move and live near people who actually care about my family.

RawBloomers · 15/02/2024 17:57

I think you might be blowing this up into more than it needs to be, OP.

I understand why you don’t like her. She doesn’t sound very likeable. She is over invested in her children to the detriment of everyone else. (It sounds like an unhappy way to be, tbh). She clearly doesn’t think that highly of you and that’s never a pleasant thing with a relationship like a sibling or in-law. But your DH has your back by the sounds of it and, for the most part, things go your way.

She does the childcare for you (or, more accurately I guess, for her DS). She, mainly, tries to be civil. It’s clearly hard for her but she is doing it, most of the time. You have childcare when you need it, saving your family a lot of money, even though she clearly isn’t really into providing it. Your kids may not be having the best time, but they won’t necessarily in other settings either. And they won’t be any more loved by the supervisors at an after school club.

Can’t you just continue to be civil as you are and try not to make this into a “thing”. Accept she’s massively flawed, but get on by anyway?

RockyRogue1001 · 15/02/2024 18:00

Jasmin1971 · 15/02/2024 17:34

Second this.

I would be very tempted to move far away enough in the direction of my own parents so that they can be closer than your MIL.

Thirded.

Any reason why you can't move?

Noseybookworm · 15/02/2024 18:30

I wouldn't want her looking after my children after her comments OP and no I wouldn't be able to forget and move on. I may have had the odd difficulty with my ILs over the years but their one redeeming feature was that they adored their grandchildren! For this I was always grateful and willing to overlook the odd difference of opinion!

CrikeyMajikey · 15/02/2024 18:50

I’d move closer to your parents, now while the kids are little and you can all make new friends.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 15/02/2024 19:11

@evb83 sorry but I would pack in the job, put the house on the market and move away closer to your family and never, ever, ever speak to her again> do not allow that woman in your house or near your kids! your hubby can do what he wants but he really should be supporting you on all of this!!!! I cannot believe she got as long as she did to say all that without you jumping down her throat and physically throwing her out of your house! cheeky, nasty bint!

dancingsands · 15/02/2024 19:15

goingrouge · 15/02/2024 17:49

I'd move. She's a mean and nasty woman and I wouldn't give her another moment of my time.

At the least get childcare and stop her looking after the kids she doesn't do anything with and gives no shits about.

But I'd be looking to move and live near people who actually care about my family.

This

user1984778379202 · 15/02/2024 19:16

I'd be telling DH I wanted to move back closer to my parents and I'd be off like a shot! MIL has had her turn and she's blown it. Your parents have presumably missed out on a lot since you moved away, so let them have a turn.

FreebieWallopFridge · 15/02/2024 19:34

Pay the cost for the wraparound care, it’s worth it to get that toxic woman away from your kids.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 15/02/2024 19:44

Are you for real? She is your free childcare two days a week despite telling you she did not want to be hands on! You have the cheek to complain she does not put on a varied program of events for your children. You asked her questions - she answered - you dont like what she said so are now acting very immaturely. Grow up and act civilly towards her.

evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:02

There are lots of reasons not to move - we love the area, our house, DCs school, they are settled with friendships and clubs, DH has just started a senior job somewhere new and it's in the opposite direction to where my folks live so commuting wouldn't be an option.
I wouldn't leave all of that just because of a witch. It's just how I deal with it that I'm struggling with! I appreciate all the responses.

OP posts:
evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:04

RawBloomers · 15/02/2024 17:57

I think you might be blowing this up into more than it needs to be, OP.

I understand why you don’t like her. She doesn’t sound very likeable. She is over invested in her children to the detriment of everyone else. (It sounds like an unhappy way to be, tbh). She clearly doesn’t think that highly of you and that’s never a pleasant thing with a relationship like a sibling or in-law. But your DH has your back by the sounds of it and, for the most part, things go your way.

She does the childcare for you (or, more accurately I guess, for her DS). She, mainly, tries to be civil. It’s clearly hard for her but she is doing it, most of the time. You have childcare when you need it, saving your family a lot of money, even though she clearly isn’t really into providing it. Your kids may not be having the best time, but they won’t necessarily in other settings either. And they won’t be any more loved by the supervisors at an after school club.

Can’t you just continue to be civil as you are and try not to make this into a “thing”. Accept she’s massively flawed, but get on by anyway?

This is basically where I'm at and what I'm doing. I'm trying to make it a thing, and not talking to DH much about it as I don't want to put him in a hard position. I guess I just wanted to see what outsiders thought. Thank you 😊

OP posts:
evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:08

Atethehalloweenchocs · 15/02/2024 19:44

Are you for real? She is your free childcare two days a week despite telling you she did not want to be hands on! You have the cheek to complain she does not put on a varied program of events for your children. You asked her questions - she answered - you dont like what she said so are now acting very immaturely. Grow up and act civilly towards her.

Sorry but how am I acting immaturely? I've already said I'm being civil to her. Yes she is free childcare but it's for a total of 3 hours a week (you make it sound like two full days) and we thought it would help a relationship blossom. My problem is her comment about she wouldn't care if she never saw them again.
Acting immaturely would surely be to go and tell her darling daughter about all of it and that the comment she made was about ALL her grandchildren, which means her daughters 3 kids too. But I wouldn't do that, because I'm not nasty or immature.

OP posts:
allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 15/02/2024 20:12

@evb83 no point asking people if you are being reasonable or not if you do not listen and do not want to take any advice, is there??? you husband should be taking proper husbandly control of this awful situation which has been created solely by his horribly nasty mother! did you just want people to ooh and aah and feel sorry for your situation and let you feel good about being so weak when it comes to her!!

cheeseandketchupsandwich · 15/02/2024 20:19

Honestly? I'd be looking to move closer to my family IF they would want to be a part of my DC's lives.

If not; I'd suck it up and carry on as normal. Let it go and step back from her.

evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:22

evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:04

This is basically where I'm at and what I'm doing. I'm trying to make it a thing, and not talking to DH much about it as I don't want to put him in a hard position. I guess I just wanted to see what outsiders thought. Thank you 😊

That was meant to read I'm trying NOT to make it a thing 😂

OP posts:
evb83 · 15/02/2024 20:26

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 15/02/2024 20:12

@evb83 no point asking people if you are being reasonable or not if you do not listen and do not want to take any advice, is there??? you husband should be taking proper husbandly control of this awful situation which has been created solely by his horribly nasty mother! did you just want people to ooh and aah and feel sorry for your situation and let you feel good about being so weak when it comes to her!!

Jeez, you seem to have issues. I have been reading responses and replied to a couple, agreeing with them! The one I didn't was someone telling me I'm being immature as I can't see how I am! I agree that I'm weak when it comes to her - which is for the sake of my DH - but I am not being immature about anything. Are you always so nasty in your replies to people?

OP posts:
Unexpectedlysinglemum · 15/02/2024 21:28

She's given you quite a lot of free child care which she doesn't have to do. She certainly doesn't need to treat them to big days out which would be tiring for her I'm sure. It sounds like she was sort of cornered into blurting out all her thoughts im not surprised she feels you don't like her as you obviously do judge her.

The fact that she's happy to continue to do free child care is good luck for you. It's weird she said she doesn't care if she sees the grandchildren or not but even more lucky she's doing free babysitting if that's the case. I wouldn't cut your nose off to spite your face.

However you say the kids don't like going there. If they'd be happier at the after school club of course you should pay and work an extra day or half day to fund it. Currently your MIL is helping you to be a part time worker with two days off which I think you should be thanking her for.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 15/02/2024 21:53

@evb83Jeez, you seem to have issues. I have been reading responses and replied to a couple, agreeing with them! The one I didn't was someone telling me I'm being immature as I can't see how I am! I agree that I'm weak when it comes to her - which is for the sake of my DH - but I am not being immature about anything. Are you always so nasty in your replies to people? I did not say that you were immature! I said you are weak and your husband is also weak if he, as an married adult, cannot stand up to his mother!! and it is a situation to be made big! He seems quite happy to put you in a hard place! I am just being honest!

PrimalOwl10 · 15/02/2024 22:01

Useless as a grandmother but happy to have regular free childcare. My dm doesn't take my dc out but if she minds them I'm bloody grateful. I suspect there's alot more to this story your not telling.

scoobysnaxx · 15/02/2024 22:05

Pay for the after school club, find a way.

No way in hell would my DC's be around anyone who wouldn't care if they never saw them ever again, much less their grandmother.

Evil evil cow.

scoobysnaxx · 15/02/2024 22:07

SOxon · 15/02/2024 16:57

Rightmove, tweaked cv, declutter, recommended removal firm, don’t look back

Agreed.

I'd be looking to move back towards my own family so much children could build and develop relationships with their maternal grandparents who hopefully love them dearly and would love to have them closer.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 15/02/2024 22:19

These are so similar

To feel like my in-laws just don't want to see my children http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/5008828-to-feel-like-my-in-laws-just-dont-want-to-see-my-children