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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Me vs SiL - the most underwhelming of battles.

306 replies

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 08:39

Backstory & buckle up, it's a long one!
More wwyd than aibu but I'm confused af with this. Anyhow.

Bil is pretty awesome and so are his gorgeous wee boys. Bil and I have always had a close friendship. He not only is a terrific uncle to his birth related nephews but also adores my oldest dc. Also a lad.
When he met sil I was so happy, she was everything he wanted, she adores him, he adores her, they went on to have 2 perfect wee boys. Our boys all adore one another.
But after her last lad (they only want 2 kids, they were blessed) she was upset she'd never have "her girl" and wasn't exactly quietly hurt about it, instead more outwardly furious. She went from being very sweet to disappointed with most things and with that became passive aggression with everything. We were close, neither of us talk to MiL due to her being a deranged lunatic towards us, so we had some solidarity. We also babysat as often as they wanted, from newborn age until toddler age before sils parents moved closer to be on hand, so we see the boys less now but her parents are lovely and involved and its nice for them all. Now, last year I had my final baby and all the way through she kept saying I'd have another boy, I agreed, having had 3 already I just presumed that also. But I didn't, I had a girl.
She hasn't spoken to me, blocked dp from fb and when bil came to see his niece and sent a selfie she went apeshit at him, saying he was rubbing in her face the one thing she'd never had.
I said to him when she comes round she's a niece who will adore her and she can hopefully have some relationship with when she's ready. I left it at that.
I'm possibly being insensitive but I've struggled with baby loss and awful pregnancies etc, she had 2 wonderful pregnancies, no issues with conceiving, both pregnancies first month off pill, I think she's had it pretty good so I'm not begging her to accept my daughter, she can do one, my wee girl has all the love in the world, sil isn't hugely relevant to my 8 month old.

Now, here is where a problem has risen, I'm a sen mum with 2 (likely 3 but 2 diagnosed asd kiddos) and her youngest is showing neurospicy signs.
Not only am I sen mum, but I've worked with sen so I'm a good person to give support and a handhold whilst going through the process of getting a diagnosis and also little suggestions to help with things, so she's asked bil can i talk to her and go through things with her from visual aids and prompts, how to use social stories and fill out paperwork for her dc. All of which I'm happy to do, i have tons of books and other things here that would be useful to her. Plus, I'm not mad at seeing her, like I say - we were quite close.
But here is the thing, it's on the provision I don't even mention my daughter as she couldn't cope with it.
I'm not to even say her name, if my phone screen has her picture I'm to change it before going over to help her.

Because this is to help DN, I'll probably do it. Plus sen mum is a scary water to navigate alone at first, I feel I should comply to her rules and not upset her, but also, I feel like I'm shunning my own DD.
Like I say, it's not like she's lost a baby or is trying with no luck for another, she just didn't get the "daughter she envisaged".

Wise ones of mumsnet, wwyd?

OP posts:
ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 03/04/2024 10:09

But she's got a girl. She wanted a girl, and now she's ignoring the girl she's got just because she didn't physically give birth to her. She needs professional help or she's going to ruin the whole family dynamic for everyone with her behaviour.

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 10:09

Hibye23289 · 03/04/2024 10:07

I took it as this is where she is from and the words they use, maybe Scottish. Calm down

I'm not Scottish but was raised by a Scottish woman for years! ❤ I talk like her in person so I just type the same.
She was my comfort person in life so I just copied her from being very young

OP posts:
CoffeeWithMyOxygen · 03/04/2024 10:09

The fact that she’s tried to ban your BIL from meeting his niece really pushes her into unreasonable territory - she needs to get some therapy and work through this. It’s good that your DP is willing to take the books over to them as sounds like he won’t pander to this nonsense, everyone indulging her will make it worse in the long run.

ColleenDonaghy · 03/04/2024 10:09

NaiceUser · 03/04/2024 10:05

Sorry but I can’t tolerate all the "wees" the "kiddos" & "neurospicy" cringey trend terms. I also have DC diagnosed with Autism but I'm not an "SEN Mum" I have a child with Autism/SEN.
Please stop

I don't think OP can help being Scottish (I'm guessing). Also up to her how she refers to her own DC.

Axx · 03/04/2024 10:10

Tell her to fuck off. She's an absolute twat.

NaiceUser · 03/04/2024 10:12

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Daleksatemyshed · 03/04/2024 10:12

The longer this farce goes on Op the worse it will be. If your SIL can't accept your DD after months she's not likely to suddenly change and by pretending your DD doesn't exist you'd be making her behaviour seem acceptable. Pass the books on and let her work it out herself, you did the hard work for your DC and SIL can do the same, it will be good for her to focus on the DC she does have instead of whinging

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 10:13

@NaiceUser no but I'll fucking start if it irritates the vipers.

OP posts:
ThreePointOneFourOneFiveNine · 03/04/2024 10:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

A person has the right to choose the words they use to describe their own experience. If it bothers you so much just stop reading the thread.

StrawberryJellyBelly · 03/04/2024 10:16

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 10:07

Thanks for that but I'm not changing the way I speak for you or anyone else.

Well said!

HowToSaveAWife · 03/04/2024 10:16

I'd email instructions but wouldn't be bowing to anymore requests or demands. It is quite possible she's stuck in her thinking if she's ND (I have severe ADHD, I've experienced this and worked through with therapy) but she has to help herself. And that call has to come from inside the house, BIL has to have it out with her, she can't shun a niece because she didn't "get" a girl. Anyone aiding this behaviour is just helping her along to have a real MH crisis instead of actually dealing with it.

Gently, distance yourself from her but maintain a relationship with Bil and boys. And ffs, acknowledge your DD in conversation/plans. To do otherwise is total madness.

stayathomer · 03/04/2024 10:19

No help and well done for being so understanding and helpful but my god I feel for her in a way, what a horrendous head space to be in- talk about a prison of her own making. Her poor children

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 10:24

I do feel sad for her, she is in many ways wonderful, just as said here, very rigid.

I appreciate the wisdom from you, I really do!

Hopefully she'll overcome this and she can have a niece she can dote on and have that lovely relationship with a little lass she can love with time.

If not, tough, dd will never be left out of anything ever again. Shes had ages to get her head around dd being here. She'll have to crack on.

OP posts:
Poachedeggavocado · 03/04/2024 10:33

I think the first reply nailed it but just one word of caution because your SIL sounds unhinged; I would be very careful ever letting your dd near her. I'd be very worried she'd do something to harm her. If she can't have a dd then neither can you mentality.

Hibye23289 · 03/04/2024 10:37

😂😂😂😂 omg this made me laugh! Keep going x

MrTiddlesTheCat · 03/04/2024 10:38

Neither of them would be getting anything off me until they apologised and properly acknowledged my DD. Your BIL is no better than your SIL. They are both utterly disrespecting you and rejecting your DD.

My DH would not be taking round books for them and hell would freeze over before I'd allow my sons anywhere near them.

pootlin · 03/04/2024 10:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

How ironic given you've got 'naice' in your username. Are cringey words only acceptable if you use them?

Find another thread if you're offended.

juice92 · 03/04/2024 10:42

I would not help her on those terms. I'm sorry but she needs to get over herself. I would give her a slight pass, if she had lost a little girl, but she hasn't, they just decided to stop at two. She made a choice. What will happen at birthdays and Christmases? Will she just ignore your little girl and pretend she doesn't exist while spending time with and money on your sons?

SnowMobiling · 03/04/2024 10:44

I would place some conditions myself… it’s very worrying she’s not over it after 8 months. This is a form of mental illness. I would tell her she needs to urgently book a therapist if she wants my continued involvement. I might even offer to pay for it if they can’t afford it and you can. She needs help, and a lot of it.

GingerIsBest · 03/04/2024 10:45

Personally, I'd be pushing BIL to push his wife to get some professional help. This is not normal, nor healthy and she needs to see someone to discuss this and deal with it.

Not only is she negatively impacting her DH's relationship with his family and upsetting a lot of people who should be positive influences in her and her DC's lives, but she is setting her own children up for a lifetime of feeling responsible for their mother's unhappiness and lack of relationship with their cousins/extended family.

You 100% cannot allow her to treat your DD differently which means, if she doesn't get over this, all of your children, and most likely your DH as well, will lose out on an important relationship.

PS my sister only has boys. And to boot, DD is a) super smart AND academic (which Dsis considers very important) and b) super girly. As a result, DSis and DD are besties which is lovely, but I do feel a bit bad for poor DS. On the plus side, she still welcomes him in, buys him generous presents etc so I don't think he's devastated not to have the strong relationship with her that DD does but still....

SheerLucks · 03/04/2024 10:45

That you think you may be being unreasonable is very worrying and shows how much this absolute lunatic has been playing with your mind for so long.

I think a firm No from you will give your SiL the long overdue head wobble she really needs.

Otherstories2002 · 03/04/2024 10:48

Lwrenn · 03/04/2024 08:46

Really?! Wow I was prepared to be told I was being a heartless fucker tbh.

OK, thank you! I appreciate that. I really thought I was going to be flamed.

Stay well away. This will go nowhere good.

SnowMobiling · 03/04/2024 10:48

Poachedeggavocado · 03/04/2024 10:33

I think the first reply nailed it but just one word of caution because your SIL sounds unhinged; I would be very careful ever letting your dd near her. I'd be very worried she'd do something to harm her. If she can't have a dd then neither can you mentality.

can’t stress this enough. Do not let them come into contact.

Some quarters have been known to practice dark arts through sheer hatred and envy and competitiveness. You are very fortunate she has confessed to to harbouring this jealousy. I’m so sorry this has happened to you.

You are doing very well to remain calm with such a measured response.

Mumoftwo1312 · 03/04/2024 10:50

The more I think about this thread the more chilling it is.

How old are SIL and BIL's kids? Will one or both boys start behaving or dressing as a girl to get her approval?

It's them, op's nephews, I really feel sorry for in all this

Fairydustandsparklylights · 03/04/2024 10:52

Why can’t she have another baby?

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