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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner going on holiday with sister

316 replies

AnonymousB95 · 23/04/2024 15:24

My partner of 8 years is going away with his sister this year, the third year in a row. For context, they're incredibly close and since he moved out of the family home 3 years ago, have made going away together for a few days a yearly thing. She is about 14 years older, single, living at home and very successful.

Other than family, she doesn't have many friends or anyone to travel with. She organises and pays for everything on their trips so all he has to do is turn up.

I thought by now it wouldn't irritate me as much as did the first time, but it does. Am I in the wrong for feeling annoyed and somewhat, left out by this? I don't come from a family where I am close with my sibling so have never understood their relationship. She is a lot older and always seen him as a baby, and still does. They're in contact every day as he goes to her a lot for work issues/help.

These trips are usually pretty extravagant and I can't help but feel that as my partner we should be experiencing these things together. But I don't know if that's just selfish of me to say.

It's also irritating as I'm in the process of sorting a trip out for the 2 of us with no help from s/o. Then without warning, he puts in our joint diary he is going away with his sister. Which happened to be the exact dates I was also looking at.

He doesn't see the problem and thinks I'm unreasonable for being annoyed and should just be happy for her and him (as he would be for me). However, I feel as though sometimes her doing this is trying to 1 up me. My partner would never see it this way and it might just be my insecurities playing into it. But it sometimes makes me feel like he doesn't even need me in his life, the way he is treated by the women in his life (mums & sisters). Beyond these trips, they do a lot for him, buy him a lot of things etc.

Ultimately, I find the situation odd. Am I overacting?

OP posts:
ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 26/04/2024 12:31

Just read the OP now and couldn't get past the fact in the first sentence you've been together 8 years but he only moved out of the family home 3 years ago!!

If that isn't a massive flag for a Mummy's Boy I don't know what is! Yes yes finances saving up blah blah but you were in a relationship with him for 5!!! Years before you got a place together? Yikes! That showed his commitment is to his family first right there.

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 26/04/2024 13:34

She is his sister.
She was there first and will always come before any new relationship.
If you can’t handle it, then you need to leave.

Now this is nuttier than a bag of squirrel shit.

crumblingschools · 26/04/2024 14:01

@ShadesofPoachedSmoke the sister is 14 years older and still living at home. I would say it is quite an enmeshed family

Ilovecleaning · 26/04/2024 14:11

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 26/04/2024 13:34

She is his sister.
She was there first and will always come before any new relationship.
If you can’t handle it, then you need to leave.

Now this is nuttier than a bag of squirrel shit.

You are so right. And I love ‘ nuttier than a bag of squirrel shit’ 🤣🤣🤣
’ She (sister)was there first??? Bonkers.

Nanaof1 · 26/04/2024 15:24

Itloggedmeoutagain · 26/04/2024 06:46

Switching it round makes no difference
It's brother and sister whichever way you look at it.
I am female and used to holiday with my dad
Would you have worried about that?

Try READING the post. I said it was fine but was asking a QUESTION to get opinions. Give your head a shake.

Itloggedmeoutagain · 26/04/2024 15:54

Nanaof1 · 26/04/2024 15:24

Try READING the post. I said it was fine but was asking a QUESTION to get opinions. Give your head a shake.

To be clear...
Answering your question
None of it would give me pause for thought.
That clear enough?

Ilovecleaning · 26/04/2024 17:38

Noyesnoyes · 26/04/2024 08:56

@Ilovecleaning just because op is unhappy doesn't mean she's right!

Can you imagine a man stopping his wife going away and saying you can't go because I'm unhappy, there would be uproar, justifiably.

Coercive control by the OP, using upset as an excuse.

Of course OP being unhappy doesn’t mean she’s right. It means she’s unhappy. Although what she’s supposed to be wrong or right about, I don’t know.

ClareBlue · 26/04/2024 18:48

Nanaof1 · 25/04/2024 15:28

I don't think there is anything wrong with siblings going on trips together, especially since they are only a few days a year.

But, I want to ask the MNers to ponder the thread a bit differently.

*MNers--I (M28) need advice! I have had a GF (26) for the last three years and we have moved in together. Everything is great except for one thing.

Every year, she goes on vacation for 4-5 days with her brother (40). He lives at home and has never married. He organizes and pays for everything and they go first class.

They have been on a few cruises and to Paris and Italy. Maybe I am just jealous and envious that I cannot do these things with my GF yet, but am I totally wrong to feel a bit uneasy about this? *

#########################################################

So, MNers, what would your response be? A cruise? Sharing a stateroom, a hotel room? Have people asked the OP about them sharing a room or separate?
Does any of the above give you any pause at all?

Exactly. I got flamed for saying this but not as eloquently.
And it does matter that as a couple they can not afford this but he accepts his sister paying for it all so he can experience it and excludes her from it. And just because I think it is a strange dynamic does not mean there is some kind of underlying incestuous intent. You can create intimate situations that exclude people without it being sexual. And the sister generally being off to OP, where does that fit it. Maybe call it something else, but there is no doubt it is perfectly reasonable to feel as OP does.

ClareBlue · 26/04/2024 18:57

The OP has never said she objects to him going away separately from her. So all those saying they shouldn't be joined at the hip or she is controlling etc have just assumed it. It is these specific dynamics she is uncomfortable with.

daliesque · 26/04/2024 19:01

Could be she's just not that arsed for her company. She's not obliged to be.

Probably 🤷‍♀️. Or maybe she can detect the OP's very obvious disapproval of her and so keeps her distance.

Some people just choose not to have a relationship for various reasons, none of which are the business of her brothers judgemental girlfriend.

But then I go on holiday with my ex-BIL - my ex husbands brother because we get on, enjoy the same things and enjoy each others company. It doesn't mean he doesn't love his wife and kids less, or I don't love my partner less. We just like spending a few days on holiday together. My partner and his wife are certainly not worried 🤣

Noyesnoyes · 26/04/2024 19:02

Of course OP being unhappy doesn’t mean she’s right. It means she’s unhappy. Although what she’s supposed to be wrong or right about, I don’t know.

She's literally asked am I overreacting....

Yes! Totally!

Noyesnoyes · 26/04/2024 19:05

ClareBlue · 26/04/2024 18:57

The OP has never said she objects to him going away separately from her. So all those saying they shouldn't be joined at the hip or she is controlling etc have just assumed it. It is these specific dynamics she is uncomfortable with.

Yes she has!!

These trips are usually pretty extravagant and I can't help but feel that as my partner we should be experiencing these things together. But I don't know if that's just selfish of me to say.

She thinks as his partner they should experience things together, not with others. I assume that's not just the sister? The way it's worded!

It's in the OP.

Controlling.

Universalsnail · 26/04/2024 19:05

I think you are being completely unreasonable as long as you are able to go on holidays away with other people when you like

Noyesnoyes · 26/04/2024 19:08

@Universalsnail it does say in the OP that her DH would be happy if the situation were reversed, so I assume it's not an issue.

whatsitcalledwhen · 27/04/2024 11:05

@Nanaof1

So imagine another scenario. If someone posted the below, what would you think about their husband? That he is reasonable? Or controlling?

"My brother is one of my best friends and we speak every day.

A couple of times I've had a few days away with him (he doesn't have many friends and pays for everything which is kind of him) and my husband isn't happy about this, saying he's annoyed and feels left out.

He says the trips are extravagant and I should be doing things like this with him, not my brother.

He says it makes him feel like I don't 'need' him."

Nanaof1 · 27/04/2024 17:35

whatsitcalledwhen · 27/04/2024 11:05

@Nanaof1

So imagine another scenario. If someone posted the below, what would you think about their husband? That he is reasonable? Or controlling?

"My brother is one of my best friends and we speak every day.

A couple of times I've had a few days away with him (he doesn't have many friends and pays for everything which is kind of him) and my husband isn't happy about this, saying he's annoyed and feels left out.

He says the trips are extravagant and I should be doing things like this with him, not my brother.

He says it makes him feel like I don't 'need' him."

Actually, since I don't hate men as a rule, my thought would be that they need to talk about it like grown assed adults instead of pouting/complaining (him) and posting it on MN to read what she wants to read (her).

Is there annual leave left to do things with her DH? If so, he needs to learn to deal and find someone to take a trip or two with also.

Does the brother put his nose into their everyday lives to the point where her DH is uncomfortable? If so, she needs to have a talk with her DB, if she wants her marriage to work. If not, she needs to have a grown up talk with her DH, or get some professional help for both or herself if he isn't willing..

Then she needs to decide whether she can live with her DH's faults and idiosyncrasies, plus learn to compromise. If she can't, go your separate ways. Ditto for her DH. It's actually quite easy, since every successful married couple have learned this. But, what do I know, I've only been married for 46 years. 🙄

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