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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Going abroad against DH wishes.

427 replies

Expatfamily · 20/07/2024 14:27

DH is firmly in the camp that we travel together as a family, and if I’m desperate to go abroad to visit family we’ll use every penny of our savings to go. He understands how much I love my family, he does love them too, but it’s slightly unreasonable to be expected to spend every holiday, every year, visiting my family. He feels it’s fair that we go every other year, with alternate years holidaying elsewhere.

Don’t want to be too outing but my family are British but immigrated to the other side of the world. The place where they live does feel like home to me, I’ve spent considerable time over there and have my own friends etc there too. I do love it over there. My family used to visit over here often but not going into too much detail it’s difficult for them to visit due to their kids in school/costs for all them to fly/not many family members over here to visit/we don’t have a big enough house to host for a prolonged time etc.

It’s expensive for us all to visit them, it’s a long-haul flight away and it’s an expensive country. Before living with DH when I’d visit, as I’ve been many times, we wouldn’t bother doing much touristy things, just hanging out really. The same as what you’d do staying with family here: BBQs/cooking in/watching tele/visiting friends/enjoying the local area/running errands/taking the kids to their activities etc. Stuff that doesn’t really cost that much money apart from the odd day out, getting a coffee in town, getting the odd burger at the street food fest etc.

Obviously when I’ve gone with DH we’ve done the expensive tourist attractions/days out/treating it as a holiday. The last time we went we spent ££££s as spending money. On of the days we spent a ‘home’ DH got a taxi into a different local town as he was a bit bored, and that cost him just over a hundred quid.

I’ve gone on bit of a ramble but essentially I do want to go home. I want to watch tele with my family, share DD with them, and just do normal family things. I know they miss me/DD terribly and everyone in my life keeps mentioning it. I’d love DH to be there, but we’re a bit strapped for cash, and really cannot justify ££££s at the moment.

My family have offered to pay for me (which I/we could afford to just pay for my flight) but when I said about DH joining they said (rightly in my opinion) if we can afford for his flight, why can’t we just pay for me to come over (they’re not loaded by any stretch of the imagination).

The very simple solution is that I just go with DD1 (she’s free until she’s 2). But DH really isn’t a fan, and if anything it’s the first time he’s ever dug his heels in. I think it’s wound him up that everyone in my circle keeps expecting me/us to go over. He somewhat snapped the other day (for the first time ever) that if they were so desperate for us to visit this year they could pay for both of our flights, if not, we’ll hopefully visit next year.

The subject is becoming painfully awkward on all sides (and other family members/friends/acquaintances often mention it as chitchat too).

It would be the first time me and DH would have ever had a real disagreement/either of us has plainly vetoed the others feelings/opinions.

OP posts:
rainydays03 · 20/07/2024 18:32

Mostly standard MN responses on here - if it was the other way round and your husband wanted to go, he’s be shot down as a selfish arsehole then too…regardless of seeing his family!

I think you make it work as a couple and come to an agreement together - personally i think you go every other year as a family.

justasking111 · 20/07/2024 18:45

My husband did a leg of a round the world yacht race when I was pregnant, he did another boat trip when baby was seven months old. Both trips around three weeks or so. We couldn't even talk on the phone. He had my blessing.

I'd let you go this year and have a family holiday next year. It's so much cheaper.

Needanewname42 · 20/07/2024 18:50

OhmygodDont · 20/07/2024 17:26

If it’s so important to op to visits her family she can go without the infant.

This trip isn’t for the infant. They won’t remember it… so let dad have her while op goes.

And do you not think extended family would want to see the baby?

Also if Op left baby behind, who'd look after it, pay the additional nursery costs?
Assuming DH is working?

One thing many on MN would have concerns about should it be reversed would be the Dad taking the baby to the Middle East and not returning, and their being no rights for the Mother to see the baby.

BlueBirdBell · 20/07/2024 18:53

Strictlymad · 20/07/2024 16:03

They chose to move, they can’t expect/insist you go to an expensive country yearly

But the op wants to go. It’s her family!

SprigatitoYouAndIKnow · 20/07/2024 18:53

Condensing it so you would only go for a week or 10 days sounds exhausting.you would be travelling for half of it and the other side of the world would be a big clock change. I think it is perfectly reasonable that your husband doesn't want to be away from his child for that long, I wouldn't either.

BIossomtoes · 20/07/2024 18:54

He needs to suck it up. You’re going for a couple of weeks, not years.

BlueBirdBell · 20/07/2024 18:56

rainydays03 · 20/07/2024 18:32

Mostly standard MN responses on here - if it was the other way round and your husband wanted to go, he’s be shot down as a selfish arsehole then too…regardless of seeing his family!

I think you make it work as a couple and come to an agreement together - personally i think you go every other year as a family.

Nope. No one has the right to deny someone of their family. When I married my husband understood my family are all overseas and that I would be spending time with them at every opportunity. And so I have! When my child came along, they came with me to spend time with their close relatives.

BruFord · 20/07/2024 18:57

rainydays03 · 20/07/2024 18:32

Mostly standard MN responses on here - if it was the other way round and your husband wanted to go, he’s be shot down as a selfish arsehole then too…regardless of seeing his family!

I think you make it work as a couple and come to an agreement together - personally i think you go every other year as a family.

@rainydays03 i’m not sure whether it’s standard MN, tbh. My DH has been on some amazing holidays without me and with my blessing. Not to visit family either, to places that I’d like to go!

LashingsOfLemonCurd · 20/07/2024 19:00

BIossomtoes · 20/07/2024 18:54

He needs to suck it up. You’re going for a couple of weeks, not years.

Would you honestly say this if the DH was taking the baby away from the mum for a few weeks, and didn't really give her a choice? Really?

Tandora · 20/07/2024 19:05

Likewhatever · 20/07/2024 18:10

I really don’t think it’s that. It’s that the OP is saying she can’t come due to cost, the family relative (who is not awash with cash) has offered to pay for her. OP now says there’s enough money for one ticket so DH can come, family relative has effectively said “Hang on, you’re taking the piss there!” And they’d be right.

So has the offer to pay been rescinded full stop then (now that they realise OP can afford a ticket)? Because it’s sounds like it’s still on the table but only if OP comes alone? Hence people saying the family is paying so it doesn’t cost DH anything etc.. it can’t be both ways!

Needanewname42 · 20/07/2024 19:06

LashingsOfLemonCurd · 20/07/2024 19:00

Would you honestly say this if the DH was taking the baby away from the mum for a few weeks, and didn't really give her a choice? Really?

While it's unfashionable to say the Mother is more important than Dad to a Baby it is actually the case. Naturally a baby would be breastfed until toddler years.

Why would it be acceptable to go against nature?

What would happen if Dad can't settled the Baby because Baby wants Mum?
Is their a risk of attachment disorders is Baby is taken away from their primary carer for 3 weeks?

rainydays03 · 20/07/2024 19:12

BlueBirdBell · 20/07/2024 18:56

Nope. No one has the right to deny someone of their family. When I married my husband understood my family are all overseas and that I would be spending time with them at every opportunity. And so I have! When my child came along, they came with me to spend time with their close relatives.

No, i actually agree with you! I’m saying that 9 times out of 10 the women on here hate men no mather what decision is made.

Personally I would make a family holiday out of it but not because I wouldn’t want my husband going away without me .

rainydays03 · 20/07/2024 19:13

BruFord · 20/07/2024 18:57

@rainydays03 i’m not sure whether it’s standard MN, tbh. My DH has been on some amazing holidays without me and with my blessing. Not to visit family either, to places that I’d like to go!

Edited

No i’m agreeing with you…most mumsnetters seem to hate men, that’s why i’m saying it’s double standards that some posters are saying he’s been selfish for not letting her go because if it was the other way round they’d be saying he’s selfish for going if that makes sense.

MrsCarson · 20/07/2024 19:19

Do it.
I brought our first child on my own to UK to visit family loads of times until we were restricted by school holidays. Dh visited twice in 6 years. He loves my family and even lived with my mother for 10 months without moaning.
We didn't really do more that other families, we played in the garden and had BBQ's and went for walks with the dog.
Once restricted by school holidays we came every two or three years and my mother came to us in-between.

MrsSunshine2b · 20/07/2024 19:21

Likewhatever · 20/07/2024 18:10

I really don’t think it’s that. It’s that the OP is saying she can’t come due to cost, the family relative (who is not awash with cash) has offered to pay for her. OP now says there’s enough money for one ticket so DH can come, family relative has effectively said “Hang on, you’re taking the piss there!” And they’d be right.

The family relative who OP has specified does not visit her because it's inconvenient and expensive, wants her to visit and thus expects her to fly long haul alone with a baby and be separated from her husband (and the baby from her Dad) for several weeks. And you think it's OP and her DH who are taking the piss...

Another2Cats · 20/07/2024 19:21

ThisOldThang · 20/07/2024 18:27

Either the OP's family are willing to pay for her ticket or they're not. If they are willing to pay for her ticket, in order to see their grandchild, then it shouldn't matter if the husband pays for a separate ticket and comes along.

The OP should tell her family that she'll only come if her husband comes.

"... to see their grandchild..."

From what the OP has said, it seems to be more likely a case of "to see their niece"

The "family" appears to be the OP's sibling and their spouse.

Cincin22 · 20/07/2024 19:26

@betterangels I don't understand what you mean by your comment? If she is the mum and the main caregiver of the baby (as mums usually are) it just isn't the same as if non-main caregiver would take the child away.

Either way, 10 day separation from the non-maincaregiver is fine. I did it with my babies.

The times your overseas family can see your child over their childhood years can usually be counted with the fingers of both hands. It's quite sad, but that's just how it is. Whereas families nearby can visit whenever.

So if there's an opportunity to visit, you should always take it. It's not a holiday. It's giving a chance to bond and form a connection.

neilyoungismyhero · 20/07/2024 19:29

BarbedButterfly · 20/07/2024 14:34

I'm on his side tbh. If you are strapped for cash you shouldn't be going full stop. Every other year seems reasonable to me also. How often do they come to you?

But her family are paying her fare and her child travels foc.
Presumably if they aren't doing touristy stuff her relatives will feed and house them. Not too much outlay surely?

Theothername · 20/07/2024 19:32

It seems to me that it’s not really about whether op should go or not. The problem here is about money and how it should be spent.

If dh came, it suddenly becomes a dramatically more expensive holiday, not because of the second plane ticket but because of spending money.

Is money something you can talk easily about? Are you on the same page?

Hausss · 20/07/2024 19:35

Cincin22 · 20/07/2024 19:26

@betterangels I don't understand what you mean by your comment? If she is the mum and the main caregiver of the baby (as mums usually are) it just isn't the same as if non-main caregiver would take the child away.

Either way, 10 day separation from the non-maincaregiver is fine. I did it with my babies.

The times your overseas family can see your child over their childhood years can usually be counted with the fingers of both hands. It's quite sad, but that's just how it is. Whereas families nearby can visit whenever.

So if there's an opportunity to visit, you should always take it. It's not a holiday. It's giving a chance to bond and form a connection.

Fine for you, cool.

Not fine for him. He doesn't want to be separated from his tiny child. Just because you're female doesn't give you more rights or trump the other equal and by the ops own admission, brilliant parent

diddl · 20/07/2024 19:39

I think that you should go if they pay as it seems to be the only way to afford it plus you are still on ML.

Then you will have money & time for a family holiday as well.

In future though prioritise your husband.

user1984778379202 · 20/07/2024 19:39

neilyoungismyhero · 20/07/2024 19:29

But her family are paying her fare and her child travels foc.
Presumably if they aren't doing touristy stuff her relatives will feed and house them. Not too much outlay surely?

The family is not paying for OP's fare now though. They rescinded the offer when they found out OP and her DH had enough money to cover a ticket for him. They want OP to use that money to just get her a ticket.

betterangels · 20/07/2024 19:41

Hausss · 20/07/2024 19:35

Fine for you, cool.

Not fine for him. He doesn't want to be separated from his tiny child. Just because you're female doesn't give you more rights or trump the other equal and by the ops own admission, brilliant parent

Edited

Yeah, this. But maybe he'll get tired of being an afterthought.

Sirzy · 20/07/2024 19:44

From the OP My family have offered to pay for me (which I/we could afford to just pay for my flight)

the family aren’t even paying for her flight, they are just paying for things over there, yet when they wanted to pay for Husband too it became an issue.

coupdetonnerre · 20/07/2024 19:47

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