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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:
Overtired345 · 20/07/2024 16:14

@alwayslearning789 They are being unreasonable to expect you to still go every year as per when you were on your own.

They're not. OP wants to go. It's her home too. She has friends there, she wants to take her DD there. Having a child doesn't mean isolating yourself from everyone and everything you love because your dick husband can't be away from you for 2 weeks.

coupdetonnerre · 20/07/2024 16:15

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 20/07/2024 16:15

Mrsttcno1 · 20/07/2024 14:39

See I’m on his side here because I wouldn’t like my daughter to be away from me for 3 weeks and I know my husband would hate to not see her for 3 weeks so it would be everyone or nobody for us here. They chose to move, the consequence of that is not being able to see people as much as they’d like

Well he can look after her at home and his wife can go visit her much loved and missed family.
Except op has given no indication he will miss either of them - he just doesn’t want her to go because he’s a selfish fuck.

Flivequacle · 20/07/2024 16:15

You and DH need a plan and a lot of honesty. Your family is abroad and this issue will not go away. (I have personal experience of this.)

How long is 'too long' without seeing your family? Do you want to go once a year? Every 2 years? How often can dh live with?

I went every year with the dc, and more often at times of illness/breavement. DH has joined every other year or so. We recognised that family holidays would happen where my family is, and apart from short breaks elsewhere, they have.

This was different from your situation as these trips were to my homeland, not a place my parents moved to. Also, it is a very good place to holiday.

You and DH need to work out how much you can afford to visit and whether visiting your family is an acceptable 'holiday'. Be aware that as your parents age, visits will become more frequent. You may need to go without DD or DH at times.

Neither of you is being unreasonable. But you do need to come to a flexible arrangement that you can afford and that everyone can accept.

Eyelinerwonky · 20/07/2024 16:16

Go visit your family.

cheezncrackers · 20/07/2024 16:16

Your DH is being a dick. It's not at all unreasonable to want to see your family every year and for them to see your DD too. And if they are willing to pay for you (and your DD is free atm), I don't see what his argument is, quite frankly. He's bored when he joins you, fair enough, but why doesn't he mind you going on your own then? He sounds like he's being controlling to me, which is not good.

Prawncow · 20/07/2024 16:16

Have you pointed out how much it cost last time he came with you? That all the extra spending was because of him treating it as a holiday, going out for meals and sightseeing?

You want to see your family. You have limited funds. You need to go with your DD while she still travels for free. Just go.

Omlettes · 20/07/2024 16:17

Why do you have to be joined at the hip?
Its important you see your family and I'm surprised he would quibble given you have been offered a free flight. Its very unreasonable and frankly tasteless of him to expect your parents to pay for him.
A good relationship should allow separations, and separate holidays.
Imv he is being selfish.

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 20/07/2024 16:18

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

It’s unreasonable to only ‘allow’ your partner to see her much loved family once in two years.

alwayslearning789 · 20/07/2024 16:18

Overtired345 · 20/07/2024 16:14

@alwayslearning789 They are being unreasonable to expect you to still go every year as per when you were on your own.

They're not. OP wants to go. It's her home too. She has friends there, she wants to take her DD there. Having a child doesn't mean isolating yourself from everyone and everything you love because your dick husband can't be away from you for 2 weeks.

Of course she wants to go.

I didn't say she didn't - but they are offering to pay for the flight aren't they? - so they want her to come.

I'm thinking bigger picture for her family.

She'll learn. We all have to go through this when family is far.

Tough I know but those who've been there know.

Diyextension · 20/07/2024 16:19

I want to know how you get a flight ( return ) to the other side of the globe for £450 quid ??????

CelesteCunningham · 20/07/2024 16:19

Issthiswrong · 20/07/2024 16:12

Can you just go with him but not do all the touristy stuff? The touristy stuff is the issue, you spend too much over there. So he can come if he wants but it's going to chilling in the house and garden with your family all day every day, not days out, not taxis, not meals out. Just boring family time and he's not to complain about it. Or he stays at home. But it's not fair for him to veto you seeing your family entirely.

That's fine as a one-off, but OP is talking about taking all of her annual leave to go there every year. That's not a viable solution, nor in any way fair on the DH.

Simonjt · 20/07/2024 16:20

Diyextension · 20/07/2024 16:19

I want to know how you get a flight ( return ) to the other side of the globe for £450 quid ??????

I’d like to know this too! We need tips.

DoreenonTill8 · 20/07/2024 16:22

Is the abroad country ops birth place or not? I thought her parents had emigrated there not her moving to here?

WhereYouLeftIt · 20/07/2024 16:22

"... my family are British but immigrated to the other side of the world ... My family used to visit over here often but ... it’s difficult for them to visit due to their kids in school/costs for all them to fly ... It’s expensive for us all to visit them, it’s a long-haul flight away and it’s an expensive country."

With the best will in the world - your family made a choice. They chose to live as far away from you as possible, and it's unrealistic for them to expect to see you as much as they would if they still lived here. And, it's just as unreasonable for you to expect to see them as if they were still here. "It’s difficult for them to visit" - it's equally difficult for you to visit, no matter how willing you are!

Do you really want to spend the rest of your life spending all your disposable income enriching airlines? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life using up all your annual leave visiting them? Really really?

I think you need to find an alternative. There are tech things you could explore. Facetime, Skype, Google Meet - pretty sure I've seen others advertised (lockdowns created a push for those solutions). Maybe have a 'Date Night' every week where you both watch the same DVD at your respective homes and talk all the way through it. Something other than pouring all your money and all your holidays into a sticking plaster.

I'm not unsympathetic, although I accept I probably sound so. But I've lived this scenario personally; pre-internet, pre cheap international calls, on an income that would have meant taking out a loan for a flight that would have taken me years to repay. My family and I just had to accept that that was the way it had to be. I wonder if, with internet / cheap calls / cheaper flights than then; is it harder to accept that living that far from each other DOES have an impact? Does it make you feel guilty that you're not doing everything you can to be in the same room, even though the costs of doing that are so high in time and money?

Rather than tinker round the edges with do-we-all-go-less-often-or-do-just-I-go-more-often - think about other ways to maintain family relationships.

Prawncow · 20/07/2024 16:23

The OP is saying she can do the trip with £450 in flight costs and £200 spending for two weeks. Given those flight costs and the fact that the last trip cost £3,000, that means that her DH managed to use £2,000 spending money in three weeks while staying with family! £2,000 spending money! Is the OP supposed to miss out on seeing her family more frequently because her DH wants to treat her family visits as tourist opportunities?

Another2Cats · 20/07/2024 16:24

AGodawfulsmallaffair · 20/07/2024 16:15

Well he can look after her at home and his wife can go visit her much loved and missed family.
Except op has given no indication he will miss either of them - he just doesn’t want her to go because he’s a selfish fuck.

Have you actually read all of the OP's posts here?

Flivequacle · 20/07/2024 16:25

Oh, and on this particular trip - you should 100% go. Your are on ML, they are buying the ticket, DD is under 2. DH should not have a problem with you being gone for 2 weeks. It's only 2 weeks. I would say the same if Dad wanted to take his dc to family elsewhere for 2 weeks. He can go out with friends, sleep in on weekends and do whatever he wants!

betterangels · 20/07/2024 16:25

Strictlymad · 20/07/2024 16:03

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

I agree. That's just not realistic when you have a baby and a husband. Presumably, you'd also like to go on a holiday with him as a family. No matter how much they get on, a holiday with the in-laws is not really a holiday.

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 20/07/2024 16:26

So basically he will do anything to please you and you're seemingly happy to walk all over him to facilitate seeing your family who moved to the other side of the world and no longer make the effort to come and visit you because it no longer suits them? From this I find it quite extraordinary that some posters are calling him the selfish one 🤔
If the OP was written by a man you'd all be riding his fucking arse telling him what a cunt he was taking a small child away to visit family without the other parent and for so long...

GuinnessBird · 20/07/2024 16:26

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 20/07/2024 16:26

So basically he will do anything to please you and you're seemingly happy to walk all over him to facilitate seeing your family who moved to the other side of the world and no longer make the effort to come and visit you because it no longer suits them? From this I find it quite extraordinary that some posters are calling him the selfish one 🤔
If the OP was written by a man you'd all be riding his fucking arse telling him what a cunt he was taking a small child away to visit family without the other parent and for so long...

Agreed.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 20/07/2024 16:30

He should be happy to allow you to see your family and for your baby to meet them. It's a wonderful
Opportunity to get this flight for free. He obviously doesn't like it there that much so why would he begrudge you. I
Think you need to dig your heels in more and tell him
How desperately u happy you'll be if you don't get to see your family

coupdetonnerre · 20/07/2024 16:30

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Tandora · 20/07/2024 16:31

Sugargliderwombat · 20/07/2024 15:48

He sounds very selfish and controlling. Stopping a chance for you to see your family for free, so selfish!

He’s not though? It’s OP’s family who’ve said she can’t come for free if DH comes along too (even if he pays for his own ticket)!

ByCupidStunt · 20/07/2024 16:31

I wouldn't go away for a holiday, take my child and leave my husband at home because we were a bit "strapped for cash". Either we'd all go or none of us would go. I can't think of anything more hurtful to be honest.

It was thoroughly unpleasant of your family to say they wouldn't pay for you if your DH came.

Have a good long hard look at what's happening here.

I also have a question for you. It's a genuine question and i'm really interested to know the answer. When was the last time you did something really nice for your husband?