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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband trying to compete which grandparents see DC more

294 replies

hmhwd · 10/08/2024 14:54

More like, is he being unreasonable or is this a normal reaction from him?

DC Is 2.5. My family is quite wealthy, his is pretty average. In laws live closer so we see them for day trips once a month, my mum lives further so I will visit her overnight for a couple of nights but also about once per month.
Sadly my DF died when I was a teen but he was highly successful, left a large inheritance to my mum and I. My mum, having raised me, now mainly travels the world, enjoys life and helps me out with raising DC when I need it. On a few holidays (3-4 per year) she will invite me and DC along, DH is invited too but can't join for all of them because of limited annual leave, he does join for probably half (sometimes joins part way through a holiday, sometimes doesn't join at all and sometimes joins for the full length). These holidays are fully paid for by my mum. When not on holiday, I'll sometimes go to stay with my mum for a night or two if DH knows he will work late - her house is large enough for DC to have their own room, all the "child" equipment that I need can be and is stored at hers. On other days, my mum will just pop over to ours to help out, play with DC etc - this doesn't affect DH because he is out at work and it'll be in the daytime.

My ILs see DC far less. They can't afford to take us on holiday and my DH wouldn't pay for them to go with us. They visit maybe once a month. Staying at theirs is more difficult because a) it would need to be over a weekend when DH can come and b) the house is a squeeze, we don’t have anything there that we need (baby chair, cot, all the nappies / bottles / aprons / toys) so have to bring everything. I guess I also don't ask for help from my ILs the way I do from my own mum (for example if I need someone to watch DC whilst I have a doctors appointment - I will ask my mum or move it, never ask my ILs), largely because I just don't have that kind of relationship with them. We are civil and no arguments but we don't "get on like a house on fire" in that we have very different views, not many common interests. I find their visits tedious and exhausting for many (very subtle but many) reasons - none because they're terrible people, just that I find them difficult to be around, we run out of conversation fast and we have to fake agreeing on topics.

I've noticed recently my husband really tries to compete and compensate. He's trying to squeeze us into their house at Xmas (as opposed to hotel like we've done previous years) even though that meant 6 adults and 1 child in a 2/3 bedroom house (3rd bedroom is a study that will have a blow up bed in the middle, the bedroom we stay in will mean either someone sleeps on a floor mattress so we physically can’t open the door or walk around until mattress lifted, or all 3 of us sleep in a small double bed). Or he is irritable when he sees that DC will run towards my mum shouting GAM-GAAAAAAM ("grandma") or when the two have little inside jokes or games. If I ask about it he claims he's absolutely fine and just wants DC to give "gam-gam" a rest (my mum is thrilled with it, doesn’t want a rest). I can just feel resentment towards my mum for being able to spend more time with DC?

OP posts:
bluewatermelon · 11/08/2024 13:30

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 13:21

@CatamaranViper "getting my own way" would be not having to trek there for Xmas and being able to go to snowy mountains for a white Christmas or Lapland for a magical Xmas with my baby :) so a hotel is a very generous compromise

Is your own home not magical enough for your child at Christmas? Magic for a child is memories of making your own traditions. The little things.

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 13:31

@bluewatermelon our home is fun enough for our child but why limit their experiences? Why not have a Christmas with Santa in his home once in a while?

OP posts:
Truetoself · 11/08/2024 13:34

Would you have all this wealth if your DD was alive? What have you achieved in life apart from your inheritance?

I think you should do your DH a favour and divorce him so he can have the chance to find someone who is not beneath him.

My DH earns more than 10 x what I do but has never ever made me feel that it's his money only and I have always had a say in how it is spent

You should try and facilitate relationships with both sets of grandparents if his are equally willing

JulianFawcettMP · 11/08/2024 13:36

@hmhwd Why did you post when you are so convinced you are right and are not taking on any alternative views? Genuine question

ZoeCM · 11/08/2024 13:38

Why the hell shouldn't your child see more of their paternal grandparents?

If your own parents fell on hard times and your in-laws won the lottery, would you ditch your parents and spend lots of time with your in-laws instead?

bluewatermelon · 11/08/2024 13:39

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 13:31

@bluewatermelon our home is fun enough for our child but why limit their experiences? Why not have a Christmas with Santa in his home once in a while?

I’m not talking about limiting anything. We have traveled a lot, a LOT, with our children over the years. Disney World in FL every year etc. Skiing. Weekends in cities or holidays in Australia or Abu Dhabi. They have basically been everywhere and seen all cultures. We don’t feel the need to talk about money the way you do. I wouldn’t talk about my dh the way you talk about yours. He wouldn’t talk about me like that. It’s us, together, no matter income.

What our children remember most, in the end, is how we spent time together as a family. Christmas at our house, traditions. It’s you two who need to create that magic. You say ’once in a while’. But your child is only 2,5 and hasn’t been given the chance to experience or remember any memories of Christmas at home yet.

Lapland for Christmas is overrated btw.

jannier · 11/08/2024 13:41

Cornflakes44 · 11/08/2024 12:20

Why? Nothing OP has said is horrible. It's not that she doesn't put any effort in with her his family but she naturally wants to spend more time with her mother.

She's posted before

orangeleopard · 11/08/2024 13:43

You sound very snobby and speak less of your in laws just because they don’t have as much money as you and your family. Remember that money doesn’t equate to love.

DaisyChain505 · 11/08/2024 13:45

Your using the excuse that they don’t have a big sniff house to host you, don’t have money to take you on holiday so that’s why you don’t want to see them.

So are you saying that if you’re mum wasn’t as well off with a big house and offering you holidays that you wouldn’t want to bother with her?

Ilovelifeverymuch · 11/08/2024 13:46

MapleTreeValley · 10/08/2024 15:38

I think it's nice that your DH is trying to encourage a good relationship between his child and his parents, and I'm surprised that you're viewing it in such a negative light.

I don't read it as she is against him encouraging a good relationship between his child and his parents, my interpretation is he is seeing it asba competition and feels jealous that her mother gets to spend more time with him and can afford to take them on holidays so he is trying to force more of a relationship with his parents.

Nothing working encouraging a relationship with his parents but his motivation is jealousy and resentment.

I haven't read anything about his parents actually making an effort.

Ilovelifeverymuch · 11/08/2024 13:49

jannier · 10/08/2024 15:54

But you don't encourage the relationship it's all your mum can't you be inclusive ask DH to see if his more local parents will help with appointments meet for park play etc. presumably your not working and he is so for a relationship your the one that will need to do more.
Being together at a Festive time is more important than how many bedrooms.....if it was your mum with the normal 3 bed I bet things would be different.

Why is it on OP to encourage the relationship with his parents? That is his job and his parents should also show an interest if they want a relationship with their grandchild. OP would be unreasonable if she was actively preventing them from building a relationship but I don't see how they have shown any interest or help.

Ilovelifeverymuch · 11/08/2024 13:51

skibiditoilet · 10/08/2024 15:58

He needs to step up and facilitate the relationship with his parents instead of making you and your mum feel that this is both your faults. I think he is just clumsy with regards to how he is going about it.

Thank you, I can't believe people are blaming OP for not pushing a relationship with her in-laws. Most women will lean more on their mothers for support over in laws. He needs to step up and do more to encourage the relationship. He is the one who's availability is limited not her.

And his motivation for trying to force a relationship now is jealousy, resentment and maybe feelings of inadequacy given her mother can afford holidays whilst his family can't.

Vivi0 · 11/08/2024 13:59

jannier · 11/08/2024 13:01

If you haven't done it and they haven't done it you wouldn't know and neither would they. Kids love sleepovers and waking up with cousins being spoilt by the time with extended family .... Christmas is family

It still sounds like my idea of hell, whether I’ve done it or not.

I suppose, for many, having a dog would be some peoples’ idea of hell, but we have a dog and my children love her will have wonderful memories of her when they look back upon their childhood. But children who don’t have a dog aren’t really missing out. You don’t need a dog to have a happy and wonderful childhood.

Similarly, children who don’t wake up with their cousins and extended family on Christmas Day aren’t really missing out. You don’t have to sleep on blow up beds in someone else’s overcrowded home on Christmas Eve to have a happy and wonderful Christmas.

It’s simply a nice memory you have. Not everyone is the same. Not every family is the same. Not every experience is the same.

jannier · 11/08/2024 14:03

Thehop · 11/08/2024 13:00

It sounds like your husband had a pretty cushy number thanks to your dad. SAHM for his child at no cost. Free holidays.

do you think he's jealous? Feeling a bit emasculated?

DH works, op holidays with mummy 5 to 6 times a year so between 10 and 15 weeks a year whilst op sometimes makes a weekend or week....but no choice if he wants to holiday elsewhere away from mil etc.
Op sees and spends time with mummy on top of this but objects to spending time with in laws.

jannier · 11/08/2024 14:05

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 13:31

@bluewatermelon our home is fun enough for our child but why limit their experiences? Why not have a Christmas with Santa in his home once in a while?

Lol....most people could only dream of this as a once in a lifetime and your limiting it plenty in who they spend time with ..I guess normality would infect them

exprecis · 11/08/2024 14:07

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 13:27

@OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon his property / lack of property not really relevant to the question so won't get answered.
Yes he lives in a house that is mine legally (pre nup protected don't worry)

I don't think anyone was worried that you wouldn't have protected your money

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 14:08

@jannier you have an amazing imagination!! I wish it was 5-6 per year or 10-15 weeks, no idea where you got that from but certainly not from the original post as it says something totally different 😂

OP posts:
jannier · 11/08/2024 14:09

Ilovelifeverymuch · 11/08/2024 13:49

Why is it on OP to encourage the relationship with his parents? That is his job and his parents should also show an interest if they want a relationship with their grandchild. OP would be unreasonable if she was actively preventing them from building a relationship but I don't see how they have shown any interest or help.

Because she's sitting at home controlling every holiday and experience whilst living off him now the weekends are supposed to be him visiting his family with DC and still spending no time as a family op can't sacrifice any time for him, his family etc it's all her way or divorce.

bluewatermelon · 11/08/2024 14:09

exprecis · 11/08/2024 14:07

I don't think anyone was worried that you wouldn't have protected your money

😂

hmhwd · 11/08/2024 14:11

@jannier aaaaand where did you read that I live off him? 😂😂
Really enjoying what you read vs what's written, super entertaining, thank you!

OP posts:
Technonan · 11/08/2024 14:13

skibiditoilet · 10/08/2024 15:58

He needs to step up and facilitate the relationship with his parents instead of making you and your mum feel that this is both your faults. I think he is just clumsy with regards to how he is going about it.

But he is, and this is what OP is complaining about.

Ilovelifeverymuch · 11/08/2024 14:13

jannier · 11/08/2024 14:09

Because she's sitting at home controlling every holiday and experience whilst living off him now the weekends are supposed to be him visiting his family with DC and still spending no time as a family op can't sacrifice any time for him, his family etc it's all her way or divorce.

No she is not controlling every holiday, he can also organize and pay for his family holiday rather than only depend on holidays OPs mother organizes and pays for. And by family holiday I mean him, his wife and child not necessarily his parents.

He working doesn't excuse him from ensuring his child gets to spend time with his parents if it is important to him.

I do agree the financial imbalance is causing issues and resentment but he also needs to own building the relationship between his child and his parents.

BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 11/08/2024 14:17

I’ve only read OPs posts, but you do sound dreadfully unpleasant.
Imagine the utter lack of imagine it takes to not see any value in helping your children cultivate a warm relationship with their grandparents, even if it involves sofa beds, and would prefer plonk them on a stranger’s lap cos it’s “Santa”.
I honestly feel sorry for your kids most of all. Some of my favourite childhood memories involve squeezing in beside cousins and pals.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 11/08/2024 14:17

I am, I am concerned that if they divorce that the Op will be taken for a ride.
I am also concerned that her inheritance is being used for her half of the bills - why isn't her dh paying all the bills if he has no rent/mortgage to pay for/towards.
i hope the Op is not using the actual inheritance to live on, but interest / payments from dividends etc.

fortunately she has now reassured us that there is a PreNup in place. Are they legal in England ? anyway as long as the Op has made legal arrangements to protect herself.

Why does the Dh not use some of his annual leave to take his wife and child on holiday and pays for the holiday - all holidays appear to be paid for by the Op's mum.

p.s. 2.5 years is too young yet for Santa at Lapland, do it when around 5...

DoreenonTill8 · 11/08/2024 14:17

skibiditoilet · 10/08/2024 15:58

He needs to step up and facilitate the relationship with his parents instead of making you and your mum feel that this is both your faults. I think he is just clumsy with regards to how he is going about it.

That sounds what he's trying to do, and what the OP is complaining about!