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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU by not allowing my MIL to have any contact with our sons going forward?

91 replies

Eri2020 · 24/08/2024 12:29

Apologies in advance, English is not my first language and this might be long

I 34F and my husband 34M have been married for over 6 years and have 3 boys under 5. I am Hispanic and my husband is European, we moved to his country when our eldest was almost 1 and we have been living in his parents family home while our house is ready, is more like two apartments in the same house. The situation has come to a bad point and we are not sure what to do.

Background on MIL 60sF:
She is s very difficult person, overbearing pushy, zero respect for us as adults, as parents, the works (I have plenty examples) and as I come to find out recently, she is also racist.
It was manageable when it was just us but sense moving here I stared noticing she was treating our son like a toy: he could only play with what she wanted, the way she wanted or nothing, even if he cried,she would take away toys, not let him get away from her, not letting him eat in peace, not letting him bite anything (theething baby)or would use force to move him how she wanted, would stop him from playing with grandpa if she wasn't included, she wanted to force him to play in a sand pit knowing he can't cause he gets a bloody rash, etc (I have more examples), so we started to put boundaries with contact, we tried talking to her many times we even gave her boundaries in writing, she doesn't wanna change or understand. Over time it came to the point when she could only have supervised time with the oldest for an hour or two but only with my husband (she would fake she didn't understand me wen I tried to correct her and would ignore me). I didn't love it but it kind of worked.

Now this January during an argument with my husband that I was not part of, she made racist insults towards me and my husband yelled at her. But when I told him that it was enough and I didn't want her to have contact with the boys at all he started to packpedal a little, saying she didn't meant it that way, she said it instead of calling me the B word, she grew up in a different time and society. To me, there are so many insults out there that if you feel the need to use race as an insult you are racist, is inside you and why you are racist doesn't matter.
And you can't be a racist narcissistic asshole and still feel entitled and demand contact with mixed raced children.

Sense then she has had no contact with the boys and she is losing her marbles. She took away the keys of the area where we are living and the bathroom while we were out so we couldn't lock the doors, she only gave back the bathroom key and we had to put a deadbolt on the other doors but she can still get in when we are not inside. She also confronted me faking ignorance as to why no contact and when I told her if been racist didn't seem enough to her, she came at me screaming while I was holding my baby and I barely made it inside and closed the door with the deadbolt.

My husband is asking to go back to supervised visits because he says she is not that bad, she is not physically abusive and it would be good for the boys to have a grandma in their lives. He has fond memories of growing up with his grandparents cause they took care of him a lot while his parents worked and I think he wants the same for our boys, he also is not convinced she is racist.

To me that sounds insane, she is a horrible person and I don't want her anywhere near our boys, she doesn't even see them as people but as things that exist to make her happy. And I live stressed now not knowing what she would do next, nothing is better than her.

To be clear, my husband is very supportive and he says he is not gonna force it but is difficult for him cause is still grandma even if he also doesn't like her much. So I don't think I have a husband problem.he also has pressure from family.

We started family therapy in hopes of getting and unbiased opinion but it doesn't work like that so we are here looking for that.

So AIBU by not allowing contact anymore considering is the only grandma they physically have in here ?

OP posts:
GertrudeCB · 24/08/2024 12:33

Absofuckinglutely not. She sounds deranged.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 24/08/2024 12:34

I'm sorry she was racist and that your husband has not defended you properly

Yabu to attempt to stop contact with her while living in the home as that is kind of impossible.

I would suggest moving out and then family therapy - perhaps couples therapy first with your husband so that you can be a united front and set boundaries with his mother appropriately.

It will be a huge shock for your children to suddenly have no grandmother in their life. You need to balance which choice causes them more harm .

Greenbike · 24/08/2024 12:35

You need to move away. You can’t carry on living in MIL’s house while refusing all contact, that’s just not practical, and also it’s giving her a reason to think you owe her something. Rent somewhere else until your house is ready.

TinyYellow · 24/08/2024 12:35

YABU. You are living in the woman’s home with three small children. If you want to withhold her grandchildren from her, you need to move out of her home.

MarkWithaC · 24/08/2024 12:38

I think it depends who would supervise the contact; I suspect he's assuming you will (I know I may be wrong). What if you tell him she can have supervised contact as long as he sorts and supervises it? He may change his tune.

Sheeplesss · 24/08/2024 12:41

You need to move out ASAP.
It is a simple as that.
I would not allow her near your children, but you need to move out of her home.
You cannot have it both ways.

Hoardasurass · 24/08/2024 12:43

You need to move ASAP as thee living conditions that you describe is not tenable and then completely cut that woman out of your and your dcs lives

TwinklyAmberOrca · 24/08/2024 12:43

YANBU to want nothing to do with this awful woman, but whilst you are living under her roof, YABU to make demands, as it's her home.

I think space is key here, and you and your family need to move out ASAP to your own place.

When do you think your house will be ready? Is it nearby?

Maria1979 · 24/08/2024 12:45

Hoardasurass · 24/08/2024 12:43

You need to move ASAP as thee living conditions that you describe is not tenable and then completely cut that woman out of your and your dcs lives

This. Get out of there NOW. She's a lunatic and your children are not safe with her around. Hb can see them on his own, you need to protect your children !

YouveGotAFastCar · 24/08/2024 12:46

YANBU at all to stop contact, and infact it sounds like it may be neglectful to allow her to look after your sons.

But that means you need to move out, now. If your home isn’t liveable in, you need to live elsewhere.

EveryKneeShallBow · 24/08/2024 12:58

I am your MIL’s age. I have never used a racist insult and I will challenge anyone else I hear using one. Saying she’s a product of a different age is nonsense.

Eri2020 · 24/08/2024 12:58

Unfortunately moving away right now is not possible :( My husband is fixing our house as fast as humanly possible, I have asked him several times to let me take the boys to my country with my parents and wait there but he doesn't want to be left alone here, understandably.
The only fully aware of changes is the oldest 5y so I found myself in the position of having to explaining racism to him at his level(with a book) and why he can't spent time with grandma anymore and he is alright, he still spends time with grandpa. MIL works so avoiding her is not hard for the most part, just the weekends are tricky, as I said we kind of have our own apartment, we are on first floor and they are on second with no need to cross paths, just if we are heading out at the same time (which something she waits to hear if we are leaving to come down as well :/)
We are on family therapy but is not quite what we expected, and moves slowly. My husband was expecting a quick "who's wrong " and "do this" and it just doesn't work like that.

OP posts:
YouveGotAFastCar · 24/08/2024 13:01

You need to rent somewhere; then. Honestly, this is an awful situation for you all, but you can’t be no contact with her and live in her house.

Butwhybecause · 24/08/2024 13:04

and we have been living in his parents family home while our house is ready

In the meantime, find somewhere to rent.

Her behaviour is not normal.

Lindjam · 24/08/2024 13:04

You need to get out. Tell DH he either agrees to you moving to your parents with the DC temporarily, or he will be facing a permanent split.

HelloMiss · 24/08/2024 13:07

You've had an issue since your eldest was ONE..... living there yet chose to have 2 more kids??

Mintypig · 24/08/2024 13:10

Stop exposing your kids to this, she is abusing them. Tell dh it’s not ok to let your kids experience this kind of behaviour from someone meant to love them. It’s trauma they will carry and you need to protect them, not appease an aggressive racism woman.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 24/08/2024 13:13

"I have asked him several times to let me take the boys to my country with my parents and wait there but he doesn't want to be left alone here, understandably"

I think it's probably reached the point where he needs to man up and agree to be "left alone" there for a while as it sounds like the situation is escalating and getting to be unmanageable. It also might make him more agreeable to rent until the house is finished.

She sounds awful. From what you've said, It's unlikely that your MIL and you will ever reach agreement. DH needs to take over all communication with her.

Surely a visit to your parents is quite a normal thing to do when you can't move into your house.

Schoolchoicesucks · 24/08/2024 13:15

Eri2020 · 24/08/2024 12:58

Unfortunately moving away right now is not possible :( My husband is fixing our house as fast as humanly possible, I have asked him several times to let me take the boys to my country with my parents and wait there but he doesn't want to be left alone here, understandably.
The only fully aware of changes is the oldest 5y so I found myself in the position of having to explaining racism to him at his level(with a book) and why he can't spent time with grandma anymore and he is alright, he still spends time with grandpa. MIL works so avoiding her is not hard for the most part, just the weekends are tricky, as I said we kind of have our own apartment, we are on first floor and they are on second with no need to cross paths, just if we are heading out at the same time (which something she waits to hear if we are leaving to come down as well :/)
We are on family therapy but is not quite what we expected, and moves slowly. My husband was expecting a quick "who's wrong " and "do this" and it just doesn't work like that.

You have been living with them for 4 years. She is racist towards you and you are concerned about her behaviour towards your children.

You need to move out. Is your house really not liveable in at all after 4 years of being worked on? Could you get a caravan/camper van onto the land by the house and live in that? Or find somewhere cheap to rent? If you really have no other options then yes go back to your parents - DH can come too or stay to finish the house.

This all sounds like a truly horrible nightmare - moving to a new country with 1 small child and living with in-laws and having 2 other children in quick succession - was never going to be sunshine and flowers!

Spirallingdownwards · 24/08/2024 13:24

You absolutely should move out if she is this bad. It may take you longer to finish the house but if it is this bad then why are you staying put unless it is because you get free accommodation.

Renamed · 24/08/2024 13:29

YANBU at all and you need to get out of there. Is there no alternative to going to your parents?

GRex · 24/08/2024 13:30

This doesn't make sense. You can't live in her home and avoid her. You'll have to figure out how to move out and support yourselves like most couples do. That doesn't need to be in a perfect new house, just rent somewhere.

PolePrince55 · 24/08/2024 13:36

Of what you're saying is true and not exaggerated. YANBU

HelloMiss · 24/08/2024 13:38

Do you share kitchen, washing facilities, garden??

You live in her home yet fit locks on her doors?

Does she charge you rent?

HelloMiss · 24/08/2024 13:39

PolePrince55 · 24/08/2024 13:36

Of what you're saying is true and not exaggerated. YANBU

Well it's one of those where I would love to hear the other sides version of events tbh!

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