Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

MIL wants itinerary of our holidays

360 replies

Gul8 · 04/11/2024 10:16

I'd like to know if I'm being unreasonable to request to not share itinerary with MIL every time we go on holiday?

Me and my DH are in our late 30s/early 40s with 2 primary school age DC.
Last time we went on a long-haul holiday MIL called the hotel we were staying at in a stress to make sure we arrived OK (hotel staff told us at breakfast). We were jetlagged and arrived in the middle of the night and DH was probably exhausted from a long flight with little kids and was going to text her a few hours later at breakfast.

I feel its quite intrusive that my DH shares a full itinerary of where we are at our holidays.

My family don't expect me to even tell them we've arrived OK on a foreign holiday let alone give them an itinerary of our hotel stays. My family are caring but I think they realize we are adults with our own families and at some point in adulthood you stop informing your parents of your holiday whereabouts?

I realize this is due to MIL concerns for our welfare and her anxieties probably but AIBU to want to try to put an end to this and tell her she needs to find a different way to manage her anxiety around her son and grandchildrens/my children's whereabouts?

I've already told her it makes me uncomfortable when she asked for details of a holiday in front me a while after that long-haul holiday, she responded that DH has always done it (I didn't know!) and she just wants to make sure her son and grandchildren are safe.

OP posts:
Mary46 · 08/11/2024 15:22

It can be needy too. I asked her why did she need to know our hotel. "In case you needed". So sometimes they just hate to see you having a break. Sigh. I keep travel info vague now

Minadka · 08/11/2024 16:22

I always call my mom as soon as we land. She doesn’t pick up (so I don’t spend any money on roaming) but it gives her peace of mind knowing I landed.
It takes 10 seconds. Take care of your MIL please.

Jbdollyday · 08/11/2024 22:36

Well from a ‘grandma’ ‘mother’ and ‘mother-in-law’ perspective can I just say that I always give my boys my itinerary and let them know when I have landed/arrived safely on holiday. I have always expected as a minimum that my sons let me know they have arrived safely - it is a common courtesy as well as a few texts throughout the holiday - hopefully with photos - of the wonderful time they are having!! If our sons had not heard from us they would be very worried and I know some people would find that ‘weird’ but that’s how family should be - looking out for each other!!!

Outofmydepth3 · 09/11/2024 00:29

dayslikethese1 · 08/11/2024 11:53

Eurgh I hate this. Unless you're holidaying in a war zone there's no need for any messages. I never message anyone when I'm on holiday because I want to forget about everything and relax. That type of behaviour just feeds her anxiety because it's not like she could actually do anything if something happened anyway. As a compromise if she really won't back off just message once to say landed and don't share any hotel/other details.

Why would you be so nasty about it and make such a fuss over it?? Genuine question, I just don't get the anger. I'm guessing people who feel this way don't have this level of concern from their parents so either think it's weird or resent the bond between mother and son?? Other than that, why are you not wanting to tell her where you are? She's not the paparazzi.

beachcitygirl · 09/11/2024 03:54

Different strokes different folks. My daughter & I are joined at the hip. No pressure from me or expectations but we chat on WhatsApp all the time & I always know where she is & vice versa.

People who are not as close as we are try to make out it's too much. It's not. It suits us both & we love sharing our good & bad & that includes holidays.

That said - she's an adult & if I didn't hear, I would never phone hotel. That's a leap.

CurlewKate · 09/11/2024 07:56

I thought about this thread yesterday-I went to have lunch with my adult son. He lives in a small market town, and my journey home to my empty house is a 4 minute walk along a quiet road, a 15 minute train journey, and a 5 minute drive. It was daylight and I am a healthy middle aged woman. As we said goodbye he said "text me when you get home"
I'm not sure whether I should consider getting him detained under the mental health act, or just go NC because of his overbearing and controlling ways. Or just smile indulgently and send a text saying "Thank you for a lovely lunch. Love you. Mx"

What do you think? 🤣

Manthide · 09/11/2024 11:54

I don't expect my dc to have any contact with me when they're on holiday but nowadays they do often post photos on WhatsApp etc. My parents did annoy me a bit this year as usually they leave a full itinerary (unasked) but this time I had the vaguest idea - they went on a cruise. This wouldn't normally be an issue but they left me dealing with my late brother's house sale (they are executors) and the estate agent kept calling me. Also my ds was taken seriously ill and almost died and I couldn't contact them. Nowadays I just think you can't just go off grid like that!

Ablar · 09/11/2024 15:53

I always ring my mum when we arrive, 1) my son has very bad anxiety and he likes his nan to know he's ok. 2) I have severe anaphylactic allergies and she's been on a plane with me when people haven't listened and I've gone into anaphylactic shock so she likes to know if I'm ok and how the flight was.
If it wasn't for these reasons, I'm probably would just text her.
Shes gone away today to Barbados and shell
ring when she lands, because I've got her two dogs so she'll check how they are and because my partner works at the airport she flew from and took them out to the plane and asked the crew to do an announcement so no doubt she'll ring to tell him he's a prick lol

Cherry8809 · 09/11/2024 17:41

I always let my family and best friend know when my flight has landed etc. If I didn’t, they would definitely message or call asking if everything was ok.

It literally takes a second to put someone’s mind at ease that cares about you.

Every1sanXpert · 11/11/2024 08:57

Gul8 · 04/11/2024 10:16

I'd like to know if I'm being unreasonable to request to not share itinerary with MIL every time we go on holiday?

Me and my DH are in our late 30s/early 40s with 2 primary school age DC.
Last time we went on a long-haul holiday MIL called the hotel we were staying at in a stress to make sure we arrived OK (hotel staff told us at breakfast). We were jetlagged and arrived in the middle of the night and DH was probably exhausted from a long flight with little kids and was going to text her a few hours later at breakfast.

I feel its quite intrusive that my DH shares a full itinerary of where we are at our holidays.

My family don't expect me to even tell them we've arrived OK on a foreign holiday let alone give them an itinerary of our hotel stays. My family are caring but I think they realize we are adults with our own families and at some point in adulthood you stop informing your parents of your holiday whereabouts?

I realize this is due to MIL concerns for our welfare and her anxieties probably but AIBU to want to try to put an end to this and tell her she needs to find a different way to manage her anxiety around her son and grandchildrens/my children's whereabouts?

I've already told her it makes me uncomfortable when she asked for details of a holiday in front me a while after that long-haul holiday, she responded that DH has always done it (I didn't know!) and she just wants to make sure her son and grandchildren are safe.

I don’t think ur being unreasonable to not want to give her a full itinierary but checking in when you arrive I think is fair. Just because her son is an adult doesn’t stop her worrying about him. And it’s a very basic ‘hi arrived fine’ I always let my family
knkw we’ve arrived safely they would fret otherwise

New posts on this thread. Refresh page