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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Help with in-laws & husbands family

44 replies

Tysq2 · 26/01/2025 21:10

We have been together nearly 10 years and married for 8 now and I believed I was having a good relationship with his parents, siblings and extended family but gradually over the years, that has changed.
Since having our daughter who is 3 (almost 4), his family & extended family see her about once a year even though they live 20mins - 30 minutes away at most but then are upset when our daughter is cautious around them.
I used to send his mom pictures weekly of our daughter but gave up when she just stopped responding, didn’t care for the art our daughter made for her.
Christmas presents for me have stopped (I’m not overly bothered by it) but my husband’s sister’s partners get gifts or extravagant gifts and I get a chocolate bar.
I don’t get birthday cards or any birthday wishes from any of them either but I’m the one to sort out all cards and gifts every Christmas and birthdays.
I don’t really care at this point but it worries me what we are teaching our daughter, when I’m allowing them to pick and choose when they want to be in her life even though they couldn’t give a damn about me because “they are family”. she is getting to the age where her friends and cousins talk about their other grandparents but she says she only has one (mine) because she thinks she only has one.
I want to completely cut contact with them and them to not be in our daughters life, if my husband wants to be involved with them he can, I would never stop that but even though he is angry at them for they way they treat me, he wants them to be in her life.
Opinions?
or any similar situations?

OP posts:
Tysq2 · 27/01/2025 07:46

thepariscrimefiles · 27/01/2025 07:45

Her behaviour at the hospital after you gave birth was so awful that I wouldn't want to see her again. Stop worrying about the lack of gifts, which is obviously a punishment for what happened when your daughter was born, and leave everything up to your DH.

How did your DH react to what his mum did at the hospital?

He was so angry but I was just telling him not to say anything to try and keep the situation as calm as it could be because I already felt awful. Now seeing it made no difference, I wish I let him say something to her

OP posts:
PurpleLamb · 27/01/2025 09:25

Well that's a massive drip feed. She's obviously pulled away from you because you don't tow the line. And rightly so about the birth. The not going over for Christmas, I'm on the fence. You could've had dinner at yours then invited people over / gone to theirs after. But as you say, you're allowed to do what you and DH want. As does she.

Personally after the birth situation and treatment after, I wouldn't be bothered facilitating a relationship. But as a last attempt, could your DH have a chat with her. Explain you're not stealing him, that demanding presence at the birth was wrong and the actions after and that he always wants the new Christmas tradition.

The inlaws that mil does like/spend time with, was she present at their births? Do they all get together on Christmas Day?

WhatNoRaisins · 27/01/2025 09:27

It sounds like she's trying to punish you for not falling in line and doing what she expects you to do. I'm not convinced you'll be able to please her so I wouldn't even try. I'd let your DH manage the relationship and try not to expect too much from her.

Tysq2 · 27/01/2025 09:52

PurpleLamb · 27/01/2025 09:25

Well that's a massive drip feed. She's obviously pulled away from you because you don't tow the line. And rightly so about the birth. The not going over for Christmas, I'm on the fence. You could've had dinner at yours then invited people over / gone to theirs after. But as you say, you're allowed to do what you and DH want. As does she.

Personally after the birth situation and treatment after, I wouldn't be bothered facilitating a relationship. But as a last attempt, could your DH have a chat with her. Explain you're not stealing him, that demanding presence at the birth was wrong and the actions after and that he always wants the new Christmas tradition.

The inlaws that mil does like/spend time with, was she present at their births? Do they all get together on Christmas Day?

Yeah she was present at the births as it was her two daughters and they wanted their mum there.
It was only my husband with me when our daughter was born.

At Christmas the sisters and their husband and kids are there. I tend to not want to be around them as the Christmas after I had my daughter I was drowning in ppd and she waited till my husband when to move the car and in front of everyone humiliated me by saying she “was shocked I hadn’t lost the baby weight yet, but maybe next year” - I was back into my size 8-10 clothing and telling me how I should be doing this and that.
It sends me into awful anxiety the thought of going around there as I know how she made me feel when I was struggling with life.

OP posts:
thepariscrimefiles · 27/01/2025 10:15

Tysq2 · 27/01/2025 09:52

Yeah she was present at the births as it was her two daughters and they wanted their mum there.
It was only my husband with me when our daughter was born.

At Christmas the sisters and their husband and kids are there. I tend to not want to be around them as the Christmas after I had my daughter I was drowning in ppd and she waited till my husband when to move the car and in front of everyone humiliated me by saying she “was shocked I hadn’t lost the baby weight yet, but maybe next year” - I was back into my size 8-10 clothing and telling me how I should be doing this and that.
It sends me into awful anxiety the thought of going around there as I know how she made me feel when I was struggling with life.

Your MIL is well aware of what she is doing if she deliberately waits until your DH is out of the room before humiliating you in front of the rest of the family.

You would be perfectly reasonable to go no contact with her and to leave any contact to your DH who luckily seems to have your back.

WhatNoRaisins · 27/01/2025 10:17

She doesn't sound like a nice person at all.

WillimNot · 27/01/2025 10:19

My in laws are the same. Used to when I was younger think we all got on, but as time has gone on I picked up on behaviours and words. They also barely bother with our DCs, in fact DD is 18 soon and last year when I mentioned it at another relatives big birthday was genuinely told "no, she's 13 isn't she?". That oblivious.

With regards your DD, as she grows up it's them who will miss out. DD doesn't bother at all with them, and DS does to be polite. I am pretty much no contact unless I can't avoid it.

As I always say in these situations, you married your DH, not his family. Ask yourself would you naturally be friends with them if they weren't in laws? Probably not.

Your DH needs to call them out not you and Is be very concerned if he didn't.

PurpleLamb · 27/01/2025 11:23

Given your latest update, I would be completely NC with her. I would pull away in all aspects - visits, photos, Christmas, everything.

I would also be wary of sending your DD there without you as I'd be concerned she'd start saying horrible things about you.

The only thing you've done wrong is stand up for yourself to a controlling bully. I'd be glad she wasn't involved.

RoastDinnerSmellsNice · 27/01/2025 11:23

Well you've now answered your own questions OP, your MIL is pissed off at you because you've failed to tow the line. I wonder whether she's ever heard the old adage 'A daughter's a daughter all of her life, a son is a son until he gets him a wife'? This is actually very true in the vast majority of cases, as your own daughter is far more likely to allow her Mum to be present at the birth of her children, whereas a DIL who has never been seen naked by her MIL, is very unlikely to want her to see her when she's in a state of undress, and totally vulnerable whilst giving birth. As for the son only being a son until he gets him a wife, again, in most people's opinion, once a man marries, his wife and family SHOULD come first, and take the place of his Mother in his life.

My advice regarding your going NC with her stands, although I do think you have to give your DH the choice. You're a strong woman, and she doesn't like the fact that together you and your DH have decided to make your own family traditions, which don't include her, therefore you will NEVER win with her, and so would be wasting your time making ANY effort toward her.

I actually had a MIL like this, who hated me from the time we got engaged. Things got really bad after having our first child, as MIL was constantly pushing our boundaries, so we ended up going NC for several years. Due to a family bereavement, we started seeing them again, but even then she hadn't learnt her lesson, and so we ended up going NC again. There was then a family wedding which brought us back together, but on this occasion I told the in-laws that things that had happened between us were not going to be brushed under the carpet this time. I laid down the law about what we would and wouldn't accept, and my DH backed me up. From that point onward things changed, and by the time MIL died, we were actually on very good terms.

FrazzledFTworkingMum · 30/01/2025 01:13

I have a deadbeat in law family. MIL invisible (I actually don't feel I have one) and SIL & BIL self centred and lazy and don't put themselves out for anyone.

We used to visit them regularly 1.5 hours away, and they only reciprocated a few times in 10 years. So many events they have missed as they couldn't be arsed to make the effort. My son is 10 now and barely knows them as we stopped being the ones to make all the effort travelling there in our precious weekends, as we both work full time. We had to pay for hotels too as their house is a shithole.

I've asked them to come and see us til I'm blue in the face nicely then more seriously as I wanted my son to know his cousins. made no difference. I used to have a good relationship with them until about 5 years ago when they couldn't make the effort for something important for my husband despite my offering to pay for hotel rooms for them as too many of them to stay in our house. They didn't come.

My husband has been such a good son, brother and BIL and it is devastating to see what a shit family he has. He is just used to expecting nothing from them effort wise now which is so sad.
Over the years we've spent a fortune on their many kids and our son doesn't even get a birthday card. I'm just glad my son doesn't ask why for now.
Life is too short to bother with deadbeat or selfish in laws. I'm so glad my son has my mum who more than makes up for the lack of family that side.

Islandgirl68 · 30/01/2025 06:44

@Tysq2 you are adults and your own family so you get to choose what you do at Christmasand Birthdays. Good that you are making your own traditions and doing what you both want to do at Christmas and birthdays, she sounds toxic. And expecting to be in the delivery room!!

Pinkapie · 30/01/2025 07:29

Tysq2 · 26/01/2025 21:39

But they family aren’t like it with the other siblings children and they live further away then us. They are often invited out for lunch or to the zoo and usual family activities. It is only us that isn’t included and then we find out further down the line that these outings happened.

I've had similar OP, in laws all go on holiday together, treat other grandchildren to days out and presents etc. it's rubbish, I left dh to it as I don't want to deal with people like that.

abs12 · 30/01/2025 08:51

Is there some empathy that you could muster? I get it and some of her behaviour is shocking. But she's hurting and you hold the power.

Leave all the occasions and presents etc to your husband, but these people are family, include them. Stop pushing them away. Your daughter is their family too. You don't have to fall over and take the crap but just once in a while, invite them to her birthday, join them for Christmas. Honestly, your own little tradtions sound a bit ott.... Relax, what's the big deal. Be less precious, it's exhausting.

ThisZanyPinkSquid · 30/01/2025 20:17

I grew up without any contact with dad’s mother. She was in my life for a few short months but she was vile and both my parents decided to shield us from that…it hasn’t done neither me or my younger sibling any damage! We know no different!

I learned when I had my kids that relationships change, some for the better but some you need to let go…you shouldn’t need to put effort in for them to have a relationship with your kids…at the end of the day it’s their loss 🤷🏼‍♀️

Northernladdette · 30/01/2025 22:09

Tysq2 · 27/01/2025 09:52

Yeah she was present at the births as it was her two daughters and they wanted their mum there.
It was only my husband with me when our daughter was born.

At Christmas the sisters and their husband and kids are there. I tend to not want to be around them as the Christmas after I had my daughter I was drowning in ppd and she waited till my husband when to move the car and in front of everyone humiliated me by saying she “was shocked I hadn’t lost the baby weight yet, but maybe next year” - I was back into my size 8-10 clothing and telling me how I should be doing this and that.
It sends me into awful anxiety the thought of going around there as I know how she made me feel when I was struggling with life.

Why would her rude comments about your weight cause you anxiety? Rather than be rude back (which would be tempting) say ‘Actually I think I have done quite well to be in 8-10 clothes already’.
Some families are hard work, try not to judge them by your own standards. When your daughter is older, she’ll realise they aren’t all that. Your in laws will only reap what they sow. If they want a close relationship with her, they’ll have to make more effort 🙂

Chab92 · 31/01/2025 11:49

I’m in a similar situation to you OP. It’s really rubbish isn’t it!

Summergirl92 · 20/09/2025 19:12

Stop wasting your money on cards & gifts for them and stop wasting your time around them. 😒 Cut them out of your daughter's life.

Roastbeefandyorkshires · 20/09/2025 21:04

Mourn the relationship you had (or thought you had). Drop the rope with presents cards. Grey rock for when you need to interact with them. Protect your peace at all costs. Flowers

jellybe · 21/09/2025 09:30

How much effort is your DH putting into arranging his daughter seeing his parents? The outings they have with their other GC are they the ones arranging them or are their children arranging things and inviting them, the GP, to join?
My kids are probably slightly closer to my folks than DHs as I am close with my parents and arrange to see them regularly even when we lived 300 miles away from them. DH arranges to see his fairly regularly too and makes sure that the kids do things with that side of the family. I wouldn’t blame it all on the grandparents your DH has a role to play in this too.

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