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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to find this a horrendous situation with in-laws?

73 replies

Poppy800 · 09/08/2025 11:19

I’m sorry this may be a long one but desperate for some advice .
Remarried 14months ago after 10months of dating the love of my life. Which may seem fast for some but we knew it was the right thing for us. We both have two children each, DH is 52 and I’m 44. We love each other loads and the kids get on very well however this hasn’t come easy but we’ve stuck at it and proud of what we’ve achieved. My family have all been very supportive of the change and welcomed DSC as their own.
my issue is with my SIL , DH younger sister (she’s married with three kids and is 47)
she lives two hours away from us including DHs parents as we all live in within about 30 mins of each other but expects everyone to travel to her for everything . Initially SIL and I I thought would be friends and we got on despite her basically interviewing me when we met up however these things have happened since we’ve been together, she’s hounded DH for personal information on our life, sent him pictures of her new hairstyle, clothes for a wedding etc wanting flattery , we’ve had questions over everything from which house we were going to buy if we werent buying one why not? to general info about what we are doing. She told DH she’d been all the way through my social media posts and laughed it off when he said jokingly seems abit mad why are you stalking to that degree? When he hasn’t responded to her texts. he travels a lot with work and newly married) she’s then continued to send him demanding messages to her texts things such as memes with clocks on trying to get a response and ‘????’ We chose to get married just us and two witnesses however all family were made aware and at the time seemed happy. On our wedding day she knew what time we were getting married and then inundated DH with texts for info when he didn’t respond as he was getting married and didn’t check phone she then started to send ????? Messages on out wedding day. When he did check later on he was then forced to respond. DH told me when we were in the early months of our relationship she hounded him for info and when he didn’t respond as he was with me and doesn’t check phone a lot she wasn’t happy and made bitchy comments like ‘right I’ll leave you to it then ‘They only became close when he got divorced after his wife had affairs, however although they text more he only saw her a few times a year. This is just some of the issues. There’s been issues with money DH has leant her and she didn’t pay back as she said she would so that also caused issues. She then made a very expensive house purchase she didn’t need whisky owing thousands .He found out via in laws . She can’t afford to buy where she lives and her job although decent isn’t on par with DH and she calls him the golden one. I have since found out from DH as kids she used to hurt herself and tell their parents he had done it which he got into trouble for , she admitted years later she’d made it up which PIL were furious about. This behaviour has really unsettled me also. She’s very spoilt by her father who sees no issues with her behaviours , she calls herself a daddy’s girl despite being 47. FIL said she’s over protective of her brother thats all which has infuriated DH.
DH has distanced himself from her and here is the issue. Shes gone to her parents upset so when DH explained what had gone on they said you know what your sister is like we will sort it out. However now this seems to have changed and FIL has demanded DH attends their house without me there and want to sort it out just them four and if he doesn’t then they leave the relationship all together. MIL is being very quiet and she and DH have always been close. I’m fine with being told not to go however DH is refusing to go saying he won’t be bullied and wants to see them but not his sister as she’s done loads of strange things which don’t add up. Because DH has refused I am now being accused of isolating him from his family and basically turning him against his sister . Some of his relatives have not bothered with a recent birthday of ours and they suspect involved themselves in our Facebook posts but haven’t so it now seems they are ganging up. DH tried to talk to his sister some months ago about her behaviour and she got defensive and turned it onto him then said she felt I’d taken her brother off her even though they speak once every week to two weeks and see each other rarely . This situation has affected both mine and DH health and he collapsed with the stress recently. His employer is now involved who have been very supportive. His eldest birthday was recently and she contacted his ex wife ( who SIL hated) and sent gifts to her house for eldest to get when she was at her mothers house. When DH told SIL the affects all this was having she accused him of blowing it out of proportion and pointed the blame to me saying all she’s ever wanted was for him to be happy. He’s told her a million times he’s happy it’s just her who is making him unhappy but she won’t listen. She has to know everything in PIL life and prys into their medical things etc MIL told DH that she probes into their life a lot and also they’ve given her a lot of money which DH isn’t supposed to know about at FIL request. It’s a mess. I’m starting to feel guilty for marrying DH and I love him very much however I can’t take anymore of this. To be accused of isolating him has really affected me as it’s not the case. Has anyone else had anything like this? Can you advise? I now feel that maybe i didn’t include her enough when we first got together but working full time, integrating four kids who all have after school clubs and just enjoying new married life a has taken over. I should probably mention FIL dotes on her kids and not DSC. This is very clear to see there’s favouritism . I feel terrible about the whole thing and it’s making me so unwell. My family are furious and have been very supportive to DH thankfully . DH had a recent birthday which PIL sent a card only and when he text to say thanks they didn’t respond . He said he feels he can’t see his parents unless he agrees to see her please advise am I being unreasonable to think this is horrendous?

OP posts:
Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:20

How old are the children on both sides?

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:23

You see if you’d waited just a teeny tiny bit longer than 10 mo before marrying your new squeeze, you’d have uncovered that his family is unhinged

Instead, despite having dependent children, you got totally carried away and met, dated and married a man in 10 months

to say you were reckless is an understatement
to say that you were utterly selfish to drag your dependent children in to this shit show would be an even bigger understatement

over and out

AuntyDepressant · 09/08/2025 11:23

One word. Punctuation. Nobody is going to read a wall of text like that.

EvenMoreCrisps · 09/08/2025 11:25

Didn't read the whole thing, but don't think about your husbands sister, it's on him to manage their relationship and if he's unhappy with her level of contact he can easily change it.

Were your kids happy to have a stranger moved into their home? Ten months of dates before a wedding ceremony must have left no time at all for them to know the man.

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:27

AuntyDepressant · 09/08/2025 11:23

One word. Punctuation. Nobody is going to read a wall of text like that.

Met, dated, moved in and and married a man with in 10 months. 4 dependent kids swept up in the shit show.
in laws turn out to be unhinged

That is all you need to know really

Poopeepoopee · 09/08/2025 11:28

AuntyDepressant · 09/08/2025 11:23

One word. Punctuation. Nobody is going to read a wall of text like that.

Yeah I gave up on about line 10

Rizzz · 09/08/2025 11:28

Honestly I lost the will to live and had to give up. Why on earth are you doing so much moaning about what your husband’s sister texts to his phone??

And what’s wrong with looking at your social media? It’s what people do given that it’s the whole point of it?

TheaBrandt1 · 09/08/2025 11:30

Paragraphs?! Who can read a wall of text like that?

Ilikewinter · 09/08/2025 11:31

Well I have read it all! Yeah it seems like his sister is a bit bat shit, and too invested in her brothers , your DH life, but this isn't going to change and you'll always been seen as a threat. The good thing is your DH is aware of her behaviour. I'd let him get on with it and support whatever his choices are. Good luck !

TonTonMacoute · 09/08/2025 11:32

I don't understand why he won't go to the family meeting? It will surely help to have the discussion between them and to get his side over to PILs.

If they continue to side with bonkers SIL then at least he will have done all he can to try and rescue the situation.

Persuade him to go

Roseblooms7 · 09/08/2025 11:34

TheaBrandt1 · 09/08/2025 11:30

Paragraphs?! Who can read a wall of text like that?

This. I also gave up after 3 sentences.

DysmalRadius · 09/08/2025 11:38

It's hard to call - her sending her own brother pictures of her new hairstyle shouldn't even register on your radar, so including stuff like that makes me think you are hard work.

'Blending' two families ten months into knowing each other and forcing your children to live with strangers makes me think you have exceptionally poor judgement are are hugely selfish.

So, really, I can see why your husband's sister might be concerned about your relationship but it's hard to tell where your unreasonable behaviour ends and hers begins. I tend to think you probably both engage in the drama when you could just out your phones down and both be happier.

Radiowaawaa · 09/08/2025 11:38

I had no problem reading it. Confused

I would let your Dh lead on this. He sounds like he has good boundaries regarding his family.

Tootiredforthis23 · 09/08/2025 11:39

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:23

You see if you’d waited just a teeny tiny bit longer than 10 mo before marrying your new squeeze, you’d have uncovered that his family is unhinged

Instead, despite having dependent children, you got totally carried away and met, dated and married a man in 10 months

to say you were reckless is an understatement
to say that you were utterly selfish to drag your dependent children in to this shit show would be an even bigger understatement

over and out

Edited

Exactly this. Although I’ll add that getting married to a man you’ve known for 10 months when you have dependent children makes me think you aren’t exactly stable yourself. At 10 months most people would just be thinking about their kids meeting their new partner, not marrying him and expecting everyone to start playing happy families. I feel sorry for all the kids.

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:39

Radiowaawaa · 09/08/2025 11:38

I had no problem reading it. Confused

I would let your Dh lead on this. He sounds like he has good boundaries regarding his family.

This chap “collapsed” with the stress of it (supposedly)

AnyoneWhoHasAHeart · 09/08/2025 11:40

if someone posted here that a family member of theirs had met and married a man with two kids within ten months, and that since then they had stopped communicating with their family the assumption would absolutely be that the new partner was isolating them from their family.

As for a woman who meets marries and moves a man into her children’s home within ten months there’s just one phrase which springs to mind.

Cock before kids.

CircuitMaze · 09/08/2025 11:41

As you can see from the responses so far that was far too wordy and needs paragraphs. I’d suggest you delete and re-post including paragraphs and then edit for brevity. You are not going to get sensible responses until you do so sadly.

I read it all but tbh this all happened too fast with the getting married and merging two sets of kids together. The DSis is not right in the head for some reason and I would suggest your DH grows a backbone, mutes her mindless texts, simply doesn’t respond to nosy interfering questions, and keeps her on an information diet regarding you and your life together. Or just walk away from this toxic family.

saraclara · 09/08/2025 11:45

TonTonMacoute · 09/08/2025 11:32

I don't understand why he won't go to the family meeting? It will surely help to have the discussion between them and to get his side over to PILs.

If they continue to side with bonkers SIL then at least he will have done all he can to try and rescue the situation.

Persuade him to go

That. If he's not there to put his perspective and show the batshit messages to his parents, then they WILL take her side because it's all they're hearing.

It's not as though his present strategy is working, so at least he should try this. It will either help or draw a line under the whole family thing. A resolution one way or the other is far better than what's happening now

PestoHoliday · 09/08/2025 11:46

Met, dated, introduced him to your kids, moved in together and got married in TEN MONTHS?

I guess this is what "Marry in haste, Repent at leisure" means.

Snoopysimaginaryfriend · 09/08/2025 11:46

I don’t understand why his sister is causing YOU so much stress by texting him? Just put her on mute and respond once a week or whatever he thinks is appropriate. Why so much drama and collapsing from stress?

Catpiece · 09/08/2025 11:49

His sister is nuts. The end

thepariscrimefiles · 09/08/2025 11:50

You and your DH should let this play out. Let his parents go no contact. They will be the losers, not you and your DH. His sister sounds nuts and very jealous and possessive and that won't change.

As the only solution that his parents will accept is for you to be ostracised from their family and not invited to anything, your DH can't and won't accept that. He will probably need some therapy to come to terms with it but his parents have shown their true colours.

thepariscrimefiles · 09/08/2025 11:52

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:39

This chap “collapsed” with the stress of it (supposedly)

I thought you were bowing out four posts ago.

waterrat · 09/08/2025 11:52

Some of what you describe thr sister doing sounds totally normal. Some sounds hectic but she may have been reacting with stress about how quickly he got married and also not involving family

I think he should go to a meeting with his close family. He should take whatever steps might improve such a key relationship in his life and you should encourage it

AuntyDepressant · 09/08/2025 11:53

Roothewheel · 09/08/2025 11:27

Met, dated, moved in and and married a man with in 10 months. 4 dependent kids swept up in the shit show.
in laws turn out to be unhinged

That is all you need to know really

Far easier to follow thanks. I gave up half way through when I realised there was still about six miles of text left to wade through.

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