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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Anxious for MIL visit after holiday disaster

449 replies

TheQuaintTealSeal · 11/08/2025 00:06

As in the title really.

I am really anxious and not looking forward to MIL visit this weekend but somewhat being made to attend, more of a how should i navigate this than AIBU.

A bit of back story (sorry this is a long one), MIL organised a holiday for us all (myself, DH, DD 14 months at the time and MIL and MIL new husband and grandparents from Ireland) back in February. it would have been our first time aboard together since being married for 4 years. We only had a month to get passports for myself and DD due to when we were told about the last minute holiday, which I must admit I didnt really want to go with a 14 month old and undealt with mental health issues but was convinced to go by DH. Flight was around 4am so as you can imagine not a lot of sleep for anyone and with a tired 14 month old, the start of the flight was horrendous and I was starting to get frustrated and overwhelmed with anxiety being on a busy plane with lots of people looking at me with the screaming of DD, DH moaning in my ear about her screaming and already not wanting to go anyway, so I raised my voice to my DD and husband to both stop in the panic of everyone looking.
FF to when we get there all started okay until we check in and the whole overwhelming situation I get a bit upset and really not wanting to be there and just wanted to fly back home, this was lack of sleep talking. Spoke with my mum as we are close ish hoping it would help (which i massively regret) and it somehow ended up with my aunt at our hotel door the very next morning, which i definitely did not ask for or want in the slightest.
MIL finds out about this and seemed okay about it, but barely spent any time with us or her DGC the whole week! We had 1 evening meal and 1 drink the entire week! Fair enough they also wanted to do their own thing but our daughter got sick and being first time parents the situation at the time and her state and being in another country, we were worried and tried to get hold of MIL. (Wasn't even in the same hotel, was a 10 minute taxi ride away but she's a pediatric childrens nurse), DH called many times but she didn't pick up so ended up with my aunt helping with what to do.

FF to flying home, we never went to the air port with MIL despite previous arrangements and they changed their seats to the front of the plane away from us, we were all booked together at the back before, didn't know of the change until we got on the plane.
When we arrived home at the airport we saw MIL walking briskly to the front of the terminal to get the bus to the car park, without even saying goodbye to her DGC.
We thought this was odd but carried on to the carpark on another bus.

This is where it gets nasty. MIL texts DH to say "sorry for not saying goodbye to DGC I was just pissed off with myself for her aunt turning up and I fully blame her for it and for ruining the holiday and I dont appreciate how she talks to my DGC and style of parenting". Now I dont think my DH really defended me and in effect said "we are the ones that deal with her 24/7 and we will parent how we see fit". I actually didn't know any of this for months until DH slipped up in an argument and said his mum didn't like me and sent me the screenshot of her message out of spite.

I'm so angry and upset over her comment and the fact that she acted nice to my face whenever we did see her for the whole week.

Now she hasn't visited in 6 months where usually it would be every month or so and NOW she wants to drop everything and let it be, and forget everything and wants to visit, and im expected just to forgive and forget, but I cant. I honestly saw this woman as a 3rd motherly figure and now im questioning everything.

How would you navigate this visit without causing confrontation or arguments as I cant handle it but dont want to be 2nd guessing if im being slagged off behind my back or be somewhere where im not wanted because im still being blamed and seen as a bad parent.
And yes I am aware my DH was also wrong in this.

Shall I just forget everything as I was in the wrong with raising my voice and not trying harder for my aunt not to rock up or am I right to still be annoyed and hurt by all this.

OP posts:
Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 18:53

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 18:47

Sorry when you said that you hadn’t been abroad for four years when you got married, I took that as fact.

That’s not what she said. What she said was ‘it would have been our first time abroad together since being married for 4 years’ - not ‘since being married’. Also specified was that DH hadn’t been abroad for seven years. So it’s perfectly possible that before she went abroad with DH, she hadn’t been abroad since she was 16.

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 18:59

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

We can only go on what an OP tells us can’t we. And if OP is on meds that make her tired, on a 4am flight and hasn’t slept for 24 hours, she’s hardly likely to be at her best. So her DH sitting right next to her, grumbling about their child screaming and doing nothing to parent the child himself isn’t likely to go down well is it ? Have you had an empathy bypass or something ? And suggesting isn’t fit to be around children simply because they have a MH problem is straying into ableist territory.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:03

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 18:53

That’s not what she said. What she said was ‘it would have been our first time abroad together since being married for 4 years’ - not ‘since being married’. Also specified was that DH hadn’t been abroad for seven years. So it’s perfectly possible that before she went abroad with DH, she hadn’t been abroad since she was 16.

Edited

Not how I read it

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:03

Lanzarotelady · 11/08/2025 17:57

If she didn't want to go on holiday then she should have put her big girl pants on and said no! She didn't have a passport and neither did the baby, so all she had to say was no.

If OP cannot say no to a holiday, what else isn't she going to say no to?

And we’re off again 🙄

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:06

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:03

Not how I read it

Well maybe OP can clarify, since we’re now nitpicking the absolute minutiae of what’s she said.

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:06

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

This just doesn’t end does it. So now the OP is not safe to be around her own child because she raised her voice on a plane in a moment of stress.

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:07

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:03

And we’re off again 🙄

The careless attitude towards an OP’s mental health and the deliberate goading and picking apart of what she’s posted has reached another level on this thread.

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:07

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:06

This just doesn’t end does it. So now the OP is not safe to be around her own child because she raised her voice on a plane in a moment of stress.

So we can add ableism as well as downright nastiness now.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:09

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:06

This just doesn’t end does it. So now the OP is not safe to be around her own child because she raised her voice on a plane in a moment of stress.

And suggesting her DH is not wanting to take his DC on holiday because of what he said in a moment of stress is ok?

It’s like two sets of rules.

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:09

Like you @Rosscameasdoody, I’m done with this endless game playing with some of these posters. I’m just glad the OP is ok.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:10

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:07

So we can add ableism as well as downright nastiness now.

Keep bringing this thread to the top, I’m certain you’re doing it to aid the OP and not to keep banging on that you’re right and no one else must comment otherwise!

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:10

Clafoutie · 11/08/2025 19:09

Like you @Rosscameasdoody, I’m done with this endless game playing with some of these posters. I’m just glad the OP is ok.

Well we agree on something, at least OP is ok.

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:10

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 18:18

Absolutely, OP can stop posting at any time.

Or you could !!

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:12

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:10

Or you could !!

Do you just want the last word, is that it?

Whilst saying it’s because you’re sooooooo concerned about OP?

“Awaits another tagging and post, which of course will answer the question”

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:12

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:09

And suggesting her DH is not wanting to take his DC on holiday because of what he said in a moment of stress is ok?

It’s like two sets of rules.

How was it a moment of stress ? He was sat on his arse next to OP watching his child screaming and OP struggling to quieten her down, and did nothing but complain about it. Where was the stress ? Why didn’t he take charge - he’s not a bloody sperm donor, he’s the other parent !! Do you often support misogyny ?

ArtTheClownIsNotAMime · 11/08/2025 19:13

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 18:30

What is your problem. Because you’re making this up as you go along. OP didn’t fly her aunt out - her mother did and the first OP knew was when aunty turned up the following day. If you’re going to be fucking horrible to the OP at least get your facts right before you weigh in.

You're the one who's been making stuff up for the entire thread.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:19

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:12

How was it a moment of stress ? He was sat on his arse next to OP watching his child screaming and OP struggling to quieten her down, and did nothing but complain about it. Where was the stress ? Why didn’t he take charge - he’s not a bloody sperm donor, he’s the other parent !! Do you often support misogyny ?

oh dear, you’re being very silly now… you make up
a lot of stuff don’t you….

He was stressed because his DD was crying, lots of parents get stressed by that….

So now I’m ableist and mysogynistic , can I start hurling insults and name calling at you?

I’ve a few things I have in mind, but as an adult, I won’t name calling you from behind a screen, because that would make me a keyboard warrior, wouldn’t it.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:20

ArtTheClownIsNotAMime · 11/08/2025 19:13

You're the one who's been making stuff up for the entire thread.

Tell me!!

But of course an expert of 20 years in MH, so knows it’s the best way to handle a thread….

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:25

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:19

oh dear, you’re being very silly now… you make up
a lot of stuff don’t you….

He was stressed because his DD was crying, lots of parents get stressed by that….

So now I’m ableist and mysogynistic , can I start hurling insults and name calling at you?

I’ve a few things I have in mind, but as an adult, I won’t name calling you from behind a screen, because that would make me a keyboard warrior, wouldn’t it.

Well clearly MN thinks you’re ableist - they deleted the post. And please do tell me where I’ve made stuff up. I’ve missed a couple of updates, as have other posters, and I’ve speculated about a few things before OP clarified. But as far as I know I haven’t made anything up. And yes, lots of parents get stressed by their children crying, but you don’t see so many women sitting complaining to their partners about it while they’re trying to sort it out.

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:29

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:20

Tell me!!

But of course an expert of 20 years in MH, so knows it’s the best way to handle a thread….

Nope. Not trying to ‘handle’ a thread any more than you are. But 20 years in MH tells me there’s a lot more going on with OP here and the bullying tone the thread has taken won’t be doing her MH much good.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:38

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:29

Nope. Not trying to ‘handle’ a thread any more than you are. But 20 years in MH tells me there’s a lot more going on with OP here and the bullying tone the thread has taken won’t be doing her MH much good.

Neither will your constant updating and alerting her to more posts on it…

But carry on…

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:42

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:38

Neither will your constant updating and alerting her to more posts on it…

But carry on…

Odd - a few posts ago you were accusing me of bringing the thread to the top to aid the OP. Make your mind up.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:45

Rosscameasdoody · 11/08/2025 19:42

Odd - a few posts ago you were accusing me of bringing the thread to the top to aid the OP. Make your mind up.

Edited

What? It does both when you comment on a thread, both brings it to the top and sends an alert (if op has that option selected) HTH.

Azdcgbjml · 11/08/2025 19:46

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 18:30

Yeah paying for the entire family to holiday is really unsupportive! Awful and nasty thing to do! Should’ve just invited her DS and DGD, that I’m sure would’ve gone down really well.

Paying for and insisting somebody goes on a holiday that they DO NOT WANT is not being lovely and supportive. It is being controlling.

BlankBlankBlank14 · 11/08/2025 19:47

Azdcgbjml · 11/08/2025 19:46

Paying for and insisting somebody goes on a holiday that they DO NOT WANT is not being lovely and supportive. It is being controlling.

Neither is sending an aunt that is not wanted and been asked not to go. That’s not being supportive, it’s controlling.

Upper case letters does make your point more valid.

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