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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

So upset with inlaws and DH

494 replies

ForShyBlueFish · 16/12/2025 01:31

Honestly, not sure what I’m posting for. I am so so upset I feel very let diwn by my DH and what inlaws have said. I would have expected my DH to have stood up for me more but he hasn’t and I suppose I want to know if I am BU.

I (“Amy”) have been married to “John” for 13 years. All these years I feel I’ve had a good relationship with my in-laws. I’m not hugely close to them but always got on well . so I thought. We only see them maybe three times a year due to living very far apart. But its a relaxed good time when we do meet up.

They have just been to visit us for Christmas. I feel I alomg with my DH made our usual quite a lot of effort for them, cooked nice meals inc full roast one eve and full cooked breakfast one of the mornings, got spare room set up lovely & cosy for the 3 nights they stayed over. Basically tried our upmost to make them welcome. As we always do. While they were here, we all visited my parents, who are local to us. Everything fine. I have never exchange any cross words with my inlaws all the years I have known them and im shattered to now learn they (well my MIL at least) feel this way about me, sorry to ramble, let me now explain,

While they were staying with us, my inlaws had a close friend of hers looking after her dog. As they were leaving to go home yesterday morning, MIL said something about the fact she was going to message the dog sitter / friend once they were on the road, to let her know when theyd be home.

well. What happened was, she accidentally sent the message to our family group chat which contains me, DH, MIL and FIL. This is what the message said,

“On road now, satnav saying arrival home at.. oclock. All fine here except Amy seems to gain even more weight every time we see her. Such a burden on John. What’s that they say though - love is blind, right”.

It is true I am overweight, I have had a very sad year and it has been about just getting through it rather than focussing on life style changes. My DH is very supportive and loves me anyway however he knows I want to make the changes and is promised to support me on whatever way I choose to loose weight next year when I do want to concentrate on myself again.

to say I was shocked . Well. A very big understatement. In a rush decision, I actually phoned up my MIL (FIL does the driving). I said, did you know you sent that to the group chat and I can see it? She said “ohhh my mistake you know I’m not very techy like you, must go speak soon”. And that was that…..!!!???

i burst into tears. DH comes in, having just seen the message in group chat. He says when he knows they are home again he will call her and talk about it. So he does, later that day. He has the phone on the hands-free this is at my own request when making the call. But she wont let him speak, just says. a half hearted sorry that she sent it to the wrong chat screen. And then brushes him off saying it is has been a long journey home and she is tired and got to go.

I wanted him to try and say more I wanted him to try and defend me and tell her what she said is completely disgusting and unacceptable but he said what’s the point, she won’t listen, what’s the point in falling out with them? I mean really I am his wife!!

I feel so violated, I have them in my home as I do when they visit even though it is not very often we both make a lot of effort to make them welcome. They sat around the table, our table, ate our food, sat in my own parents home, and all along they feel that way about me.?

am i being over sensitive here?

OP posts:
JoshLymanSwagger · 16/12/2025 04:44

I would tell DH never to mention his mother to you again. You don't want to know anything about her tedious little life.
I would tell DH that she will never be welcome in your home again.
I would tell DH you have not fallen out with his mother. She has done the damage by showing her true colours.

Put the burden of fixing the unfixable back in his court.

PenguinBed · 16/12/2025 04:47

This is horrendous. I expect she does know what she has done is appalling which is why she tried to shut it down.

Your husband‘s reaction was very disappointing. He should’ve been absolutely outraged. But family dynamics are weird and some people would rather do anything than damage the relationship with their parents. I would actually never see this woman again unless she made a genuine apology. You can always tell if somebody is properly sorry.

Please try not to let it affect you. You are a good person and you know you have a bit of extra weight. So what, it is hardly a crime. This is all about her, not you. She sounds tragic with very little else to think about. What a negative comment after you looked after them so well. She’s not a decent person and probably not that happy.

Do not speak to her again unless she apologises. I am sorry.

Klopchampion · 16/12/2025 04:57

I think I’d try to reframe this as an indirect gift - you are now free. You don’t need to care or support them in any way as they age. You don’t need to remember dates or purchase gifts. You don’t need to host or be available. (I wouldn’t necessarily stop DH from hosting but it would be pointedly different from past experiences. I’d maybe go out to lunch with friends and not give a second thought that visitors were staying, I wouldn’t cook , offer drinks or prepare the room).

She has clearly fucked up and it’s a shame that she would rather watch any semblance of the relationship burn than own her mistake and offer a heartfelt apology. That says a lot more about who she is as a person and how I’d interact with her going forward.

Civil, high road, distant - leave her to her misery.

Summerunlover · 16/12/2025 05:02

I would delete myself off that group. And she c wouldn’t be staying in my home again.

MustardGlass · 16/12/2025 05:05

My mother is like your mil, struggles to find a nice thing to say about anyone. Nice to your face but mean behind your back, it’s her way of getting attention I think.

Horses7 · 16/12/2025 05:12

So sorry - your MIL is horrible. Don’t think I’d want to see her again - tell her it’s a burden to see her!! I would expect my H to be more assertive with his mum too!

DeepRubySwan · 16/12/2025 05:14

You're not being unreasonable. My MIL bought me a set of bathroom scales with a body fat monitor for Christmas six months after giving birth to second son. I was livid and it affected our relationship. I wish I had have been able to brush it off. If your DH was more empathic I think it would be better. Honestly most women don't get on with MIL. Perhaps you could send her a DM letting her know it hurt. Then don't go to anymore gatherings with her there and just let your DH see his own family without you.

Tablesandchairs23 · 16/12/2025 05:17

No wonder you're upset. What a horrible woman. I'd tell your husband your not hosting them again. Id also let them know if the group chat they aren't welcome.

Owllie45 · 16/12/2025 05:22

@ForShyBlueFish id just not speak much to her/distance myself. That message was very cruel. And id tell my partner this so he can feed that back

Scarydinosaurs · 16/12/2025 05:22

She’s done you a massive favour. If she hadn’t you would never know how spiteful and shallow she is.

From now on you don’t have to see them, host them. It’s their loss. If they felt that strongly about you, they shouldn’t have accepted your hospitality. From now on they can see their son independent of you.

Im sorry she turned out to be so nasty.

NewUserName2244 · 16/12/2025 05:27

I agree with your husband that there is no point talking to her more or falling out. You now know what she thinks of you, and that she doesn’t really care about having hurt your feelings. I don’t think that there is anything that she or your husband could say or do at this point to make it better.

However, hell would freeze over before I hosted her again and whilst I would be polite for my husbands sake, I wouldn’t be spending any of my time, money or holiday visiting them in the future.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 16/12/2025 05:38

I wouldn’t say or do anything to try and make her feel guilty, because she won’t and it won’t make you feel better. What I would do is not be involved in hosting her in future, not put effort in, be polite but switch off when she’s around, keep out of her way, smile nicely and find a reason not to engage with her, absolute bitch that she is.

Inthedoghaus · 16/12/2025 05:55

She sounds awful

bert3400 · 16/12/2025 05:56

I would post on the group chat, "Mil, at least I can lose weight if I so choose, unfortunately you will always be a bitch "

thepariscrimefiles · 16/12/2025 06:04

She's a cunt and she didn't even care enough to apologise properly. That would be the end of my relationship with her. No invitations to stay and I wouldn't visit her again either.

Citrusbergamia · 16/12/2025 06:05

Onthemaintrunkline · 16/12/2025 02:21

She’s nothing but a two-faced wagon! It will be interesting if she extends an olive branch in the next wee while to try and right the wrong.

And as for yr husband saying something like “we don’t want to fall out with them”. Well that’s already happened, but not by you, they’ve done it all on their own. Going forward, I don’t think I could host her again, if she brass necks this one with no apology I don’t think I’d want anything to do with her. Only you will know what her apology is worth tho. This is a pity after 13 years of reasonably good relations albeit maybe false ones open her part.

Im sorry she has hurt you in this way, especially after your kindness to her. Your wet husband needs to know who his first priority is in all this….and it’s NOT his nasty two-faced mother.

Absolutely this.

DH needs to defend you to his DM. If he'd rather allow you to be upset than speak up for you and potentially upset his DM...well...that throws open a whole new can of worms doesn't it!!

Swash89 · 16/12/2025 06:08

Your dh needs to send a response in the family chat.

shes bang out of order.

serve her nothing but salad next time

MaMaMalenka · 16/12/2025 06:09

ttcat37 · 16/12/2025 02:44

Perhaps we can help you compose a message to ‘accidentally’ send to the group chat?
“John, has your mother always been an insufferable cunt about me behind my back or is that new? You were right about her anyway I suppose! Lol! Your poor dad!”

Then see if people suddenly want to discuss it.

Practically, I think John needs to pack a bag and go and stay with Mummy for a bit whilst you consider if you want to be with someone who doesn’t have your back. And it goes without saying that she doesn’t darken your doorstep ever again.

Brilliant!

Epidote · 16/12/2025 06:10

There are no amendments to do. She said it.
Why? , because she is ugly in the inside. There is no reason to laugh about someone to a third person other that you like to put down people for random stuff. Now you are fat, in the future you will be older, whatever. It doesn't matter. She will find the thing to pick on others and because she is an insecure cow with I'm the woman main syndrome, she is picking on you.
She is great and funny and you dont.
Take a deep breath, don't think more about it and she can go to the any of the seven circles of hell where people like her belongs.

Daisywhatsyouranswer · 16/12/2025 06:12

Well op that made my jaw drop open, what a shocking thing to write, and so non challantly in a text too, which makes me think she bitches about you a lot. It came too naturally.

she’s shutting it down as she’s embarassed by it, so she’s not engaging.

for me personally your husband has to speak to her again, and explain he expects nothing more than a genuine apology and explain you’re not a burden, and how much he loves you and that he will be unable to see her again until this is managed.

Epidote · 16/12/2025 06:12

And next year she can can stay with the dog.

JanetareyouokareyouokJanet · 16/12/2025 06:20

Well that won’t be that first nasty thing she’s said! First time she got caught! Big or small you sound like a very nice person, unlike your sad, miserable mil. Just move on, let her rot in the embarrassment of it all and focus on 2026 and feeling good in whatever form that takes.

thepariscrimefiles · 16/12/2025 06:20

Swash89 · 16/12/2025 06:08

Your dh needs to send a response in the family chat.

shes bang out of order.

serve her nothing but salad next time

Surely OP won't be serving her MIL anything ever again because she won't be welcome in her home.

What MIL said to her friend and her responses to OP and DH were all relationship ending. There should be no coming back from this.

MIL is a cruel and utterly shallow woman and OP will be much better off without her in her life.

LoudSnoringDog · 16/12/2025 06:20

Cut her off.
and tell your DH to grow some balls

Nevernonono · 16/12/2025 06:37

MarxistMags · 16/12/2025 01:44

Violated is a strong word to use. You're upset, angry and feel let down . Clearly MIL thinks it's no big deal as she shuts you down when you try to talk about it.
It was very rude of her to criticise you behind your back. And she should apologise to you.
But try not to cause a rift within the family and disregard her comments. Your husband is supportive and loving. That's what truly matters.

Clearly MIL is down playing it, that’s why she doesn’t want to talk about it!

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