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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:
CherryBlossom321 · 16/12/2025 08:52

I’d have messaged back, “Thanks for the feedback MIL, good to know how you feel. Hope you enjoyed my hospitality, as rest assured you won’t be experiencing it again. Merry Christmas!”

QuietlyPedalling · 16/12/2025 08:53

Also might I just add that the obsession with being slim is nothing to do with MIL’s “generation”. We have no clue what is, but I’m guessing this woman was born around the ‘60’s. It’s a personality thing. She’s a cow.

I found the most shocking part of your post to be the fact that she a) wasn’t falling over herself to apologise to you then b) the same with your DH - no apology. Shocking.

The arrogance of the woman.

I hope your fil is taking note of the timeline, so that in a few years, when he realises he doesn’t see much of his son, he remembers why.

BluePeterAdventWreath · 16/12/2025 08:53

Accidentally send one to the wider group chat saying yes DH you’re right, your mother is a complete cow and what a shame you’ll be too busy being a burden to host them again.

Coalday · 16/12/2025 08:56

Oh OP, that is so dreadful.
I would tell your husband that his mother is so spectacularly two faced, ill mannered and unkind that YOUR opinion of her is changed for ever.
He can travel to see them in future as they won't be staying with you again.

As for your husband, he sounds wishy washy, his mothers son.
Silence is your friend here.
Leave the group WhatsApp group.
I wouldn't be making any effort whatsoever going forward.

goudacheese · 16/12/2025 08:58

I had a similar experience where my mum hadn't cut off a call to me and I heard her talking about my DH to a friend of hers. It was all a pack of lies but she's a good mum and in her 80s so I decided to ignore it and time has healed. It's hurtful but not worth falling out about, you won't ever forget it though.

diddl · 16/12/2025 08:58

I'm sure some of these replies are tempting, but don't stoop to her level.

I'd be concerning myself more with my relationship with her son.

Coalday · 16/12/2025 08:59

Actually posters are correct, messaging the WhatsApp that she will NEVER be burdened by your company again is a good idea and leave the group.
What a truly horrible two faced woman.

Whereismyfleeceblanket · 16/12/2025 09:00

My mil told me to my face I needed to work on getting back in my clothes..
Ds was 2 weeks old..
And the jeans I had in were a size 10.
Never again would i host mil again in your shoes... Dh can have her over while you do your own thing. It's very liberating not seeing your ils.
Ime.

RabbitsEatPancakes · 16/12/2025 09:01

Depends how big you are though doesn't it. There's a bit cuddley and then there's unable to move 500lbs. One is definitely a burden!

Is it that DH used to be very sporty/ active and now he isn't and she blames you for that?

Another2356 · 16/12/2025 09:01

mil Should not have said it….. but I encourage you not to take it to heart, often people say insensitive things about others when they don’t think they are around…. And your mil is going to be very biased in favour of her son… to a totally unreasonable level. My mum is the same 😵. However I would raise this with your mil and tell her how hurt you were about the comments and that yes you are aware of your weight and will be addressing it for health reasons but her son loves you as a person not just if you have a flat stomach and slim body and you are not a burden to anyone, but a wife who contributed fully. Request an apology, then move on. If she won’t talk to you send her an email to the same effect. If she cannot bring herself to apologise then explore why she thinks what she said was acceptable.. etc etc

Whereismyfleeceblanket · 16/12/2025 09:03

Op's mil was calling op a burden.. If op was 30 stone and it bothered mil so much why pretend she was a nice mil when really she is a class 1 cow....

Downtoncrabbey · 16/12/2025 09:05

She is abusive, I wouldn’t be surprised if she did it deliberately. She is the type of MIL that hates her DIL, whatever you do she will find something to criticise, like a typical bully, take whatever she says with a pinch of salt. Because you are so nice the only thing she could think of was to go low with the weight thing.

Im sure you could find things to criticise her about but you don’t (or didn’t!) because you are a decent person.

DH is a doormat unfortunately. The question is does he criticise you behind your back? Is this coming from him and is he passive aggressive? OR does she criticise and he says nothing/joins in like the doormat he is bcos he wants to get her approval.

Neither scenario is great. If it’s the first, your marriage is in trouble. If it’s the second she is always in his ear, poisoning him against you and he does not defend you or tell her to stop. Which is why he said ‘what’s the point in telling her off, she won’t listen’. The fact he knows this points to how terrible a human being she is, and that he is too scared to have a spine and tell her it’s unacceptable.

I would want to see their text messages or listen in on their calls to see what’s really going on. If there’s something he is resentful about/you have an argument, does he go running to mummy dearest? Or does he deliberately not tell her knowing what she’s like. She is constantly trying to break you two up no doubt. I wouldn’t want that in my marriage, because if he ever is resentful of something she will be in his ear whispering divorce which could sway him if he listens to her.

I would be interrogating my DH about how often she criticises me and what does he do about it.

waterrat · 16/12/2025 09:06

Wow that's incredibly nasty

I can imagine the shock of getting one side of someone and then seeing their absolute most bitchy persona out of the blue

Op - this is not about you. It's not about your weight, about your relationship, about your home - it's just about her and her weak and sad personality which got a little kick out of a nasty comment.

It's sad and I would never forgive her but just feel sorry for her for being such a total pathetic woman

SaySomethingMan · 16/12/2025 09:07

ForShyBlueFish · 16/12/2025 02:15

Yes :( I am truley shocked as to how someone can hide their feelings so well to your face,

She’s being nice to you because you are her DS’s DW. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I don’t think it’s fair to blame your DH for his DM’s words especially as he has clearly shown he doesn’t agree with therm and tried to talk to her. You need to let if go. Maybe your DH can socialise on his own with his parents for now.

Regarding the burden part, it sounds like you’ve been leaning on your DH a lot this year and he has found the support he in turn has needed from his parents? Could he have also been finding it difficult without you knowing?

I don’t think the message was nasty. She thought she was sending it in confidence to a friend. We are all allowed to have that space. It’s such a shame it came to your family group though.

OldPosterNewName2025 · 16/12/2025 09:08

I think leaving the group chat sends a quiet, dignified message that you won’t be treated like that and that you will no longer be engaging.

fairydust11 · 16/12/2025 09:11

forgetitplease · 16/12/2025 01:47

Sorry you're going through this, OP. Well, if I were in your position I would ban her from my home and tell my husband that he can crack on with her, but I won't be seeing her again. She's not only ungrateful, but a judgemental and harsh person. As if you're not aware of any weight gain and I'm sure that you did a lot of, if not most of the hosting. How on earth is that a person who is a burden? She's a bitter and cold cow.

I completely agree. I would never allow her into my home again & make it very clear to my husband why. He can meet up etc, but I wouldn’t make any effort going forward.
I would also remove myself from the group chat & not speak to her again unless she actually genuinely tried to apologise.
If she did I would forgive but the relationship would never be the same again.

Conniebygaslight · 16/12/2025 09:12

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.

MIL tries to shut it down because she doesn't want to take responsibility, she's minimising it to avoid what she's done. It is a big deal, it's a terrible thing to do and Op has every right to feel how she does.

shhblackbag · 16/12/2025 09:13

Yeah tbh I'd be finding out if husband has been complaining to mummy. He sounds wet. Ugh, I'm so annoyed for you.

MrsKeats · 16/12/2025 09:14

What a horrible cow. Your husband should have defended you properly.

Mangelwurzelfortea · 16/12/2025 09:19

Your MIL is a nasty two-faced bitch. Still, at least you know now. She wouldn't be welcome in my home again after a comment like that about me, nor would I be visiting her.

NearlyMonday · 16/12/2025 09:20

BruceAndNosh · 16/12/2025 01:40

I'd be upset to be called a burden, that's so much worse than the comment about your weight

Yes, I agree

crazeekat · 16/12/2025 09:20

Honestly I wouldn’t speak to her again. She doesn’t even bother she has been caught out. She’s a total bitch and even if u were skinny (and so what that u are not?) she would find something wrong with u from the sounds of it. She’s one of these ones who there’s no one good enough for her precious son. Your son needs to send her a txt message that she can’t ignore and spell it out that if she doesn’t acknowledge and apologise for the hurt she has caused she won’t ever be back in your house. And mean it. She is a horrible person. Keep her away. She won’t care about you but she will be devastated that your husband is supporting you with this and will soon grovel. She will personally be fuming she has made this mistake and is trying to save face by playing it down. Absolute cow of a woman.

CalculatingCrispen · 16/12/2025 09:23

Unless John is literally carrying you around, I fail to see how YOUR weight is HIS burden??

Unless he has been talking to her about it behind your back?

Either way, she is a 2 faced bitch and I would NEVER see or speak to her again without a full apology. And even then, she would never stay in my home again.

Mangelwurzelfortea · 16/12/2025 09:25

I think I'd stick a message on the group chat 'Showing your true colours there, Jane. We won't be hosting Christmas for you again. HNY, The Burden.'

MrsFruitbat · 16/12/2025 09:29

It is such a horrible ungracious hurtful comment but it may just be her (unpleasant ) values and not very personal to you . My own dear MIL who was wonderfully good to me always went on and on about her own daughter's weight (my SIL ) amd how worrying it was. SIL was and is extremely active and healthy but MIL consistently worried about her weight .
Also I have noticed how often people who are a bit overweight tend to be very sensitive and kind and helpful to others and carrying the emotional problems of the family. They never seem to be the agressive assertive people who trample on everyone else.