Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I posted about this previously but now it's worse and I need a good rant

103 replies

Chittychattymatty · 26/12/2025 02:32

So I posted about getting engaged and not wanting my sister's boyfriend to attend. They've since had a child and my wedding is this coming summer. I'm rambling Because I can't complain anymore to my fiance or my friends. It's unfair to them and I've really let this all get under my skin way too much.
And I really need this rant.

I've avoided him for the last 18 months as much as possible. If it's a big family group I can bear it because there are a lot of people around. But things have only gotten worse for me. I normally attend Christmas with my mother and my kids. She lives alone and we've always had Christmas together. Usually it's my whole family (Siblings plus) but their families have grown in size so much, the last couple of years it's just been the four the us. This year in our sister group chat we were discussing Christmas day. My sister and the boyfriend wanted to have Christmas with my mam. However my mother has made it clear she took cannot stand this bf. None of my family can but some are better "passing themselves" more than others. Anyway she wanted dinner with my mam because she wanted Christmas with her family but wanted other people to come as buffers because her boyfriend was going to come and she's aware of how my mother feels about him. Her words. When my mother and I spoke my mother had agreed to hosting them because she was under the impression my kids and I would still come regardless. I said I would not be attending Christmas this year as I didn't want to spend it with him. My mother obviously relayed some of this information to my sister because she basically asked me straight out of her boyfriend wasn't coming would I be having dinner at home. I was caught of guard and said not exactly. They made other arrangements and went to his family and I had dinner with my mam. My mam is getting older now so I helped cook dinner as much as she would allow. She is a particular woman to say the least.

My sister and her boyfriend visited my mother that evening. And my sister basically listed out all the components of the dinner I was in charge of asking my mother how were they? Eh how was the ham? And the stuffing? Ect ect And it dawned on me that my sister is gone more like her boyfriend.

If I was to talk about individual events some are straight out nasty and others could be considered "him trying" but to be perfectly honest he is just overbearing and condensing.

He will never have a back and forth conversation. He just tells you things. It's hard to give an example but I still live in the town I was born in. So I am familiar with it all. He is only living in it about two years. But he'll tell me all about it like I've never been. And everything is the best thing ever.

When he asked my daughter about her Christmas present, one was a trip to London for three night. He basically just told her everywhere she had to go and see and do and getting stupid things up on his phone to show her. And it's not in a nice and interested way. It's an I know best way. It's all just too much for me now. It was my daughters birthday yesterday too. We took her out for a meal and I invited my mother and my sister (she's godmother) and obviously her boyfriend was invited too. I was willing to pass myself for the sake of my daughter and Christmas. But they basically came in. Shoved my kids out of their seats and just began to tell us things. No real back and forth conversation. The boyfriend spoke about how he found this delicious wine that we must try because we are going to love it. Insisted on looking it up on line to show us .... My fiance doesn't even bloody drink wine and said this during the conversation but it's just ignored.

I know I've rambled on but I'm just so annoyed and had to get it off my chest. Probably doesn't make sense but basically I'm really annoyed and pissed off that not only does she ignore these things about him. When he can be incredibly offensive she just thinks he can be a bit annoying and tries too hard. But now She's not turning into him!!! And I really just do not want to be around him at all but now that she's turning into him it just makes our relationship more strained . And I don't know what to do

OP posts:
stardrops1 · 26/12/2025 08:01

Are you for real? All this drama because he talks too much and doesn’t have a back and forth conversation? I was expecting something really awful but this is so petty and ridiculous. I feel very sorry for your sister - having her family behave this way over such minor nonsense is really not on. If you want to continue having a relationship with her, I think you need to grow up.

Lindaisonit · 26/12/2025 08:01

Why is he so appalling?

You have spent an inordinate amount of time focused on this.

LAMPS1 · 26/12/2025 08:07

He’s a know-it-all who places himself firmly at the centre of every social occasion, expecting everyone to appreciate and value his knowledge and opinion. And to hang on his every word.
You can either ignore him or challenge him with your own superior knowledge and opinion.

Just avoid him OP. There’s normally one in every family. It takes all sorts.
It’s not such a big deal if you can invent a few polite excuses and learn to move away from him. You don’t have to like everybody but you shouldn’t disrespect those who aren’t your type. Learn how to tolerate him.
It’s just not worth creating a family fall out and rift over him if he’s not that important to you.

CotswoldsCamilla · 26/12/2025 08:10

OP, would you not just look at him and with a tinkly laugh say “you’re not mansplaining AGAIN, are you James?” And rinse, repeat.

Grey rock the guy. You can’t really change his behaviour but can change how you react to it.

Sadza · 26/12/2025 08:11

He actually hasn’t done anything bad, I’m surprised at how angry you are. You have two choices. Put some big girl pants on and invite them to the wedding and other family occasions. I would imagine on your wedding day you’ll have plenty of distractions. Or lose you relationship with your sister and her baby.

pictoosh · 26/12/2025 08:13

I'm another who is confused by the level of your dislike for this man. It seemed you were going to tell us about something terrible...but no, he's just socially inept.

Maybe you ought to relax and let your sister's choice of partner wash over you.

Lindaisonit · 26/12/2025 08:14

This reply has been deleted

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

NotTerfNorCis · 26/12/2025 08:15

I'm surprised at people criticising the OP.I know exactly the kind of person she's talking about - arrogant, overbearing, ruining every social gathering by their behaviour. The fact that he won't have a 'back-and-forth conversation' is very telling. Over time, someone like that crushes the life out of other people. It's exhausting to deal with, especially if they're obnoxious with it. You have my full sympathies, @chittychattymatty!

ContentedAlpaca · 26/12/2025 08:18

Does he have no capacity to do reciprocal conversation? My fil is like that and it is exhausting.
I flip flop between feeling irritated and wanting to hide out of the way when he is here and thinking well he can't help it.
I wish we had tried to address it earlier.

LateLifeReturnee · 26/12/2025 08:18

OP, my sister married a man like your sister's boyfriend. It was insanely difficult. We have difficult personalities in our family, probably would be diagnosed ND today but alas, no help 50 years ago. But he was on a completely different level.

It is more than just a crashing bore. The whole atmosphere, the whole room , is dominated and ruined by them.

But we had to deal with it, have some level of interaction or we'd lose our sister. After many years, she finally divorced him. His own son, the only child they had, now limits his time with him as an adult.

We never spoke ill of him.to the child. We grinned and beared it. When directly and privately asked by sister, I told her I found him really difficult. But that was towards the divorce. Her son once said to me at about the age of 9 people didn't like his daddy. We talked about the good things about his dad - clever, educated, involved dad. I didnt say your dad's an insufferable bore and lectures is all in his cleverness nor I thought his involvement in his son's activities was mainly show (he was asked to either shut up or not attend sports events by the coaches for example.) A child isn't helped by being told half it's DNA is crap.

I voted not unreasonable, but suck up your feelings, smile, and find ways to limit time and contact with him to be there for your sister and her child. Don't make it worse by adding drama.

gannett · 26/12/2025 08:23

It's perfectly normal to pull up recommendations on your phone if someone is travelling to somewhere you've been. I did that myself on Xmas Eve.

Also while some know-it-alls are tedious bores, I've also known too many people who react negatively to anyone who actually has knowledge/curiosity/opinions about the world. "Ooh they think they're up themselves with their opinion on hat rioja is better", that kind of thing.

ThatCyanCat · 26/12/2025 08:24

Many families have a garrulous, self centred bore somewhere in them, OP. He sounds crap company but I really can't see what the unforgivable, become estranged behaviour is.

Homepizza · 26/12/2025 08:30

Lots of people aren’t good at conversation. Why do you dislike him so much?

pictoosh · 26/12/2025 08:31

gannett · 26/12/2025 08:23

It's perfectly normal to pull up recommendations on your phone if someone is travelling to somewhere you've been. I did that myself on Xmas Eve.

Also while some know-it-alls are tedious bores, I've also known too many people who react negatively to anyone who actually has knowledge/curiosity/opinions about the world. "Ooh they think they're up themselves with their opinion on hat rioja is better", that kind of thing.

This is a very good point, although I doubt it applies here.

Inverse snobbery is a real thing. People can collectively fear that which goes beyond their sphere of experience and knowledge, which is expressed as disdain for it.

Enrichetta · 26/12/2025 08:31

I agree with PPs. I also wonder how other people perceive you…

Lindaisonit · 26/12/2025 08:32

This reply has been deleted

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

PollyBell · 26/12/2025 08:35

Unless he robbed a bank or had an affair with a prince who is a bit shifty i really don't see why the need for all this drama, why the intensity?

NotTerfNorCis · 26/12/2025 08:40

This reply has been deleted

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

How on earth do you get that from 'However my mother has made it clear she took cannot stand this bf. None of my family can but some are better "passing themselves" more than others.'

LIZS · 26/12/2025 08:40

You don't have to like him but avoiding seems to be unnecessary on basis of what you state. Sounds like a power struggle between you and your sister to spend time with dm. Her pernickety behaviour can be tolerated but not his. He shows an interest in your dd trip, presumably she is old enough to say his advice is unwanted , nicely.

Hawkinsresident · 26/12/2025 08:42

Okay so the boyfriend is a Mr Know it all….. the world is full of them. Unless they’re a narcissist you got nothing to worry.
But for your own sake work on your self esteem. Those who feel less of themselves in company of others struggle with know it alls.

UncannyFanny · 26/12/2025 08:43

So has he actually done anything significant? None of that is really anything that would cause an entire family to refuse to be in the same house as him for me. I also thought you were going to say he’d done something unforgivable or evil?

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 26/12/2025 08:45

This reply has been deleted

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

I wondered that too.😆

Touty · 26/12/2025 08:45

I think I understand what op is getting at, sounds like narcissism

BarilynBordeaux · 26/12/2025 08:49

NotTerfNorCis · 26/12/2025 08:40

How on earth do you get that from 'However my mother has made it clear she took cannot stand this bf. None of my family can but some are better "passing themselves" more than others.'

‘I'm rambling Because I can't complain anymore to my fiance or my friends. It's unfair to them and I've really let this all get under my skin way too much.’

friends at least sound like they’ve had their fill.

PennyLaneisinmyheartandmysoul · 26/12/2025 08:50

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 26/12/2025 08:45

I wondered that too.😆

Same…. Methinks the lady doth protest too much!

Swipe left for the next trending thread