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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to end things with my sister-in-law after years of helping?

134 replies

Fedup0707 · 11/08/2026 20:26

need some honest opinions because I'm very angry and upset and don't know if I'm seeing this clearly.
She's my SIL (my brother's wife). I've never particularly liked her, but she's family and for 17 years I've always tried to be there for her. I look after her children, send my own children to help her and whenever she needs something I tend to run over. I've always felt you support family, even when you don't particularly get on.
However, I feel she constantly blames others, twists situations and portrays herself as the victim. She has a very difficult relationship with my brother and, although he's certainly not blameless, I feel she takes their problems out on the wider family. She's also accused my mum of causing problems between them.
Recently there was an argument over a duvet cover. My brother wanted one, so I gave him one of hers. I accept I should have asked her first. She rang me furious, shouting "how dare you" and accusing me of causing trouble between her and my brother. We both shouted at each other on the phone and I told her i knew that her and her brother had conspired and tried to separate me and my husband, because she wasnt happy being married to my brother. (They are still married) mainly for the kids.
I messaged her afterwards because I was fed up with being blamed and accused when I feel I've done so much to help her and her children. I told her I wouldn't get involved in her affairs again.
Then today my mum came out of hospital. My SIL was there, and I felt she was being fake sympathetic towards my mum as shes previouslybeen awful to her but trying to show look I'm good etc.
I was still angry and confronted her. I told her I didn't think she was a good person and that she should apologise for things she'd said previously.
She told me "don't talk to me." listening to your voice gives me a headache and i said dont talk to you "forever?" And she said well im not a good person and I said I agree your not and she replied "don't talk to me ever, our relationship is finished."
I know I started today's argument and I'm not denying that. I was angry and deliberately confronted her rather than walking away.
But I feel I've spent 17 years helping her, looking after her children and running whenever she needs something, while she repeatedly blames me, my mum or my brother when things go wrong.
I've also realised I've probably pretended we're much closer than we actually are because she's family.

OP posts:
Fedup0707 · 11/08/2026 20:29

Also I shouldn't have started argument in front of my mum as she will somehow blame my mum now aswell ..

OP posts:
AutisticMumOf2 · 11/08/2026 20:34

You fell out over a duvet cover? Seriously?

Mellowautumnmists · 11/08/2026 20:35

Eh?

Rachelshair · 11/08/2026 20:36

It sounds like you don't like each other so probably best to distance yourselves. It's not unreasonable.

ZemblanityZen · 11/08/2026 20:41

Sorry, you gave your brother one of his wife's duvet covers?

Zero2ten · 11/08/2026 20:42

Not sure I’m following the duvet cover drama but regardless, you clearly don’t particularly like her and vice versa so yes take a step back and stop helping instead of constantly getting on each others nerves.

Wafalaman · 11/08/2026 20:43

Why did you give your brother kiss wife's duvet cover? Don't really understand why you got involved in this.

NotAnotherScarf · 11/08/2026 20:43

ZemblanityZen · 11/08/2026 20:41

Sorry, you gave your brother one of his wife's duvet covers?

Edited

No me neither

Shedmistress · 11/08/2026 20:45

Why is your brother asking you for a duvet cover in the first place, when his wife has a perfectly good one right there?

Baffling.

Gengha · 11/08/2026 20:47

ZemblanityZen · 11/08/2026 20:41

Sorry, you gave your brother one of his wife's duvet covers?

Edited

This

WTF?

You all need to grow up I feel. Just stay away from each other. Your poor mum, just out of hospital and having to deal with this shitshow.

ALovelyPinkUnicorn · 11/08/2026 20:48

Wafalaman · 11/08/2026 20:43

Why did you give your brother kiss wife's duvet cover? Don't really understand why you got involved in this.

also This, or do you mean another brother?

Cherrysoup · 11/08/2026 20:48

She sounds like an ungrateful cow, so I don’t think YABU. The trouble is she’s (Al Murray moment) family so it might be tricky to avoid her (are her and your dc close?) and it will probably upset your db/dm if you don’t get along, but I think you should reduce what you do for her, she’s an ungrateful madam.

pinkdyno · 11/08/2026 20:49

I don’t follow the duvet cover thing but leave her be.

support your brother, your nieces and nephews as they grow and just ignore her.

i appreciate you reached a limit with mum being unwell but just don’t talk to her. Or talk only if essential.

Likeiloveyou · 11/08/2026 20:49

I’m so confused…

Dunnocantthinkofone · 11/08/2026 20:51

People who can get this irate over absolutely nothing baffle me.
I can only assume the OP has a charmed life and not very much angst to fill it with (lucky her) to give this any headspace whatsoever

Level1469 · 11/08/2026 20:54

It's a tricky one, OP. Please tell us:
Why did you have her duvet cover?
Can your brother not buy his own duvet cover?
Was it an expensive Egyptian cotton duvet cover, or a £5 charity shop job?
Do you have form for randomly allocating bed linen to extended family?
Has she taken eg kitchen utensils in the past and given them to a sibling?

The answers to these questions will determine your unreasonableness level and keep mumsnet entertained for the rest of the evening

Arregaithel · 11/08/2026 20:55

AutisticMumOf2 · 11/08/2026 20:34

You fell out over a duvet cover? Seriously?

Expect it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

The problem with leaving unresolved resentments to fester, only leads to this exact kind of situation @Fedup0707

You didn't really cover yourself in glory and now both you and she have left the relationship with nowhere to go, which makes it awkward for both and the wider family.

MaggiesShadow · 11/08/2026 20:59

What??

Arregaithel · 11/08/2026 20:59

ZemblanityZen · 11/08/2026 20:41

Sorry, you gave your brother one of his wife's duvet covers?

Edited

"My brother wanted one, so I gave him one of hers"

"hers" obviously should have read ours, just a typo I suspect.

AtlasPine · 11/08/2026 21:01

Have a bit of space from her for a while.

grumpygrape · 11/08/2026 21:02

Where's Jeremy Kyle when you need him ?

wishfulthinking25 · 11/08/2026 21:05

I’m just so confused

AnneLovesGilbert · 11/08/2026 21:05

She tried to destroy your marriage and you carried on skivvying for her cos faaamly? Another world. You’re both better off taking a break from each other.

Fedup0707 · 11/08/2026 21:14

She was out and my brother asked me to run over and get a duvet cover from his house for Airbnb as he was about to leave, her daughter gave me one and that was the one she was going to change. And I know i was absolutely shocked that she caused a huge argument over this! She phoned me at 10pm after she had been to a party to argur i didnt expect it at all, it was such a non issue!

OP posts:
SummerDive · 11/08/2026 21:17

How old is the dd?