to tell mil she cannot use xmas batteries

[MadeinScotland2026]

This happened last xmas but it's been brought up again due to everyone making xmas plans i think.

Mil stayed with us last year and she got the kids lots of presents that needed batteries. Which she didn't get before hand or prewarn us that we needed them.

On xmas morning she noticed my bag of batteries I got for xmas and went to put them into the toys she got. I said no they were for the toys santa got ( they were brought for this reason and cost £££)
I told her she can use any left over and I will buy more when I can. She wasn't happy to say the least and then asked the kids which toys they wanted batteries in first ( they said santa which i already knew)
I was annoyed as

1. They cost £££
2. I wanted to see my children play with the toys I got
3. She couldve said before hand or got some herself

aibu?

Why bother when she can nab the OP's saving herself of the expense.

@MadeinScotland2026 , don't leave things like batteries where people can see them.

Batteries are removable. They can be taken out of one toy and put into another if they are in short supply. You behaved badly towards your MIL and mafe her feel unwelcome.

Blimey what a lot of fuss about flipping batteries! Yes, she should have got some. She didn't. That apparently led to her taking umbrage and you being here nearly a year later! Wow.
Fgs in the interest of peace and harmony on Christmas Day, buy a load of batteries and just produce them if necessary - without any comments about "last year" - hopefully from her or you.

I'm not surprised she felt like that. Apart from anything else you could have surely swapped batteries around during day etc, taken batteries from something no one needed for that few hours etc .. Why cause a totally needless issue🤔

If you're buying loads of toys that use batteries you clearly have money to spare. So just buy enough to cover both the presents you give and any that anyone else gives.

But it sounds as if in general your family is going over the top on presents and needs to cut back.

It's not really about the batteries.

Wait, you do know that your kids could put batteries in one toy, play with it for a while and then, here’s the groundbreaking bit, take the batteries out of that toy to put in another one…. Don’t you?

You do know how cheap batteries are on Amazon @MadeinScotland2026? We keep a stash of them.

This is so petty. It sounds like an absolute power struggle. There is no need for it. You are the children's mother. You will ALWAYS win.

This year, plan ahead. Buy extra batteries. We always have a supply of AA and AAA batteries in the house.

To be fair, you have a point. Good batteries are expensive and some toys need multiple , or don't last very long so you are having to change them pretty quickly . Remote control cars for example, you need batteries for the remote and the car and they last a day if you are lucky 😆

My family are very good and have always bought the correct batteries for the toy. It is common sense really, but it's also not worth fighting over, so i would probbaly get some cheap ones from a £1 shop for her toys.

You could also look at rechargeable ones as an option

How nasty of you. Buy some extra and find some Christmas cheer!
lidl have cheap batteries

I am confused, has she just messaged about it or did she do so last year? Either way she was being unreasonable to just assume and take the batteries, you were unreasonable tp start an argument with her. You could have politely said - sorry MIL I bought 10 for the 10 needed for santa presents so there won't be enough for those if you take them. If she still did i would have just swapped them out after and said to the kids- ah if uou want to play with that we will need to take the batteries out of X that grandma has put into the toy she bought for you. But also, as many PPs have said, buy rechargeable. No excuse not to and if you have lots of those you can reuse without needing to buy more.

Its like people who send gifts via amazon and expect you to wrap them

I agree with this. if its a battery operated toy, then batteries are part of the gift and should be given with the gift ready to assemble and go.

I’d just say sorry but we asked DC which toys they wanted to play with first if you remember and they said ours.

I’d also purchase additional batteries this year to keep the peace. It’s sad she’s still hurt over this.

You actually made it into a competition between you and your MIL by asking your children which toys they would prefer to have batteries in? Bloody hell. I think maybe you need to grow up. And buy some extra batteries. I’m sure your poor MIL wasn’t deliberately scheming to use ‘your’ batteries, she just didn’t think beyond buying the toy. It’s not a big deal.

Apologies, just reread your OP and it was your MIL who asked the children which toys they would prefer to put batteries in. I still think having a few extra batteries is the way to go.

Well no but, as the OP hasn't given any other reasons, that's all we have.

I am confused, has she just messaged about it or did she do so last year?

I was about to ask the same question. I'm finding your OP confusing @MadeinScotland2026 .

But anyway. Tell your DH to check in with her to see what she's buying and to remind her to get batteries.

Or as most people have said, but then in bulk from Amazon. Ultimately your kids lose out if there aren't any. It wouldn't be my hill to die on, really

You can buy batteries relatively cheaply from both aldi and B&M. They aren’t the longest lasting but they do the job. Just go and spend £5-£10 on them and job done. YABU and rude

Mil can too

1. Go to Ikea
2. Buy rechargeable batteries

Don't all parents stock up on batteries for Christmas with young DC? I know I did, there were always presents from family or friends that needed batteries.

Her MIL asked the children.

Do people who gift your DC toys actually buy batteries? I’ve never known this. Have neither done this nor had them bought for me and I’ve had hundreds of toys over the years that need batteries. No family member or friend has ever done it.