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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

... in not wanting my MIL to choose our bed without taking our wishes into account

110 replies

jackdaggerette · 09/07/2008 12:03

...and in thinking that as two 27 year old professionals we can probably choose our own bed?

DP and I are buying a house together (we currently both live in my flat, which we intend to sell after we've completed on the new house).

It's bad enough that his mother (who I actually get on very well with) clearly thinks this is HIS house rather than OUR house becuase he is contributing more towards the deposit (despite the fact that once my flat sells I will be paying a very significant lump sum into the mortgage), but I'm gritting my teeth on this one since we plan to get married within the next year or two after which I'm assured by DP she'll see it as OUR house.

The current issue is the bed. We currently sleep in my aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, expensive, 5'9" bed. However, MIL wants to buy us a new bed - actually, is insisting on buying us a new bed. This is extremely kind of her and I am very grateful that she wants to help us out. Unfortunately, the bed she wants to buy us is (a) 5' (DP is a rugby player who sleeps in the middle of the bed. We need all the space we can get. Frankly 5'9" is a bit small for us) and (b) from a bed website so we can't even lie on it before buying it. It's also not as nice to look at as the current bed.

What we would actually like to buy is a 6' zip-link bed so we can have two different mattresses since DP weighs not far off twice what I do so our mattress requirements are fairly different. This is not remotely about money - we have offered to pay the difference for a larger bed or suggested she just make a contribution towards a bed we choose.

We have raised the size issue but she thinks a larger bed will be too dominating in the room (despite the fact that the new bedroom is much bigger than our current room in which the bed looks absolutely fine) - plus it's our room, surely even if we wanted a bed that filled the entire available floor space that would be our choice?

Apparently she's bought beds from this website before and they've been fine. However, when I bought my bed I lay on about 50 beds all of which were very different, plus there is this zip-lock separate matresses issue.

I don't feel we can raise the aesthetics issue since she clearly thinks this is a nice bed and I don't want to upset her - plus it's not actually vile, just not as nice as my bed.

DP thinks MIL will be wildly offended if we put "her" bed in the guest bedroom so that's not a possibilty.

She is just being very adamant about this - there seems to be no way to just say "we do not want this 5' bed we haven't lain on" without causing offence.

Am I being unreasonable in feeling cross about this? She's really nice and she's been ill recently so I'm even more anxious to avoid upsetting her. She's also quite a worrier and I know could easily be really upset by this. I really am grateful for the kind thought, I just want to choose my own bed and simply cannot see why MIL should have the final say in the choice of a bed she will never sleep in!

OP posts:
jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:19

cocole - oh, I know - I see a whole world of this sort of thing opening up in my future!

The scary thing is that am starting to suspect that DP may actualy like this furniture as his resistance to it seems to have died down - should I be expecting to receive this for my next birthday? Added bonus - it's musical...

OP posts:
JudgeNutmeg · 20/07/2008 16:19

I'm glad that you got your bed but I'm a bit flummoxed as to why you have to take any furniture at all. What would happen if you just said 'I do not want any furniture thanks'.

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:28

Judgenutmeg - well, I thought all was fine and we had escaped the plague of vile furniture until DP went round there for lunch today and phoned on his way home to say he'd had another look at everything and the cabinet and the corner unit were quite nice and he wanted them . Perhaps MIL has slipped some kind of halluciogen into his potatoes? He has considerately taken pictures so that I can refresh my mind as to their charms and join his bizzaro world in which a display cabinet is a perfectly normal item of furniture for two people in their 20s to own. I can't tell you how excited I am about seeing them.

If he does really like them I feel awful about saying no as I chose almost all the rest of our furniture since I owned my own place before this one and all my stuff is moving with us. Gah!

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Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:28

##"Let there be peace"##
Yes....
a "piece" of corner unit in the skip... a "piece" of it on the pavement...
a "piece" in next door's dog's tummy...

I'm sure you could find a way of the corner unit miraculously falling onto the cabinet??? and being smashed to smitherines?

Or, you have no idea how, but while it was on the street and you were planning where your musical figurine will go, and which county roses cup you will use "for best" some yob came and nicked it on the back of their bicycle??

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:32

Or....
you being only in your 20's - just didn't know how to care for such a priceless piece of shit antiquity, and you thought washing it with water would do the job, you had no idea that mahogany would get all water stained and "ruined".

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:34

Hannah - perhaps to comfort us after this dreadful accident befalls our lovely furniture MIL will buy us this?

OP posts:
cocoledoublepost · 20/07/2008 16:36

{hmm] you seen to know where to shop for figurines, without MILs help..........

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:38

How lovely...

Or maybe she would replace it with this

After all those glasses have to be displayed somewhere!

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:41

Cocole - oh no! My secret is out! I also own a fine collection of those plates with kittens and puppies on them from the back page of the TV Times... this one is my favourite

OP posts:
Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:42

Or maybe she could get you this instead - corner and display cabinet in one - perfect!

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:44

do u live far away from swansea, they will deliver it for only 50p a mile! Bargain!

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:44

I don't know, Hannah, it's a bit tasteful to really set off my collection of kitten plays and Gone With The Wind figurines. I was realy hoping for something shaped like a galleon in full sail that could really provide a focal point for the sitting room.

OP posts:
jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 16:46

"kitten plates", sorry. That second cabinet is truly a delight that would enhance any home. Why ever are they selling it?

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hunkermunker · 20/07/2008 16:46

PMSL at this thread. She's definitely given your DP LSD.

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 16:49

I dunno... I'm in Pontypool, not that far from swansea... maybe i will bid on it - i'm sure we can get rid of our lovely tv to accomodate it!

cocoledoublepost · 20/07/2008 16:51

Babyjdaggers first jumper

FabioUnblogged · 20/07/2008 16:51

I think you should withhold your new address from your MIL.

MrsThierryHenry · 20/07/2008 16:59

Jackdaggerette,

I haven't read the whole thread, just your OP. However it sounds as though there may be potentially serious issues which will only grow with time, and the bed issue is just one manifestation of this. Your MIL sounds like a very domineering person - though, of course, she only wants the best for her son. Presumably your son hasn't stood up to her about this issue - if he had you wouldn't have posted here, right? You say you 'get on well' with her - would you say you're 100% comfortable in her presence, or do you get on well on her terms?

I think the first thing you and your DP need is some kind of relationship 'training' - my DH and I went to a marriage course some years ago, in advance of any future problems, as we wanted to make sure we set in place solid and effective strategies to build a great relationship.

They helped us find ways to deal with all sorts of relationship issues including dealing with in-laws (sadly it's mainly MILs who seem to cause the probs!). I think you'd both benefit a great deal from something like this - basically it's an investment in your relationship, just as you'd invest in your careers or leisure pursuits (just added that justification as it's possible your DP will say 'no'?!).

It made a HUGE diff to our relationship - helped us develop really useful ways of handling conflict, dealing with in-laws, organising finances, keeping romance and sex alive, etc etc. Brilliant.

The course we did was at a church which I used to go to; I don't know if you have a faith or not but I'm afraid I don't know of any other courses! However I am SURE there will be non-faith-related courses around if you want one: you could perhaps contact RELATE to ask them. Otherwise if you're not bothered by the church thing let me know and I'll give you the details (ours was in London but I think they do them all over the UK). I do recall that it was not preachy in the slightest and they had lots of non-believers attending every week.

I'm sure you've had lots of useful advice on this thread, I really hope you both work things out in a way that benefits your relationship with each other and with your MIL, without bowing to her every demand.

Good luck!

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 17:11

Baby jackdaggerette's cardigan or maybe a lovely tea cosy
or how about this modern table runner and coaster set?
this thread is gettin funnier! lol
xx

cocoiscured · 20/07/2008 17:17

Decor by MIL

Hannah81 · 20/07/2008 17:25

that it soooo tasteful...
reminds me of the curtains at our local crematorium - hmm nice!
jackdaggerette, now wouldn't u love your new house to resemble that? How lovely to have your own personal interior designer!

jackdaggerette · 20/07/2008 21:45

MrsTH - thanks, that is a really good suggestion. DP and I have had a really good talk since he got home and I think we've managed to get a lot of stuff sorted but I can completely see the benefits of the marriage "training".

Coco and Hannah - PML at those, especially the children's clothes. I am pretty excited about planning our wedding - I intend to get a lot of inspiration from here

OP posts:
blueskythinker · 20/07/2008 22:44

MIL wanting to buy your bed is weird. What next? Choosing your jimjams?

FWIW, when you do get round to choosing a new bed for yourselves, 'And so to Bed' are expensive, but worth every penny

Hannah81 · 21/07/2008 10:49

Oh God! Thats the next thing she'll want to ruin help with! The wedding!!! I'd stay single unless you really learn to put your foot down! lol After all do you really want to be wearing "her" wedding dress? complete with moth holes!? - Yes I can see it now.... Pink, frilly bancmange wedding dress AND MATCHING MIL OUTFIT!!! My MIL wanted me to have her friends DD as my bridesmaid - in the end we went abroard to get married! They all came (close family only) but she invited her friend and their childrean along too - we dont like them, so I REALLY put my foot down - they had booked too without telling us) I made them change the date or i said we would change ours and not tell them where we were going - I got my way in the end!

In a few years I'll see you on "weddings from hell" - lets just hope the house next doo to you doesn't go up for sale

jackdaggerette · 21/07/2008 13:08

Hehe. DP assures me she won't want to be heavily involved in wedding planning but is clearly not true! Will clearly be walking down the aisle in a dress knitted out of old antimacassars. Loving the date changing story! Can't believe your MIL invited other people to your close family only wedding!

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