to insist that my dh doesn't have "teenage strops" at his parents this Xmas?!

[onthepier]

We tend to alternate Christmases, one year my dh's family come to us + the next year we stay with them. My family live locally so see them Christmas + New Year.

My dh is absolutely fine on the years his parents come to us, but when we go there he finds any reason to sulk, ie, "feeling under the weather, too much to drink last night, tired from stress of work leading up to Christmas, etc".

We go there with our 2 dc's, + my dh is fine for the first day or so then after that the sulks start. What happens is his mum always runs around pampering him, "Can I get you something, Do you need some peace + quiet?", etc!!

I've learnt that the sulkier he gets the more I ignore him, + concentrate on enjoying Christmas with the dc's + everybody else. However this time I've already told him clearly, "No teenage strops", he is over 40 FGS!! He's now saying I'm causing tension before we even get there, + has gone off sulking already! I'm glad I said it as I think he needs to realise. Does anybody else's partners tend to react like this when back in their childhood home? The rest of the year he's absolutely fine with everybody!!

YANBU - he needs to grow up. Tell him that if he ruins your Christmas one more time with his strops then you'll stop going to his parent's house for Christmas.

He is almost certainly an arse! My DH used t do this at his and my parents. But he has learned a bit better now.

It is totally pathetic isn't it?

It is pathetic do what primi says and give him one more chance before you stop going.

Whenever we used to go to my PIL my dh reverted back to being a stroppy teenager too. Even worse, being back in his mums house led him to believe all he had to do was sit there while I ran myself ragged looking after 3 small kids while he "talked to his mum coz he doesn't get a chance to see her often".

Now they've moved to Spain and I refuse to go there with dh and dcs - talk about a busmans holiday - I'd be doing everything there that I do at home.

Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent but no, YANBU.

Ooh I would be so tempted to get a video camera (or mobile phone) and film it and then play it back to him so he can see what a kid he looks like! But maybe I am just evil

tell him that you'll take away his play station and he'll be grounded for a week if he strops again this year

Thanks for your replies, I think he does realise his behaviour is pathetic but won't admit it! I've told him I think it's attention seeking, wanting all his mum's attention like a small child would, he went a bit quiet so I think he now realises how he comes over to me and the dc's at these times!!