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Original poster

Why do I care what other people think?

27 replies

GDG · 27/03/2006 14:43

Well, MIL/SIL really. MIL is here and the whole time I can see her thinking 'eh?' - things I've said that have caused a raised eyebrow are:

I don't let the boys have fruit shoots (would if it was a party, wouldn't make a scene, but wouldn't buy them for home and wouldn't choose it if out)

I don't let the boys eat MacDonalds (again, I think if it was a party I wouldn't stop them going but it's not something we eat and if we were out and hungry it wouldn't be our choice)

I don't iron cot sheets, vests, pyjamas or towels

I wouldn't let ds1 put jelly tots in his lunchbox today (get this - she said to me 'I asked him if he wanted raisins but he chose jelly tots' Shock Right, so you just put them in?? WTF?!)

I am by no means a lentil weaving hippy (or whatever you call it) but I sound like a right old bag when my MIL is here - SIL lets niece eat all sorts of crap I think. I don't give in but I feel like a freak!!

OP posts:
skerriesmum · 27/03/2006 14:45

Stick to your guns! The same rules go for my son and even though it might be hard sometimes, ftry not to let it get to you.

PiccadillyCircus · 27/03/2006 14:46

I am a pretty relaxed person over what my children eat etc but I also wouldn't let fruit shoots be bought, wouldn't take DS to McDonalds, don't iron any sheets, vests, pyjamas or towels (do people iron towels???), or put sweets in lunchboxes (not sure if DS has had any sweets yet).

So you are not alone and also not alone in worrying about what other people think.

Maybe it's a virgo thing (I think we share the same birthday although my baby fuddled brain may have got confused Grin)

waterfalls · 27/03/2006 14:47

I dont iron anything, thats hat tumble dryers are forGrin

Original poster
GDG · 27/03/2006 14:48

We do PC. She is the only person that makes me feel like some kind of 'hitler' when these things come up - nobody else bats an eyelid.

She said to me this morning 'what have you got on the TV, Jeremy Kyle?' - er, over my dead body!! My reaction said it all and I could almost hear her thinking what a sad cow she thought I was!!

OP posts:
moondog · 27/03/2006 14:49

Just smile vaguely and open the wine as soon as poss.
(Can you imagine what my friends think when they come to my house??? I know they think I am a loon....couldn't give a crap.Actually,I encourage it by deliberately creating a mad hippy image just to get them going.)

kipper22 · 27/03/2006 14:52

completely agree on all but the ironing - i iron everything except towels or socks. i always put it down to my virgo-ness too! :)

Original poster
GDG · 27/03/2006 14:53

You're right MD - maybe I should start enjoying it and doing it on purpose?!

We are going to visit SIL in a few weeks and I'm dreading the point at which the boys are offered a fruit shoot and I have to say they can't have them (is that really evil?). We're going on holiday with them in August - they are great company but just have such different ideas about things that I find it quite hard work!

I'm sticking to it - it's the best thing for my children - I just wish they didn't look at me like I'm evil.

OP posts:
Twiglett · 27/03/2006 14:55

agree with all your points .. your in-laws are patnetly stupid Grin

Twiglett · 27/03/2006 14:55

although maybe they can spell patently Blush

paolosgirl · 27/03/2006 14:56

You're right and she's wrong - simple. Why would you give your kids sweets and squash when they could have fruit and water? Surely as their grandmother she's prefer them to have intact teeth? I'm all for these things once in a while, but not every day, or for a packed lunch.

As for Jeremy Kyle...shall I be a complete snob and say what I think? Grin

saadia · 27/03/2006 14:58

I am also quite strict in my own home about what the dss eat but relax when we are elsewhere, but I do maintain that in my home they will eat/drink what I think is appropriate. I'm sure people think they're deprived but with all the additives in such a lot of food there is just no need to feed them such rubbish.

Original poster
GDG · 27/03/2006 15:01

Go ahead PG! THe other week SIL said 'I might be coming up your way soon, I want to be in the audience on the Jeremy Kyle show' Shock I said 'you are joking right?' to which she replied 'no, I really want to stand up and tell them what I think of them' Shock Shock Not only does she want to go and see it, she wants to stand up and make a show of herself too!

HEEEEEEELP!

OP posts:
PiccadillyCircus · 27/03/2006 15:05

I don't know what the Jeremy Kyle show is Blush.

dinosaure · 27/03/2006 15:05

GDG it sounds to me as if you've got the balance dead right on all the things you mention. Try not to let the MIL/SIL duo get to you.

SomethingAboutMary · 27/03/2006 15:09

Ermm can i just ask what has being a "virgo" got to do with this are they ment o be tidy?

Original poster
GDG · 27/03/2006 15:14

PC it's a horrible JErry Springer type thing on ITV in the mornings (but not on my tele Grin)

Virgos are notoriously tidy and picky - I am, but I just don't have the time for unnecessary ironing. It's not messy, it's just a bloody waste of time to iron pyjamas!!

OP posts:
paolosgirl · 27/03/2006 15:16

Jeremy Kyle is trailer trash TV for common people. There, I've said it!!!!! Blush

SomethingAboutMary · 27/03/2006 15:24

GDG - I only asked because Dp is a Virgo & he is blody messy & very untidy....

Wish he was tidy! Grin

PiccadillyCircus · 27/03/2006 15:32

I am messy asll - I go between extreme tidiness and extreme messiness Blush.

purpleprincess · 27/03/2006 15:32

Another Non-McDonalds, non fruit shoot buying (milk, water or apple juice in our house!) non sweet eating house here - although we do bake cakes sometimes, eat yummy puddings and biscuits etc. My Sis is v different in that respect as well. A lot of schools have a no sweets, fizzy drinks policy to best to start that way!

I also dont watch much 'reality tv' (although love the Apprentice!) so cant join in my friends discussions about Big Brother/I'm a Celebrity etc

We should celebrate this! not feel bad about it.

Twiglett · 27/03/2006 19:28

I think Gobble obviously married beneath her Grin Wink

GarfieldsGirl · 27/03/2006 20:34

my mums just like your ILs, but she keeps bringing the crap round for him. She's finally stopped bringing fruit shoots but i now hav a cupboard full of sunny d cos she now brings that round instead, and ds has fresh orange juice or milkshake from the smoothie maker. My mum thinks i'm weird for giving him healthy food/drink and MIL thinks i'm weird cos i don't iron unless its a shirt. He doesn't like McD's anyway so no probs there!

Original poster
GDG · 27/03/2006 20:41

Twiglett - I could not possibly comment Wink
I should add, dh is slowly learning!!

OP posts:
KBear · 27/03/2006 20:50

GDG I have the same arguments about stuff with my MIL. I have asked her 1.27 million times not to give the kids lollies (not the ice-cream kind, the stick down your throat if you fall over whilst rotting your teeth in ten seconds kind!!). For six years every time we visit she gives me lollies for the kids - which I put straight in the bin.

She thinks I'm miserable ("ah, it won't hurt, one little lolly") but I said to her once as she tried to force feed my then 9 month old dd with choc buttons, "when her teeth rot and she needs fillings YOU can take her to the dentist and watch them DRILL".

She backed off for a while but she is still basically a control freak.

colditz · 27/03/2006 21:01

GDG, make up an allergy. I can ban vile coloured sweets, squashes, fruit shoots, fizzy drinks, all sorts, merely by saying "Oh dear, I'm sure he'd love one of those, and it kind of you to offer, but he's allergic to 'ethy-hyperactivium chlorate', and it makes his lips swell up, so I'll just give him this milk I brought with me."