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Awful father in-law

10 replies

MummytobeX1 · 18/06/2018 20:11

Hi all, first time posting on here so please be gentle!
I am currently 40 weeks pregnant with my first baby (little girl)
I am so excited, but there is one thing on my mind.
I really dislike my father in law. He has some very medieval opinions on parenting, and a lot of opinions on pretty much everything with life that I mostly disagree with. He'd rude obnoxious and he's also a sponger in terms of money, but that's a story for another day! Anyway, the list would be to long, but to name a few of his quotes:
"A father shouldn't change a daughters nappy, its not right" well i'm sorry! But this got my back right up! My Fiance will most certainly be changing our daughters nappy, I actually asked him about this to make sure he was not in agreement with his dad on the matter and much to my delight... he wasn't! To be honest i'd be more likely to have my suspicions about him as to why he thinks this is so "weird" if it is your daughter then how on earth should this be weird?! The next quote was "you have to have more than one child, what if one dies" this boggled my mind and I could not even think of how to respond, not only how highly inappropriate it is to be speaking to a pregnant woman about the tragedy of children dying, but you don't have more children "in case one dies!!!" He was vaping around me and when asked to stop got threw a little strop and stayed in the kitchen sulking for ages to make a point, and always comes in smelling of beer! Luckily he lives a while a way so doesn't visit often!Anyway I could go on all day but don't want to make this a war and peace article! My point is, his last visit he left on very bad terms, he was kicked out basically when things came to ahead and my fiance told him its best he leaves. Now I am NOT someone to use a child as a weapon. But I do not want him around my baby, she is the most precious thing in my life and the thought of handing her over to someone like him to hold simply makes my skin crawl. (Someone please tell me if I am hugely over-reacting) now I don't want to upset my fiance, and he is very understanding, he isn't the biggest fan of his Dad himself and I am grateful of how very different he is from his father but he uses the term (he's my Dad though). Anyway I don't want him here, It will be so awkward for a start because the last I saw of him, he left on very bad terms, with me raising my voice to a suitable loud volume and giving him a few home truths (iv'e tried not to be stressed whilst being pregnant but he was pushing all my buttons and I exploded" it is inevitable that at some point he should want to meet his granddaughter but I am getting so worked up about the whole thing. What shall I do???!!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
InDreamland · 18/06/2018 21:32

I'm probably going to give a biased view here and thinking if it was my FIL you were describing I'd be banning him from the house or meeting his grandchild until they're at least 12 months old. I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, he sounds dreadful. Maybe if your OH is still wanting him involved then it has to be under strict supervision, don't allow him to actually hold the baby and limit visiting times to an hour each time. Plenty of excuses to make sure baby is not actually held and visits are limited ........needs feeding, changing, sleeping and you just whisk baby away and disappear to your bedroom and close the door. In case you couldn't tell that is going to be my tactic for my FIL.

LM1970 · 18/06/2018 21:49

Similar to my MIL OP.

When my DS2 was born 3 years ago- 2 days after he was born, FIL and MIL came to visit. She had been that inappropriate on her last visit I refused to have her in my home and made her sit in the car for 90 minutes. I took her a cup of tea no problem- but no chance she was going near my child until she had learnt to behave. I wouldn’t even let FIL take a photo of him to show her.

Many arguments with DH later, she phoned me one night out of the blue when he was approx 9 weeks old. Apologised for her behaviour, insisted she would behave and let us be the parents if she could come and visit her grandchild. I agree- only for her to break the rules yet again on her first visit.

She had zero contact with him until he was a year old and I had stopped breastfeeding and DH could take him out to see her- still this way now and she has never seen DD2 (who is 2) in her own home. She gets to see them strictly under DHs supervision on a Sunday afternoon for an hour.

Causes disagreement but DH knows he’s more than welcome to go home and live with mummy if he disagrees Smile

LM1970 · 18/06/2018 21:58

I may seem like a callous bitch- but if MIL apologised, realise I’m their mother and not her she could come and see them as much as she likes. But I’m just aware a leopard rarely changes its spots —and she’s just as stubborn as I am—

Kilkers · 18/06/2018 22:35

You don't sound callous, you sound like a fucking legend! ROOOAAR, you go Mumma bear 😍 x

NotAsGreenAsCabbageLooking · 18/06/2018 22:39

@LM1970

I just really want to know what she did!! 😳😂

InDreamland · 18/06/2018 22:51

Me too! Agree you don't sound callous.

LM1970 · 19/06/2018 02:37

Wellll MIL didn’t like me anyway (had been married once before and had 2 DC already to my ex). Don’t even go there with me over the wedding- she got an invite by the skin of her teeth and even then her and my BIL got asked to leave by DH.

Didn’t see her for nearly a year and we agreed once we got to the 12 week mark with DS we would tell her (FIL knew but was sworn to secrecy). Took over everything, and insisted DS was circumcised for “hygiene” reasons. Complete bat shit because DH nor BIL nor my stepsons or stepnephew are. Turned into a blazing argument to the extent DH moved out for 3 days and only came back because I had gone into labour with DS and on the pretence MIL wasn’t allowed near him.

To this day she still try’s to tell a 3 year old and a 2 year how much of a bitch I am 😂

ShackUp · 19/06/2018 03:29

LM your MIL shouldn't be criticising you in front of your little ones. Please stop your DH taking them round.

MummytobeX1 · 19/06/2018 05:45

Thank you everyone. Nice to be re-assured I’m not the only one and I’m not just being awkward! It’s just hard isn’t it because you want to keep your husband/partner happy but it can’t be helped when you dislike a member of their family so strongly!

OP posts:
NotAsGreenAsCabbageLooking · 19/06/2018 07:14

I have kids from a previous relationship, and my ex-FIL fits into that bracket... dictating/controlling and barging in with no thought to any plans I’d made.. did my head in so I completely understand!

I now have lovely ILs, and count my blessings!

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