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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Potential Holiday from Hell

89 replies

TherapeuticVino · 05/04/2012 17:11

Could be long sorry.

I have been married to DH for 15 years and have always had problems with MIL and SIL. SIL has a mild disability which means an operation every 5ish years and day to day issues but she is mentally 100% and works, lives on her own etc. MIL has dedicated her whole life to SIL and woe betide anyone who has a bad word to say about her.

Anyway, MIL sees herself as the head of the household and was very put out when I came along, as was SIL. She dictated where we needed to be every weekend even though we lived in London and they lived an hour away - she would tell us we had accepted invitations to events and were expected there so we couldn't say no - that kind of thing. SIL has always been openly hostile - she used to slam doors in my face but apparently she had behaved like this towards all of DHs gfs so I tried REALLY hard to be friendly and it got a little better. On the rare occasions that we (or other friends or family) have quietly mentioned one of these outbursts MIL has gone MAD and come out fighting - really not nice. Again, there is NO mental disability - she is just used to behaving like this and getting away with it as everyone is too afraid to say anything.

Against my better judgement I agreed to go on holiday with MIL, FIL (who is lovely) and SIL and ours dcs a couple of years ago. Nightmare. SIL was openly rude and abusive, and on one occasion when I mentioned that I had 2 friends who had similar issues to SIL's MIL went MAD that I had dared to "diminish her problems" by saying it was common(!) and went and woke my sons up crying over them and wailing that I would never understand disability.

I have tried REALLY REALLY hard to understand and in 15 years have plastered a smile on my face and NEVER bitten back because I have tried to give them the benefit of the doubt..I DON'T have a disability so maybe I don't know.

Anyway, the problem. This summer FIL is 60 and SIL is 40 and MIL has announced that we're all going away together (with DCs) to stay in a house for a week. I don't know why but after 15 years I've just had enough, I can't do it. It will be another week of being criticised/ignored/whispered about and I just can't bear the thought. I am angry with myself because I feel like I've made a rod for my own back by putting up with this for so long and allowing them to behave like this, but ALL the extended family feel the same (there are endless conversations about how to bring this up) and if anything is said to MIL she will literally cut us off - she threatened to once before.

That might be a blessing except...FIL is lovely. Dh adores him, I adore him and DCs adore him. He would LOVE to spend a week all together and he's not getting any younger... He has always largely ignored MILs behaviour but has said openly recently that he plays golf 5 days a week because he doesn't want to be at home. He also realises that SIL is very difficult but says he tolerates it because he brought her into the world.....

My heart and mind are fighting it out. I want to make FIL happy - he deserves it. SIL will have no celebration for her bday otherwise - she has had friends over the years but has treated them all the way she treats me and at some point and they've moved on. I have suggested that just DH and the kids go but understandably he doesn't want to use a weeks precious holiday apart (he gets very little)

How can I make this work? Or is it just a recipe for disaster?

Thanks for reading.

OP posts:
FashionEaster · 08/04/2012 15:27

Very glad dh remained firm.

Unused to facing any opposition to their warped world, be prepared for an upping of tactics from them. Two significant birthdays and just the three of them looking at each other, exposing how few friends they have due to MIL & SILs appalling behaviour, secretly fills them with horror - they need a scapegoat, neatly packaged and you, dh and the dcs.

NotDavidTennant · 08/04/2012 17:21

To be honest, you FIL is coming across as the 'good cop' to MILs 'bad cop'. Not convinced he's an innocent party in all this.

ArtexMonkey · 08/04/2012 20:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 08/04/2012 20:43

With dysfunctional people like these its their way or no way. What Glimmerberry earlier proposed would work with normal healthy functioning people but these rellies of yours are dysfunctional and are therefore not open to any reasoned argument of any sort. Your role to these people is to be the scapegoats for their inherent ills.

Holiday with toxic rellies like this is always a recipe for trouble and has disaster written all over it. Glad to read your DH stood firm against your FIL.

FIL is not the innocent party here in this overall dysfunction that he has also partly created; he is acting out of self preservation and want of a quiet life as many such men do. Do not therefore feel sorry for this man.

Would suggest you read "Toxic Inlaws" written by Susan Forward.

RandomMess · 08/04/2012 20:46

Yep your FIL is quite happy to treat you as lambs to the slaughter to keep MIL happy Sad

HoudiniHissy · 08/04/2012 21:31

He probably wants some normal people around him... Even so, that's no excuse!

Tell FIL that you'll arrange to meet him outside of thje family home, if that's what is needed, but that you won't stand for the treatment of your family by these dreadfully warped and damaged people.

HoudiniHissy · 08/04/2012 21:33

On second thoughts... I agree with atilla. :)

RachyRach30 · 09/04/2012 04:31

If you choose to go away definitely do not stay in the same house. Get your own accommodation somwhere. I couldn't cope even for a weekend if they are like this. Why dont you just go for a weekend like you said but stay in your own place??

As for the way they are there not going to change. They need to get a life but doesn't sound like they will. Limited time with them. No staying in the same house. At events try to stay clear. Say hello then find nice people to talk to, you don't need all this drama.

HillyWallaby · 09/04/2012 05:56

I think you shouldn't rely too much on saying you can't go due to pressures of work, commitment to other things, etc, as it allows them to persist in the belief that if they keep moving the parameters you will eventually have to cave and say yes. And it keeps the door open for them to contiune with the unacceptable behaviour. It needs to be brought to a head.

So, this is what I think should happen now:

If the holiday is mentioned at the funeral your DH should say very firmly and without hesitation:

Yes, I do need to talk to you about that, but now is not the time. Let's discuss it later.' And then refuse to engage over it any further, so no scene will be caused at the funeral.

MIL and/or SIL will be bound to phone him at the first opportunity after that. If TV answers the phone and they ask about the holiday she should say 'Oh yes, DH wanted to talk about that with you, hang on...' and she should not engage with them over it.

Your DH should keep his voice quiet, calm and measured, speak slowly, and he should say (making it quite clear that it is HIS decision)

' TV and I have had a long talk about this Mum, and we are both in agreement that we think it would be a very bad idea to go away on holiday with you so we will not be coming. I am sorry, but we will not be changing our minds.'

She will ask why, and he can say:

'Mother, I have something very important to say and I'd appreciate it if you would really listen, without interruption, and take it on board.'

'You and DSis are obviously very close. DSis has made it clear many times that she is not terribly fond of TV and frankly, you seem to collude in her nastiness, and you seem to enjoy ganging up on her in what you think is a very subtle, passive-aggressive way. Maybe you don't even realise you are doing it, but I DO notice, and it upsets me.'

'She may not be your favourite person but she IS mine, and it hurts me to see you and Dsis constantly trying to point-score over her, and make her feel like an outsider. I know we can all get along just fine in small doses, but I will not put her in a position where she is made to feel uncomfortable for a whole week. I've seen her bite her tongue many times over the years, in the face of huge provocation, for the sake of harmony in my family. She does not deserve it, and I will not watch her have to do it any more.'

'So, in conclusion, thank you for the kind offer, but we will not be coming on holiday with you. We will go out for a birthday dinner or do something nice together for one day, when you get back. But you need to know that in future, if I feel that either of you are being anything other than pleasant and civil towards her then we will leave immediately. We will not shout and scream and fall out with you over it, or start hurling accusations - we will just make our excuses and keep cuting our visits short until you get the point. If the two of you cannot manage a whole visit without a sly dig here or there then you will be seeing a great deal less of ALL of us, because we only come as a package.'

'I am going to go now, and give you a chance to process all this. I am not going to have a row with you about this, but I realise you will want to respond, and I will listen, providing you are calm. But not right now - perhaps tomorrow, when you've had time to think about what I have said. Goodbye'

Yes, I know it sounds like a mammoth prepared speech, and it IS. I think it's important that it comes across as such, because then she will know he really means business, and it isn't just some half-hearted spur of the moment whinge.

HillyWallaby · 09/04/2012 06:04

And if she threatens to cut you all off - let her. Really. Just let her.

I think if any kind of serious heart to heart speech goes on with either her, or SIL you should secretly record it, so that when they try to twist your words or exaggerate your tone later, to FIL, or other family members then you can wield it in your defence. You don't actually have to play it to anyone (although you might) but just knowing it exists should be enough to stop them embellishing what you said in a 'poor me, I'm the victim here' kind of way.

Sounds a bit OTT, I know but it's the only way to deal with people like this.

TherapeuticVino · 10/04/2012 14:56

Thanks for all your replies - lots of food for thought there.

OP posts:
TheBolter · 10/04/2012 15:22

Been following this - let us know what happens? Your ILs sound bonkers (well, apart from your fil, but even he needs to grow a pair!) and I would really like to see whether you end up going or not!

HotDAMNlifeisgood · 10/04/2012 15:32

" clearly we have the time to go there so will have to explain why they can't come....."

Why? Why would you be in any way accountable to these people about how you spend your family holidays?

If you believe you need to account to them for your own choices, they will continue to be able to manipulate you. Stop believing that you owe them anything, or that they have any power over you, and you will find it much easier to free yourself from their dysfunction.

LydiaWickham · 10/04/2012 20:39

well, you'd only have to explain why you didn't go with them if you go on holiday on the same week - it's perfectly possible that DH couldn't get that week off work but could get a week a month later when the 'big project' has finished.

Plus if they stop talking to you, they won't find out anyway.

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