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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

This is inappropriate, isn't it?

70 replies

nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 15:40

Would love to list all of the reasons why I despise my FIL at the moment, as I really need to let off steam but it would go on and on and I'm worried about outing myself in RL although I doubt any of the in laws would be on here and this would probably out me anyway.

He lives across the other side of the country and visits when it suits him with his wife. He has a long history of being unfaithful to his string of partners, leaving DH's mum for her friend and abandoning DH and siblings, impregnating the next wife and then having no contact with his next child, and has now been married to his current wife for a good few years although is apparently having an affair with a 25 year old (I don't think this is true though he would if he could, he has a bit of a habit of living in a fantasy land and for whatever reason I think he thought saying this would impress people).

I recently found out that last year he had made a completely inappropriate sexual comment to my cousin's wife on a family holiday. My cousin's wife hadn't told me about this, she is very shy and probably knew it would cause trouble if she told people. I am really angry that he would dare to make sexual comments to a member of my family, a woman married to my cousin and a mother of three young children. He has caused enough damage to his own dysfunctional family, how dare he try to seep poison into my family! I have bitten my tongue as, by the same note, I feel unable to 'cause trouble', especially as we have recently cut other members of DH's family out of our lives for different reasons.

Whilst he was staying up here with his wife, I said nothing about it although I feel as if steam is coming out of my ears with the effort. At one point I was standing in the kitchen alone. He came in, and after a short while asked me if I could undo his belt buckle for him because he couldn't do it. He asked in a perfectly friendly and casual tone of voice, which I feel was intentional. I feel like he tries to push boundaries to gage what kind of reaction he would get, and makes comments which he knows that he would be able to deny any kind of sexual intent involved if the woman involved kicked up a fuss. I responded by shouting 'DH, come and undo your dad's belt buckle for him, he can't do it himself'. I have since told DH how angry I am and what a cunt I think his dad is, and whilst DH says he knows that this comment was inappropriate, he hasn't said anything else about it. In fact he said, 'what do you want me to do, cut him out like I cut my mum out?' As if I am the evil daughter in law trying to isolate him from his lovely family. I really really feel that his comment was intentionally sexual and I am disappointed with myself for not being more assertive. I believe that he thinks that he is god's gift to women, and he is honestly far below average in every way you can imagine. He would, for example, in the mornings go to the spare room and get changed into clean socks, jeans and even put a belt on but then walk around the house topless for hours. I'm not a prude, but I found it laughable that he purposefully went shirtless as he clearly thinks his body is a lovely treat for the ladies.

In other ways, I despise him and his wife because they are users and takers. They have very little interest in their son. We have recently experienced a rough few months, a miscarriage, DH was suspended for a long time from work and has only just been reinstated, death in the family etc however none of this was mentioned. FIL emailed me to tell me he was coming to stay with us and actually wrote within the email that 'it will have to be a cheap weekend I'm afraid as I'm skint' (he lost his job a few months ago). Fair enough but why act as if he would usually wine and dine us because that is not the case. We are skint, I'm on maternity leave, and what would usually happen is that I would cook for everyone and that is exactly what happened on this visit. I cooked lots of homemade meals to a chorus of 'I'm hungry, it's 2pm, oh I'm so hungry, there's not enough bacon in this carbonara' (his wife), made sure they had towels etc which were then left screwed up next to the bath (FIL).

I became sick to death of their bragging about their expensive hair cuts, all the shows they have been going to and expensive meals they have. They just wanted to go shopping, and look at houses to buy or rent up here (NOOO) as in big six bed houses completely out of their budget. DH fucking panders to them and was actually driving them round so they could look at these huge houses they can't afford, why? It makes them worse when they believe they have an audience of people who think they are the people they want to be.

I am sick of their fantasy lives. We all know they aren't well off, he hasn't got a job but when he did he would pretend he was a huge high flier head of everything raking it in, they haven't paid off the capital of their mortgage although are not too far from retirement, although do choose to live this lifestyle of theatres, hotels, and meals that they can't afford.

Well, I have definitely outed myself in anyone in RL reads this. Didn't mean to speak about anything other than the belt buckle thing but I couldn't seem to stop myself. Will probably have to ask to have this thread removed later on but just wanted to hear from someone, anyone, even if it's to say that I'm being bitchy and over the top.

OP posts:
Whizkidwithacrazystreak · 10/07/2012 15:47

Good for you for getting that off your chest.

I think they sound dreadful and no you are not bitchy, just realistic and I understand why you don't want anything to do with them. I wouldn't either.

nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 15:48

And whilst I'm on a roll, he owned a 1 bed flat whilst his children were young enough to have been able to stay with him each weekend or even the odd night and consequently never had to worry about having his pesky kids taking up any of his time, but suddenly he 'needs' at least a 4 bed house when he moves up here, probably for all the offices he seems to think he needs because he is so self important.

Just to be clear, I don't think this moving lark is actually going to happen, it's just another of his fantasies in FIL fantasy land (although he potentially could move up here if he got himself another job and once he sells his mother's house as she has recently passed away he could buy outright - but would probably just blow the money on expensive shirts and meals), it's just the gall of him telling people that he wouldn't settle for less than a 4 bed now when he didn't 'need' more than a 1 bed flat when he had children that needed their dad.

Sorry sorry sorry I'm done now!

OP posts:
MissFaversam · 10/07/2012 15:48

No OP you aren't being over the top, they sound like a bloody nightmare to be honest. I actually think you were being assertive calling your husband to undo his belt.

Hard one though ay OP. Don't have any advice as such just wanted to say it's not you it's Mr Creepy's.

amillionyears · 10/07/2012 15:49

You are not being bitchy and over the top
Perfectly reasonable responses to your fil and your mil.
yes the belt thing was inappropriate,and basically yes to everything you say.
DH probably wants to keep the peace.And think of it as,when DH is out of the house with them,fil and mil are not in your house.Maybe a bit harsh,but true.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/07/2012 15:51

He's a dirty old man and you shouldn't have him in your home. Any decent husband would have frogmarched him off the premises after the belt buckle remark. E-mail him back and tell him it's not convenient for him to stay. If DH wants to see him, suggest a neutral location (restaurant) and that they book a hotel. See how keen they are then. Don't take any emotional blackmail from your DH.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 10/07/2012 15:56

You're not being over the top, he sounds repellent. Also, you probably feel angry with him for being a shit dad to your husband, but expecting such a lot from him now he's a grown up.

Good for you on the belt buckle thing. God, a sexually harrassing FIL, it's all you need.

I think the best thing to do is just to minimise the amount of time and money that you have to spend on him. If they want to visit, they can stay in a B&B as there is "no room". Let your husband and kids spend time with his dad if they want to, there is no law that says that YOU have to.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/07/2012 15:57

Wouldn't let my kids near this bloke. If he makes passes at their mother and pervs after 25 year-old mistresses, do we think he has any normal boundaries at all?

nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 16:04

We are moving house in the next few weeks and when I was telling them my plans for the spare room he said 'well you won't be able to use it for that purpose straight away because I'm going to need it for a few weeks', DH responded 'how much should we charge you' jokingly to which he responded, 'nothing, it's free bed and breakfast isn't it'. I'm worried that his plans to move up here will involve infiltrating our house for months and months rent free until he sells his own. I will not let this happen, and I know it's not something I need to think about but can't see how I can get out of it without putting everyone's nose out of joint.

Having visions of doing his cooking, washing, tidying away his dirty cups, and feeling awkward 24/7. Also visions of annoying wife making barbed comments about how my perfume is too heavy for daytime use, how because we have a small dog (and a clean house, I promise) that our carpets and couches smell of dog, and that DS's bottle isn't warm enough/telling me he's pooing constantly every time he grunts/putting his dummy in his mouth when he's hungry/looking at me askance if I ever don't succumb to her husband or my DH (I hate it when women pander to their husband's every whim as she does, and she hates it when women don't pander to their husbands).

They actually want my dad and uncle to do up their house for them when they move up here. I was talking about everything my family are doing for us in the new house to try to shame him into offering some kind of help (practical not financial) and obviously all he was thinking about was what he could get out of my family. My mum was telling him that my dad and uncle were going to put a bathroom suite in for us and rewire, and then asked him if he was any good at DIY and he said 'well, expertloounblockers mum, you have to remember that there will be two houses to do up, so it's good to know that expertloounblocker's dad and uncle could do my bathroom and kitchen for me'. ARGH. He did say he's so amazing at tiling and fitting carpets etc, but when his wife broke a cupboard door off in our kitchen when I was out - HOW? How do you break a cupboard door off the hinges just from opening it? - DH tried to fix it and when he couldn't I asked FIL if he could have a go at it and he replied 'no, but my dad would have told you to stick wet paper in the screw holes and then redrill it'.

OP posts:
nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 16:13

Thanks everyone, I'm glad to know it's not just me who thinks that the belt buckle comment was inappropriate. What galled me was that we took them to my parent's house for tea later that day to break up their time here a bit, and he said loudly and confidently to my parents, 'ohh I couldn't get my belt undone earlier and they were all laughing at me and wouldn't help me, WOULD YOU EXPERTLOOUNBLOCKER?' Staring right at me. It really creeped me out, and made me feel angry. I can't really explain why, I think it was the way that he knew it had made me uncomfortable and I feel like he repeated what had happened in this way as he knew it would make me feel more uncomfortable and almost to make me complicit in the whole saga being one big joke that we had all thought was oh so funny so that if I thought about it and raised it in the future I would appear strange as everyone knew that I had been just as involved in this big joke, am I making sense?

OP posts:
ElephantsAndMiasmas · 10/07/2012 16:15

He sounds like a bloke who somehow hasn't had enough people to say no to him.

Tell your husband that you will not have him staying in the house as he makes you uncomfortable and you don't have time to look after guests (especially rude ones).

Tell your relatives that they shouldn't do any work for him unless he pays them up front, as he is a Class A pisstaker. Otherwise they might agree or even do things for free under the impression that they are doing YOU a favour, which would be sad.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 10/07/2012 16:17

Yes makes perfect sense. It's deeply creepy. "it's all just a big game" crap is classic abuser stuff isn't it. Can you speak to your mum and dad about it and let them know what he is being like and how much it is upsetting you? They should know how things stand and would hopefully support you.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/07/2012 16:19

"can't see how I can get out of it without putting everyone's nose out of joint."

Then they'd better get a few splints ready. :) It is YOUR HOME. He wasn't worried about offending you or your DH, so don't be worried about upsetting him. Life ocassionally throws up moments where, if you don't make a BIG stand and risk being unpopular, you end up regretting it for ever. I think this is one of those moments.

nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 16:20

Oh my parents know everything that you know, they initially thought he was selfish but pleasant enough to speak to, but now despise him as well.

And the work to his house - he meant that my dad and uncle would renovate his bathroom and kitchen for free. As a favour.

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 10/07/2012 16:20

" feel like he repeated what had happened in this way as he knew it would make me feel more uncomfortable "

It's called sexual bullying, harrassment, intimidation.... If he did this in the workplace he'd be up before a tribunal.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 10/07/2012 16:26

Do you have kids in the house?

nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 16:31

Yes a 3 month old son. They'd brought a little toy up for him and were full of 'oh what ARE we like, we must stop getting him all these things, we just can't help ourselves' ha. And then lots of parenting tips and suggestions from a man who ran away from 3 little boys and saw them a handful of times as children, and from a woman who has never had or wanted children.

OP posts:
nowanexpertloounblocker · 10/07/2012 16:38

Sorry finished that before I meant to. Example conversation with FIL's wife:

DS crying
me: He's hungry, I'll make him another bottle.
wife: He's not hungry, he's not long had a bottle.
me: He cluster feeds in the evenings, he is hungry.
wife: He's tired.

OP posts:
NarkedRaspberry · 10/07/2012 16:44

Withholding a crying, unsettled baby from their parents when asked to hand them back is absolutely not on. And he sounds like an utter creep.

Binfullofsiliconelimbsonthe45 · 10/07/2012 16:45

Well done on how you handled the belt incident. I would agree with the other posters and refuse to have him as a leechguest in your home.

If you are on mat leave you have enough to do, with an upcoming move and refurb than to tackle this inappropriate old turkey.

And if I were you I'd stand my ground in those social situations where he tried to belittle you. "yes you are correct FIL, I did find it completely inappropriate to touch you near your groin area" keep a straight face and fail to see the joke.

And if he was parading half naked around my home I'd ask him to get dressed properly whilst a guest in your home.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 10/07/2012 16:48

Urgh. They sounds awful. Now, what is the likelihood, out of 10, of you saying to your husband "Sorry, love, I know he's your dad but having him staying here is just too much. He makes me on edge and uncomfortable and stresses me out when I'm trying to look after the baby. If you want to see him, fine, but I won't be hosting him in this house overnight again."

tb · 10/07/2012 16:52

Agree with everyone else about the belt incident. Think I'd be tempted to move without leaving a forwarding address, but then I can be given to evil thoughts on occasions Grin

gingerpig · 10/07/2012 16:54

They both sounds hideous. If I were you I would take great delight in being the unreasonable one whenever possible. At least that way it might put them off visiting too much or moving up there. He sounds like an arrogant pig who needs some basic ground rules.

ShirleyKnot · 10/07/2012 16:57

Your FIL sounds astonishingly like mine (now ex) - in fact when I was reading your OP I was racking my brains trying to think if he had another son I was unaware of. Shock. He also was a SHIT dad, irresponsible, thinks he's god's gift to women and is basically a bastard.

His wife's FATHER felt me up in the kitchen once and when I told my DH I was pretty much told not to rock the boat and I must have misunderstood. Er - no, I think someone pinching my arse and copping a good old feel of my undercarriage is hard to misunderstand, anyway I digress.

You wll have to stand up to him I'm afraid. It's the only way. My XFIL is very fond of me (again - like I give a fuck) I think, in part, because I always stood up to him and it was a novelty to him - but if it had made me really hate me I still would have done it because - well, I didn't want my sons growing up thinking that the way be thought and behaved was right.

You have all my sympathy.

TheSpokenNerd · 10/07/2012 17:00

Ew....just EW! I think you are perfectly reasonable and if I were you I would have feck all to do with that disgusting man ever again!

Your DH should be ashamed of himself too.

causeforanamechange · 10/07/2012 17:13

I really can't stand my FIL most of the time either, but not entirely for the same reasons. I can certainly relate with the creepy and inappropriate behaviour though. He'll come out with comments like "Oh I had a really erotic dream last night, I think you were in it" and this is in front of DD(5) He always goes on about how much he loves sex and how i'm a prude for not wanting him to discuss that kind of thing in front of DD, or in front of me for that matter!!!Angry He's also a rude, racist, ignorant, uneducated(AND PROUD!!) inappropriate...............oh bloody hell, the list goes on and on!!

Your FIL and his wife sound awful! I'm glad you're not taking all their shit! It's so difficult when you've got kids around though isn't it. It's not just down to your DH though. It's your house and children too, so you have every right to ban certain behaviours. Give an ultimatum. I did and as much as he hates me for it, I don't get the same IDIOTIC comments which I used to get.