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Relationships

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

NC with IL'S worried about news filtering back to them

14 replies

whiteblossom · 21/01/2014 16:56

Need some words of wisdom. We have been NC with inlaws for nearly three years now.

We are on good terms with the rest DH side of the family and they all know that we are NC with IL's and they all still see IL's. We are kept separate from IL's. I hope that makes sense.

Now to the point, I am pregnant (2nd) It will be very unexpected for both of our families and at some point dh will want to tell his gran (FIL's mother) and his DB and the rest of his extended family.

Now clearly someone will be telling our inlaws the news, my concern being the backlash from them. MIL is a narc and FIL her enabler and I just know we will get a nasty text/letter/email.

Probably something along the lines of, how terrible it was to hear the news 2nd hand, how terrible we are to keep another GC from them, how hard it is for them blah blah.

They have never been interested in our ds, never. They like to keep an act of doting GP but when faced with an open calendar to choose some dates to see him they are 'very busy this summer' 'but of course we would like to see him more'...they have broken promises, let us down time after time, they only EVER think of themselves.

After we had DS they ruined and made our lives so much harder. I do not wish to repeat this. even if they sent a 'congrats text' to try and lure my dh back into thinking into their lives.

So, at what point does dh tell his family (knowing that IL will find out), 12 weeks pregnant, 20 or after I have given birth? If we wait will it only delay the pain that is about to come our way? I really don't want it after I have given birth, I think I would truly loose my temper!

OP posts:
CailinDana · 21/01/2014 17:04

You have to detach otherwise they still have a hold over you and being nc is pointless. Tell whoever you want whenever you want. Who cares if they text/write? Ignore.

ThinkFirst · 21/01/2014 17:06

Congrats on your pregnancy.
Tell family when you normally would. I'd get the backlash out of the way sooner rather than later. As you are NC with them I take it you have blocked phone numbers, email addresses etc, then they can't get at you that way. Any letters that arrive through the post bin without opening.

whiteblossom · 21/01/2014 17:09

your absolutely right cailin. I think because they still send xmas/bday gift for ds, and I know their pattern so well that I can predict whats coming and forwarn my dh. So I end up anticipating their next move to prepare ourselves.

I do need to detach myself you have hit the nail on the head there Smile

OP posts:
HauntedNoddyCar · 21/01/2014 17:09

I agree with Callin. What does it matter? You'll ignore it anyway. Or your Dh will, more to the point.

We get sporadic communication which Dh disposes of unread.

Concentrate on your nice family and ignore the horrors.

Congratulations by the way.

whiteblossom · 21/01/2014 17:14

thanks thinkfirst Grin

We didn't need to block their number they like to write all their nastiness down. However I suspect that dh is weakening, they sent him an xmas card (big woop)

They now mainly write to dh office or email him at work- do they really think he wont show me Confused

They have tried to put a wedge between us treat us as 'divorced parents' my dh told them where to shove it Wink

OP posts:
whiteblossom · 21/01/2014 17:17

right Ive decided dh can tell his family at the same time or just after mine have been told. All dh family lives hours and hours away so we don't often get to see them.

thanks everyone

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 21/01/2014 17:25

whiteblossom,

re this part of your comment:-
"they still send xmas/bday gift for ds"

I sincerely hope you do not ever acknowledge any gifts sent, infact I would take all those items to the charity shop. They're doing this as well to manipulate your own son, toxic people never ever send items without conditions attached to them.

This link below may well be useful to you:-

"Attempts to pull you back into a toxic relationship are not valid expressions of caring and concern — they are attempts to regain control over your behaviour. Beware — hoovering attempts are often disguised as caring, loneliness, hurt, desperation, fear, illness, and other things designed to play on your sympathies and pull you back. Abusers know that pulling on heartstrings works very well. (In the case of BPD, it may be simply out-of-control emotions and fear of abandonment more than an attempt to control you per se; however you will likely still feel that you are not being allowed to end a relationship you no longer want).

If your wish to end a relationship is not being honoured, whatever a toxic person thinks will work best on you will be what they try, so when one angle doesn’t work, they will try another, and another, ramping up their efforts until it seems they might never stop. Typically, hoovering DOES stop if the person being hoovered does not fall for the hooverer’s tricks.

The sooner the person being hoovered completely ignores everything and does not respond to anything at all in any way, the sooner the toxic person finally understands that they do not have the control. Some toxic people may still make the occasional attempt on holidays, anniversaries of events, etc. Don’t bite the bait. Simply ignore any attempts.

If you have already made it clear that you do not want a relationship (or if it’s obvious) then DON’T ever contact the person doing the hoovering to tell them to stop again, or how angry you are. That is a reward. They will be thrilled to receive your attention and pleased to know that their efforts have paid off by snagging you, so they’ll be contacting you even more!

If you have told someone you do not want contact, and they continue to bother you, the police can assist you. If you ever feel that someone you are trying to break off a relationship with may be capable of more than simply annoying you mildly, contact your local police for assistance. They are well-accustomed to dealing with skillful manipulators and have many smart ways of handling them, so do not hesitate to ask for help. (And remember, you have nothing to be ashamed about; you’re not the one behaving badly, and the police are there to protect you from abuse.)

More Here: lightshouse.org/lights-blog/when-toxic-people-start-hoovering#ixzz2r3RE4iM7"

DH needs to ignore all stuff sent from his parents as well, they are also trying to hoover him back in. This is a common tactic used by such dysfunctional people.

DH tells the nice members of his family when its convenient for you both.
It does not matter what you will get from them because you will continue to ignore it. NC is exactly that - NC. Continue to ignore any crap they send you, shred such items upon receipt without opening. Do not return any post they send you; any contact from you will be regarded as a reward.

ddubsgirl · 21/01/2014 17:27

can dh not block thier email address? or at least flag it as 'junk'

whiteblossom · 21/01/2014 18:46

Attila ds sends a thank you card. DH insists that we 'stay in the right' and do it by the book. So he wont refuse presents for ds and will insist on thank you cards being sent.

I have been vilified for a card that DH and I both agreed to not give DS as it made promises to take ds somewhere which given that they wouldn't talk to us at the time and they don't even know ds, we didn't see it as fair to ds as we knew it may never happen. You know what kids are like "when can I...." and we couldn't answer those questions. Its because of this they now only sent things to his office. DH has texted to ask NOT to do this but they ignored it. DH will be moving his office soon and yet YET he said he would inform them of the new address WTAF!! I had a few words about that.

DH has said that he has closed the door for now on but I think he thinks at some point it may be possible make amends...but he's also made it clear that he does not want anything to do with them and it much happier nc.

Most of what ds got at xmas went to charity as it was far too young for him. It was disappointing that they have no idea that he has aged in three years and his taste has evolved.

The problem is that dh does not want to rock the boat and set them off but I guess that's the FOG.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 21/01/2014 19:23

"ds sends a thank you card. DH insists that we 'stay in the right' and do it by the book. So he wont refuse presents for ds and will insist on thank you cards being sent.

Oh no!!:(. This just rewards their bad behaviour. Any contact to his parents minds is a reward. By doing this as well he is exposing your DS to their narcissist manipulation which it itself damaging; sounds like your DH is too much in FOG (fear, obligation, guilt) to realise that. He is not doing right by either himself or his own family unit here and is further prolonging his own agonies. You're right; he is very much in FOG and does not want to rock that particular boat. It may always be the case as well, I warn you now. He needs to realise that NC is NC and that includes no thank you notes when gifts are sent to your DS.

Please tell Mr WB the following from me:-
Its not about staying in the right Mr WB, its about protecting your own self and your family from your parents inherent narcissism. There is nothing wrong with protect your own self from people who actively set out to ignore any boundaries you care to set. Your wife is rightly concerned. They were rubbish parents to you and are deplorably bad grandparents to your own children. They will not change and always want the last word.

His parents also ride roughshod over any boundaries he cares to set them. No surprise there.

Your DH also needs to read "Children of the Self Absorbed" written by Nina W Brown.

Do visit the "well we took you to Stately Homes" thread on these pages as the ladies on there could help you as well.

Lweji · 21/01/2014 19:58

You do need to close the door. Or rather your OH.
They are not his only family, so if contact is to be made, it can happen.

Personally, I'd delete any e-mails. And work emails can often do that for you, or mark them as spam and delete without reading.

Letters can also be binned without opening.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 22/01/2014 07:21

Are you sure NC is the right move here? You describe MIL as a 'narc' and surely, by setting things up this way, what you create is a drama in which a narcissistic person can play a full hand of 'see how he treats his own mother!' and 'he said, she said' cards. If they were a part of your life - albeit very detached, arms' length & any contact controlled by you and DH - then they'd have nothing to complain about. Any nasty letters or whatever could be safely ignored. Do you all live in the same location?

Hissy · 22/01/2014 07:37

With a Narc, you can't 'win' whatever you do.

If you don't reply, they have nothing to 'show' anyone, it's all word of mouth. If you reply, and these ridiculous thank you cards are replies, they will be used against you.

It'll be a case of "look, the boy writes thank you letters, but they won't let him see us"

Fundamentally, it doesn't mAtter what people like these say about us, or to us, we must ignore and not allow them to affect our lives.

If they write abusive letters or emails, they can be warned by police to stop or face prosecution.

But you can filter emails and bin letters without reading them. Do it. It's liberating.

Bollocks to them, they don't have the right to upset any of you.

Your H must not tell them his new work address, it's really important. They don't deserve to be 'in the know'

Hissy · 22/01/2014 07:40

NC is NO CONTACT.
NO COMMUNICATIONS,
NO EXCEPTIONS,
NO EXCUSES,

NO NOTHING.

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