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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

MIL sabotage comes to a head...

469 replies

ewrocks · 10/03/2014 14:06

Hi there - I was wondering if anyone on mumsnet could give me some advice? Myself, my DH and our three children are currently living with my MIL at the moment and have been since October, when my DH was made redundant and we had to give up our rental flat as we could no longer afford to pay the rent. It was decided between MIL and DH that we would come and live with her for a couple of years, whilst we look for work and then, once we have jobs, save for a deposit so that we can buy a house this time. A very kind offer; I had my reservations but because I've always gotten on with MIL (or so I thought), we couldn't really turn it down unless we were to go on benefits instead, which neither of us wanted to do.

So we moved in. It's a bit cramped: MIL has the front double bedroom to herself, DS's (aged 5 and 3) are on bunkbeds in the box room and me, DH and our 1 year old DD are in the back double room. There is only one small bathroom. But however uncomfortable, I am massively grateful for this opportunity. Our kids are very good (we are bloody lucky) and don't cause much fuss. MIL loves them.

DH was out of work until last month, which was very difficult but is now doing well in an even better paid job, thank God. I am a SAHM, as my youngest two kids aren't at school yet but I am currently looking for part time evening/weekend work to boost our income. No joy yet. We have no savings left, as they went on paying our last month of rent and we also gave the rest to MIL for keep. But DH is now earning again and is starting to put some away. I do the vast majority of housework during the day and we all take turns to do the cooking, as it is a hobby of all of ours. I still do the lion's share, I would say.

I always got on with MIL and I thought she liked me but lately she has been doing and saying things that seem like sabotage and indicate that she actually, secretly hates my guts! At first it was little snide comments about my weight, or lack of ambition (she works, I haven't since our second was born). There have been a few goldigger-esq comments as well.
I let these go, as I thought me living in her home her must be grating on her nerves a bit.

But then she started playing games with food. For example, on her nights to cook, she serves everyone else's dishes up first and then leaves mine in the pot/oven and tells me to help myself. She barely leaves half a portion! I'm not kidding when I say on some nights, I'm eating the same amount of dinner as our 1 year old! She'll serve up the DC's and put DH's on a plate in the microwave (as some evenings, he doesn't get back until just after dinner time). On the evenings when I cook, she makes faces and pushes her food around her plate before eating maybe one mouthful and then "fake heaving" and spiting it out in the sink. She'll give the rest of the dinner to her dog and make herself a sandwich or a ready meal. Okay so she might not like my cooking, but it can't be that bad EVERY TIME! She doesn't do this if DH is there for dinner though. If he cooks, he gets heaps of praise for his culinary skills! Hmm

She has repeatedly put peanuts in my eldest's packed lunch despite knowing it is not allowed at his school, due to other children's allergies (I have been pulled up 3 times for this). I also think she is rooting through my stuff when I'm not there (no proof, just a hunch as everything seems misplaced). A pair of my shoes have gone missing, as has a cardigan and a bra. I also found my pillow in the dog's basket one evening. She claimed that the dog must have pulled it downstairs and put it in there herself. (The dog is a westie and pretty small). Hmm

She is also doing this weird thing to my wing mirror every morning: basically, we're living on a very busy road and we have to park our cars on the roadside. You have to pull in your wing mirrors after you've parked up, or there's a very good chance that a car or bus will knock it off. I always wake up to take my son to school and find that my wing mirror has been pulled out again, despite KNOWING that I pulled it in the previous day. So about a week ago, I watched out the window as she left for work (she leaves before me and the kids and DH leaves before all of us) and I SAW her doing it. I caught her doing it the day after and also this morning as well. It is definitely her and it is definitely deliberate. I think she is hoping it will get knocked off? (So far it hasn't, thank goodness).

But worst of all, this morning I went to brush my teeth and the stench of PISS coming off my toothbrush (before I used it, I hasten to add) was absolutely putrid - even when I'd already put the toothpaste on. I just know that she's rubbed it in the toilet after she's used it (or even urinated on it like a pregnancy test - who knows)?! I have no proof of this one, but honestly, it's got to be her with all the other stuff hasn't it? This is beyond a joke - how can anyone be so disgusting and spiteful? I've never been anything but nice to her and she's really freaking me out now. She clearly hates me but why not just be honest about it? DH will never believe half this stuff is going on (although I filmed her doing the wing mirror on my phone this morning and I have saved the toothbrush to show him). But he generally thinks the sun shines out of her arse. And I have nowhere else to go. What the hell am I gonna do here?! Sad

OP posts:
BillyBanter · 10/03/2014 14:33

Also echo that next time you need to claim benefits, just claim them. You were entitled to them!

Stockhausen · 10/03/2014 14:38

Hope dh is helpful & you're out of there soon :(

gamerchick · 10/03/2014 14:39

I think I would be starting to feel fear if I live with a person who is capable of pissing on my toothbrush :(

HotDAMNlifeisgood · 10/03/2014 14:43

Be prepared for your DH's initial reaction to be one of denial - as Laurie said, it's very difficult for someone to believe that of a loved one, esp a parent.

Maybe stick to the events you have seen with your own eyes: the wing mirror, the food portion left in the kitchen, the mock-boaking and feeding of your food to the dog. The toothbrush thing sounds soooooo unhinged that, without an eye-witness, he may prefer to see you as unhinged (exagerating, seeing evil...) rather than her, for coming to such a conclusion. (I'm not saying you are: just that he will be grasping at straws).

Just a hunch. (Have had bad experience with telling a friend about her father's unacceptable behaviour towards me - it's a message no-one wants to hear, and many are apt to reject.)

verytellytubby · 10/03/2014 14:45

Good luck with your chat. I would be seriously freaked out. That behaviour is dangerous and scary.

AgaPanthers · 10/03/2014 14:47

Get the fuck out. Do it.

She is a loon.

eightandthreequarters · 10/03/2014 14:49

Agree with all that's been said to you. You have to get out - nowish - and you need to tell DH everything tonight. Some stuff is sly and you don't have proof (the pillow, etc), but some stuff he should notice, like the dinner being left in the oven and the portion size left for you. The retching over your cooking you should silently film. You already filmed the wing mirror incident, good work.

If your DH does not believe you, you have a bigger problem than your MIL. Your marriage is a mess if he believes her over you. She is properly insane.

diddl · 10/03/2014 14:49

Putting aside all that she has done, three adults & three kids in a three bedroom house surely has to be for the absolute minimum of time-which has now passed!

Claim for whatever you are entitled to!

TheProsAndConsOfHitchhiking · 10/03/2014 14:53

Wow! Shock

Start running for those hills op, She sound horrific!

Atbeckandcall · 10/03/2014 14:53

Bloody hell. Run the the sodding hills hon!!!!! What a loon!

OnlyLovers · 10/03/2014 14:55

Good luck, OP. I agree that you need to get your DH on side, and stick to the less deranged sounding things like the food games –and try to film her doing the gagging and giving her dinner to the dog.

She sounds awful. I'd probably rather someone just said to my face 'I can't stand living with you any more: move out asap' than started playing these stupid games.

RaptorInaPorkPieHat · 10/03/2014 14:56

Get out as soon as it's feasible.........

In the meantime, hide your toothbrush but leave a decoy one in the bathroom.

PortofinoRevisited · 10/03/2014 15:03

Your MIL pissed on your toothbrush! Shock

oscarwilde · 10/03/2014 15:08

Is she making you doughnuts with sprinkles of sugar on the top? Just for you?

She sounds unhinged. Get out.

Qix · 10/03/2014 15:08

Can you film her on your phone doing the mirror thing?

wouldbemedic · 10/03/2014 15:14

Awful. Just awful. You definitely need to get out before the end of the week, and without a confrontation. Just say something's come up for you to rent and you think it's time the kids had more room to play. I'm sorry a relationship you valued has become so damaging. I'm sure it will take some processing once you're out of the firing line. It is abusive and dangerous. No one should have to tolerate that and it's very unfair on the children to be living with such tension.

myroomisatip · 10/03/2014 15:16

I second the filming, and recording as much as possible, photographs etc. because it is going to be a difficult conversation with your DH.

For goodness sake go and claim benefits. No one in their right mind would resist claiming something that they are entitled to and being forced to live under those conditions.

The woman has some severe problems.

bionic77 · 10/03/2014 15:22

Do you think she has started to resent you being a SAHM whilst both she and your DH work? This may have seriously clouded her judgement. Even though she invited you all to stay with her.

You need to move as this is not going to get any better.

Good luck with telling your DH.

eddielizzard · 10/03/2014 15:28

that is truly awful. truly awful. what is she thinking???

i do think you have to get out of there asap anyway you can.

firesidechat · 10/03/2014 15:29

Three things come to mind here.

  1. Your mil has been incredibly generous to let you live with her, in what sounds like a smallish house. For two years!!!!!!

  2. She is obviously hating it. She has my sympathy here. I would be beyond despair if one of my children plus partner and 3 children wanted to come home again. For two years!!!!!

  3. Mil is handling all this in a totally inappropriate and quite frankly bonkers way.

Leave now.

BrunoBrookesDinedAlone · 10/03/2014 15:33

Is there room for you to stay at your sister's?

Because if so I'd be meeting your DH to talk in a pub, with a couple of bags containing your stuff and that of the children (including of course anything of value of yours) and after the chat, I'd be going to my sis's house to stay while he takes the next couple of days off work and finds a rental.

Don't even entertain the 'ok, ok, I'll talk to her, we can sort this out' approach.

Make it clear that there's going to have to be some serious words had before you'll feel ok about her being in your lives at all now.

I'd find it hard not to be getting her by the scruff of the neck, sticking my toothbrush under her nose and spitting 'Ok do you think we need to talk, or would you rather we just cut contact with you altogether?' at her.

Melonbreath · 10/03/2014 15:34

Pull her up on everything as and when. Where is my cardigan/shoes? They were right her X time ago'
'Oh gosh silly grandma didn't make enough food I'll just make myself a sandwich'
or just. You are being an underhanded spiteful torturing cow. If you don't like us here just ask nicely and we'll leave, but please don't PISS on my toothbrush that's just deranged

I would be tempted to shit on hers before adding immac to her shampoo bottle. But I'm a bitch!

SirRaymondClench · 10/03/2014 15:34

I really hope your DH does the decent thing and listens to you. If he doesn't what will you do? You can't stay there she sounds fucking dangerous!

encyclogirl · 10/03/2014 15:39

You have GOT to get out of there OP. She's completely deranged about you and the toothbrush incident...that's just crazytown!

JemimaJones · 10/03/2014 15:42

She might have been doing things like this for ages. What if she uses toothbrush to clean the loo Shock . She is not right. If that is happening I would be looking for a place to rent today. She is not right I tell you. Smile

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