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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

Need advice re sister.

113 replies

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 16:33

My older sister lives abroad with my parents. We were close when we were very little but after my younger sister was born she changed a lot and bullied both of me and YS pretty much continuously until we left home. YS hates her.
We had a rubbish childhood for various reasons and our parents, while competent from a practical point of view were shit at the important things in parenting. Both YS and I "escaped" but OS is still at home and struggling (lost her job, depressed, friendless). She contacted me recently (first time in about 6 months) to say she wants to come here to participate in a clinical trial for treatment for a minor but persistent medical condition. She wants to stay with me.
I'm torn. I think she is using the trial as an excuse to escape from the miserable life at home and is trying to latch onto me. I felt very angry at her for years but that has waned (possibly due to how seldom I see her) and now I feel sorry for her. I was sexually abused as a child and I suspect she may have been too. I alsi think she has a social disorder.
It feels like she's reaching out to me for help and I feel a sort of duty to help her as I know my parents never will. But she is an extremely selfish and difficult person and the thought if having her in my house for more than a few days fills me with dread.
As a preview of what I can expect should she come over, she asked me to go with her every day to the treatment; which involves driving for over an hour with two small children and waiting with them indefinitely. Bear in mind she is not disabled in any way. She was clearly put out when I said no to that.

So I am torn between my "duty" as a sister and protecting myself from her. Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 11/04/2014 20:13

Right I'll text her and say - "wouldn't it be easier for you to stay in a b and b close to the clinic?" see what she says.

That allows her to say no. Say "It would be easier......"

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 20:20

True gold. Too late now Blush.

Thinking about, the only reason she'd even want to stay with me would be to get free transport and a lackey to trail around after her. I'm a mug to even consider saying yes.

OP posts:
CailinDana · 11/04/2014 20:25

It fucks me off so much that if I do say no I'll be painted as the "inconsiderate" one (her favourite word, applies to everyone but her). I wish she'd just get out of my life.

OP posts:
Hissy · 11/04/2014 20:26

... so...

Say no!

Do you have a kicking off DP that you can blame? :)

Hissy · 11/04/2014 20:28

Who gives a flying fuck what she says or thinks?

Seriously? You have a threadful of people who owe you nothing, but all of us can see it'll be an unholy mess if you agree to it.
SIX MONTHS FFS!

cafecito · 11/04/2014 20:28

No. No no no

cafecito · 11/04/2014 20:30

6 months is ridiculous. no way. 6 days sounds like it would be a stretch. absolutely not. think of your family's wellbeing as well as your own. perhaps she needs to b eon her own/independent - maybe she could come over and stay elsewhere? might be the best thing for her, not just for you

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 20:37

She wouldn't be staying for six months! No way! It'd be an initial consultation then a week long treatment a few weeks later then a couple of follow ups. My worry is that she would get her foot in the door and not leave.

OP posts:
LookHowTheyShineForYou · 11/04/2014 20:46

NO!
Don't give her any mixed messages, text her

I'm sorry it is not possible for you to stay at my house. I would be happy to meet up while you are in the area.

Don't discuss. You don't want her to stay, so say NO.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 11/04/2014 20:49

Programmed from our childhood to help family it is difficult enough to say, "Oh I'm sorry. Unfortunately that doesn't work for me" and disappoint a family member with whom we get on.

As far as your DSis is concerned here's a 10 foot barge pole. If your parents give you grief for turning her down or your younger DSis from afar too, will you honestly care? Your big sister is reaping what she sowed over many years.

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 20:55

Thankfully my younger sister is totally on my side. We have a great relationship. I warned her OS might ask to stay over and told her under no circumstances to say yes. Should take my own advice!

OP posts:
Goldmandra · 11/04/2014 21:01

Should take my own advice!

Yes Smile

When she replies with reasons why it's better for her to stay with you be ready to say no.

"I'm sorry. Having given this some thought, I don't feel it would be a good idea. It would be nice to get together for meals and days out while you're here. Let me know the details when you're booked into a hotel or B&B and we'll arrange to get together."

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 21:11

No reply to my text. I'll wait for her response then make it clear she can't stay.

OP posts:
littlemrschatterbox · 11/04/2014 21:22

Who cares what she or anyone else thinks? It's your life/house/children and if you don't want her to stay because she is a selfish/tight/bullying bitch that's her problem.

No need to be rude of course and you would be delighted to meet up for coffee/lunch/dinner.

It has taken me a long time to realise that you need to be kind to yourself first then think about everyone else.

winkywinkola · 11/04/2014 21:40

You have to not care what she or anyone else thinks of your decisions. YOur self preservation decisions.

If you do care about what she thinks, then you may as well let her move in because caring makes her influence you.

She cannot upset your happiness anymore. Don't let her in.

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 22:30

So she replied and we had a bit of back and forth about whether it was cheaper to stay in a b and b so now we're onto "why are you being so mean?" to which I replied "sorry you think I'm being mean, I just don't think it's practical for you to stay here."

OP posts:
CailinDana · 11/04/2014 22:33

To which the reply was "I'm really hurt and I'm bawling crying. If that's the way you feel I'll find somewhere to stay or maybe YS will put me up." Ha! Hell will freeze over before YS would let her near her house.

OP posts:
Walkacrossthesand · 11/04/2014 22:43

'I'll find somewhere to stay' - hurled out in the expectation that you'll rush back saying 'no no don't cry you don't need to do that, you can stay here' - but I hope you are standing firm!

pippop1 · 11/04/2014 22:50

So don't text back and just see what happens.

CailinDana · 11/04/2014 22:51

I am, walkacross,in spite of "why do you hate me?" and "I've tried and tried, sorry for whatever it is I've done."

OP posts:
Hissy · 11/04/2014 23:00

Argh! Tell her to get over herself and sort it out.

Flaming dramallama!

Hissy · 11/04/2014 23:02

No. Just leave it. It probably will get worse before it gets better, but it'll help you see that you were right to refuse.

Switch the phone off for now.

CookieMonsterIsHot · 11/04/2014 23:07

There's a lesson there (I learned it the hard way with my toxic DM).

You didn't just say no because that might cause upset.

Instead you said "wouldn't it be easier for you to stay in a b and b close to the clinic?"

Then you got sucked into we had a bit of back and forth about whether it was cheaper to stay in a b and b, again you didn't say no.

Eventually, after this approach inevitably fails, you crack and say sorry you think I'm being mean, I just don't think it's practical for you to stay here. And she hurls emotional abuse at you.

So, how did not causing upset at the first interaction work out for you?

I speak from bitter, bitter experience: with toxic people the pain will come, the sooner you get it over with, the easier it is on everyone.

CookieMonsterIsHot · 11/04/2014 23:10

What Hissy said.

Do not engage further. Your decision is made. You told her.

What possible benefit could come from more discussion of it? None, only more bullying shit from her.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 11/04/2014 23:14

Sorry Cailin phrased that sentence so clumsily I meant if your parents give you AND your younger DSis grief etc etc anyway well done risking conversation and hope you are all right.