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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

Seriously thinking about NC with DH's side of the family

467 replies

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 22/02/2016 02:46

This is going to be long but think I need to post the background

I've posted previously about SIL's wedding. I have 3 DCs - age 3, 2 and 13 weeks. The oldest have just turned 3 and 2 respectively so still small.

SIL is getting married about 150 miles away on a week day. We have been told no DCs at the wedding. Mil has a difficult family background and her half-brothers children will be going however - albeit they are older than ours. I susir t ultimately that SIL will also permit her friends to bring small babies. I understand that it is SIL's wedding but I find it pretty hurtful that our children (who are actually her closest relatives) are to be excluded.

My parents are extremely supportive of us and will normally drop anything to help us out. Mil has form for being very difficult and has been very unhelpful at difficult times - eg looked after putt DS on the day of my grandmother's funeral (250 miles away) but refused to rearrange plans so I had to get out cleaner to come and look after DS (then 1 year old) as she had to leave at 5pm. The whole thing was horribly stressful and I still find it very upsetting to think about.

My parents normally drop everything to help us but normally go on holiday with friends around the date of SIL's wedding. They therefore told me immediately that they may be able to look after our DCs but that - in this instance - they actually won't cancel their holiday if the group of friends can only manage that date (they are all retired so tend to go quite last minute to get the best deal) and we should therefore get a plan B. I immediately highlighted this to DH and his response was - (massively fucking entitled) oh it's my sister's wedding. Surely they won't go away. I said they very well could and he should highlight this to his family now as we may not have any childcare and ultimately I wouldn't be able to go. Plus, I could very well still be feeding youngest DC. Really the only option would be to take someone to look after the DCs on site and I didn't even know if that would be feasible. But I was highlighting it now so that there were no amateur dramatics near the wedding if I couldn't go

Communication within DH's family is pretty piss poor so nothing was done.

At the weekend, SIL, MIL and FIL came ti visit and stay the night. SIL said something in passing about my parents looking after the DC and I said that actually they maybe away and there wasn't really a plan B. I said that I could perhaps ask my DS's key worker from nursery to travel to the wedding and look after the DCs but we would need to get him accommodation. And, in any event, I was uncomfortable about being away from my youngest DC even if I could get someone look after all DC at our house.

SIL told me that there were no rooms left at the hotel but if I got the key worker, he could perhaps stay at a local B&B. That she was having to lay £150 a head per guest and she wanted me to be able to relax and enjoy myself and also keep costs down - hence why our DCs weren't invited. I said that the best solution maybe to ask the key worker. And, if I did, would SIL like the DCs to be brought to the church (waiting outside during the ceremony) for a few photos as they would be in the area. Totally up to her obviously but thought she might like it. She said yes, but she was banning children from the church. I said I quite understood as FIL's brother's children had made a terrible racket during ours in the church (MIL insisted they were invited) and you could even hear the noise on the wedding video. MIL said she couldn't remember that but I said (nicely) that it was on the video. I also said that if my parents were looking after the DCs, they had also offered to bring them to the church (to wait outside) and take them home (a big thing as a huge drive) after if she wanted photos.

So - it was all perfectly pleasant and I thought the childcare issue was clear. More importantly, there was actually communication like normal people. DH then went to work in the morning and the DCs and I went out with SIL and the PILs for brunch - all perfectly pleasant. Nothing else said. I was slightly nervous about going out as the PILs had been invited to visit DC3 a few days after she was born and had been very late (with no communication). I was upstairs feeding the baby and DH had said something to MIL about it. She had started shouting and bawling at DH saying it was my fault Confused and I was manipulating them and being very rude about me. I decided the best thing to do was pretend I hadn't heard and gloss over things. But, again, everything perfectly pleasant at brunch

DH then arrives home and asks me what I had been saying to his sister? I explained the position about childcare and said that I had highlighted this to him already but his approach seemed to have been that my parents would have to just cancel their holiday. That wasn't very constructive so I had highlighted things to SIL so she could make ab informed choice about allowing the DCs to attend in the vicinity and be looked after off site (pretty pissing annoying that DH could have mentioned it earlier so we could have got a room for them and carers at the hotel but now we couldn't) as ultimately if we couldn't get appropriate childcare, I wouldn't be able to go and with a wedding of 60 people, that would be noticeable.

DH then says that obviously I had a chip on my shoulder about FIL's neice making a racket during our wedding Confused and that my parents were manipulating things by refusing to cancel their holiday (the irony after my grandmother's funeral and various other times that they have dropped everything and driven 300 miles to help us out after the PILs have let us down!). I susir t he had spoken to MIL on the way home.

I am absolutely fed up with this. I am fed up of rather than everyone talking civilly about things (as I tried to do) and resolve problems in good time, MIL then approaches DH behind my back. If she or SIL had a problem, why not discuss it with me at the time or the next day? I am fed up (and I think this is the crux of it) if DH not simply explaining that all I am trying to do is sort out childcare for the DCs (as basically he seems to have opted out of it and my parents - his indentured servants obviously - are to drop everything AGAIN to help out). Why is DH not able to actually support me (his wife) and make it clear - politely - to his family that if you have your wedding hundreds of miles away and don't invite your very young nieces and nephews, then yes, childcare will be an issue and that is not bring "difficult". It's a matter of fact. And, actually, if your "keeping costs down" banning your brothers children whilst letting others attend is actually pretty fucking hurtful

I actually don't know what to do. I've said tinDH that I think that actually everyone should just be honest and communicate clearly with each other now. So if he thinks my patents are "selfish"
and "manipulative" (the breath taking cheek!) he should say to their faces. Further, I will contact SIL and MIL and ask them if they need me to clarify anything about what we discussed. Further, another option is for me to not attend and look after the DCs which I think maybe the best option all round

I'm actually so so sick of this. I don't want to see the PILs again and I don't particularly want to see SIL again.

Should I contact them? Should I just decline the wedding invitation? I want to make it clear why

I also need to sort out the DH issue too

OP posts:
Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 09:42

I'm not trying to get any childcare. If DH wants to discuss viable options with me, I'm happy to do that. It would be unreasonable not to. But with the caveat that we do not know if it will be feasible to leave the baby and as she is not permitted on the premises, that cuts down the options greatly.

OP posts:
NameChange30 · 24/02/2016 09:54

Your DH is a dick. How about "but they're our children. They have to come"?!
If my children weren't invited and others were, I'd refuse to go out of principle. Never mind childcare, breastfeeding and all that faff. DH can go by himself.

Where's your backbone?!

Duckdeamon · 24/02/2016 10:11

Whatever your or our views on the no DC wedding, the choices available to you and DH are: find childcare (wherever) and both go; DH goes alone

The bride and groom simply need the RSVP. Not info on the childcare challenges.

Duckdeamon · 24/02/2016 10:12

Third option: neither go.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 10:13

What should I have said when SIL asked who was looking after them? Confused

OP posts:
Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 10:14

I think back in the real world most siblings would prefer to know of their sibling had a childcare issue rather than just receive a decline with no explanation in the mail.

OP posts:
Duckdeamon · 24/02/2016 10:15

That at present you could not leave the baby and / or did not have childcare so could not both attend.

NameChange30 · 24/02/2016 10:16

I agree it's fine to say that childcare is the reason you can't go. Obviously giving a reason means they can try and argue with it, but you don't have to listen.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 10:17

I did say that Confused

When SIL started "Oh My God-ing" I said that I could look into the key worker (although I don't really see that as feasible)

OP posts:
Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 10:19

I think my main issue is that I have tried to resolve this problem (and all the other problems PILs have dumped on me to date). But worry not - that ship has sailed.

OP posts:
Duckdeamon · 24/02/2016 10:19

Yes, fine to say childcare/a bf DC is the issue. Handling her response was where assertiveness (eg broken record) MIGHT have helped!

She and anyone else are being unreasonable to have a problem with non attendance due to these things.

Duckdeamon · 24/02/2016 10:20

Yes, not your problem to solve theirs!

NameChange30 · 24/02/2016 10:21

I didn't read the whole story, but if her response was unreasonable, just end the conversation. If someone is unreasonable you don't try and appease them, you walk away. Or you tell it straight: "oh you're not happy that I can't come because of childcare issues? Well maybe you should have invited my children bitch"

MoominPie22 · 24/02/2016 10:25

Just say you can´t go cos you´ve got no childcare. You OH goes on his own. End of.

I´m really not sure why this has turned into War and Peace and why it has to be so terribly complicated? Confused

No need to keep anyone dangling cos even if by some very bad luck your folks aren´t going away and could do it, should they babysit? I definately think not out of pure principle on this one. Your poor parents are taken for granted that they´ll come running and to pot with their plans. That´s odious!

And surely it´s common courtesy to tell a bride asap that you can´t attend. PLease don´t play games or you´re as bad as his lot and please don´t be bullied/manipulated into doing something you don´t wanna do by your OH or his dreadful family!

I think it´s safe to say the general consensus on here is that you should decline the invite.

JessicasElephant · 24/02/2016 10:34

gobbo, sounds like you've got a good plan going forward. It's really hard, but there are two things you have to remember:

  1. they aren't going to behave like rational people, whatever you do
  2. you need to protect yourself and DCs from emotional harm - it is obvious your ILs and DH don't give a stuff

Dealing with toxic in laws is really hard (though the book seriously helped me), but keep strong and you'll make it through okay!

AncoraAmarena · 24/02/2016 11:10

FFS Moomin, don't you think that this is difficult enough for the OP without your sanctimonious post?

She has repeatedly said that she DID say she didn't have any childcare, and that the SIL is left dangling because her HUSBAND wants to explore other issues, not her. The OP has said that she is perfectly happy to decline the invitation.

And no, I have no vested interest here and do not know the OP. I have been reading the thread with a sick feeling in my stomach for the OP, having experienced this sort of behaviour from my own ILs. Thankfully I am now divorced and never have to suffer them again. So Gobbo, I feel your pain and really really hope your husband comes through for you and supports you.

Ohfourfoxache · 24/02/2016 11:46

It's not as easy as "just saying no" Moomin. If op does immediately say no, then her "d"h will no doubt accuse her of just saying no without looking at all options (they won't know if op's parents will be available until August).

Tbh a lot depends on him and how willing he is to support op.

What might work is for op's parents to say to him clearly and unequivocally that they cannot provide childcare as 1 they may be on holidays and they will not change their plans, and 2 they have been invited to a party at a similar time. So instead of parents "leaving people dangling" (which they aren't - but DH might choose to see it like that), it might be better just to have an outright "no". And for this "no" to be said directly to him by op's parents.

The trouble with dealing with toxic people is that, after a while, you can become conditioned into thinking their behaviour is normal. For example, when I lost my grandad I was utterly devastated. Mil turned to me and said "I don't see why your upset - he was only your grandad". At the time I didn't analyse it too much - more important things to think about. And as it was just another stupid comment in a sea of ignorance, it seemed normal. It's only now, looking back with a "fuck her" hat on that I can see just how vile a comment that truly was.

Gobbolino how are you doing now? Have you had a response to your email?

Kingfisherfree · 24/02/2016 11:49

Sorry I have to agree with Moomin. In all honesty I would just let your Dh go or get a nice hotel close by and keep swapping childcare between each other, we have done this loads of times and don't see the fuss. It is fair to say having yound children will always throw up awkward situations and you just crack on!

Just out of interest Op for my own personal study Grin are you an eldest child with no brothers?

RandomMess · 24/02/2016 13:07

TBH I could not be bothered with the hassle of a 3.5 year old, 2.5 year old and a 6 month old cooped up somewhere 20-40 miles away from a wedding that is 150 miles away on a weekday.

I have DC with those age gaps and it's a lot of work and arranging - the good days are fine but if you're having a difficult day with any of them, not fun at all.

I would honestly just say that you can't find suitable childcare and you're not going to be popping out every few hours for a 40 mile drive to feed the baby... It would be far nicer for everyone DH included if you stay behind and look after the DC.

You may as well let the fall out happen now so they can stop sulking by Christmas!

rumbleinthrjungle · 24/02/2016 13:22

Starting to wonder how much recent posters are reading the full thread. The OP's situation is a damn sight bit more complicated than just the practicalities and 'stop fussing and just do this' type posts run the risk of making a stressed out person more guilty and more stressed out instead of helping.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 13:42

I have had the most astonishing response to my email.

It says that the children were, in fact, invited but that DH and I discussed this and decided to decline the invitation.

This is astonishing. And not true.

The email then goes on to accuse me of not appreciating how hard DH works, being "wasteful" with money (no examples) and not sufficientlyappreciating DH taking a day off last week when I had norovirus and collapsed in the loo.

To say I am stunned is an understatement. Where is my husband?! Confused

I have texted DH Bd said that's great news. Solves all the problems in one fell swoop. Can he please contact his sister and accept the invitation.

Separately, great idea to start being more appreciative of what each other days. Let's make that a mutual thing. I'll start by saying thank you for everything you do

What the fuck is going on?

OP posts:
Ohfourfoxache · 24/02/2016 13:47

Holy fucking shit Shock

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 24/02/2016 13:48

Fucking hell. This is mental. I feel like I'm married to someone with Alzheimer's.

How do you deal with someone living in an alternate reality

OP posts:
MypocketsarelikeNarnia · 24/02/2016 13:48

Wow Shock

rumbleinthrjungle · 24/02/2016 13:49

Ugh, you're absolutely right, it is alternate reality.

Can you forward the entire email to dh and let him sort it out?

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