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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

My partner's parents hate me

68 replies

LCP22 · 08/07/2019 17:37

I'm at my wits end at the moment and I'm needing a bit of advice on what to do...

Firstly, I'm 20 years old and my boyfriend is 21. He's going to be 22 this year and I will be 21. Our son is due in November this year and we're both really excited.My partner and I have known each other for just over 4 years and have been together nearly a year.

Before I was pregnant we were looking at moving in together, his family loved me and we got on well. As soon as we told them that I'm pregnant all hell broke lose. Their first response was "have an abortion!" and they've been negative ever since. I'm just over 5 months pregnant and we told them when I was 7 weeks. They're constantly saying we're not ready for this and trying to force their opinions and views on us. My partner is autistic so struggles on how to handle situations with them. They're constantly being rude about me and to me and they're pushing me out of family events, yet his brother's girlfriend of 2 months is adored and allowed to go to family meals etc.

They absolutely hate me now because I'm pregnant. My partner and I are trying to find a two bedroom home together where we can bring our small dog and have our child and they somehow think I'm being ridiculous because I'm taking my dog with me. Any little thing me or my partner do they moan about. They blame me for absolutely everything that happens and I'm sick and tired of it.

It's really stressing me out because I don't feel safe around them and they're constantly putting stress on me. I'm actually getting to the point where I don't want them around our child because they emotionally abuse my partner and they disrespect me all the time.

Every time I have seen them I have been polite! Even if I don't agree with their views I am polite and respectful and I don't make comments when they say hurtful things or are rude to me.

To give you some example of what they're like, my partner's dad turned around and told my partner to run over the dog so that solves the issue of moving out with the pet. My partner was fuming at that comment, as am I. Also, they're extremely racist and rude (especially in public) and I'm worried about having that around my son too because my partner and I are not racist in any way shape or form, I think it's disgusting to be this way.

I currently live with my mother who is very supportive, as is the rest of my family - they absolutely adore my partner and he loves them too.

He's at mine most nights of the week, we're still searching for a perfect home that we can rent together. My mother is more than happy for us to stay at mine until we find a place and she is not forcing us to move out. His parents want us to find a home right away and just jump into the first property possible, which is ridiculous especially if the rent is too high.

I honestly don't know what to do and I'm not sure if this makes much sense, but is there any advice on how to handle this situation? I literally can't keep doing this with his family every other day and am seriously considering not having anything to do with them due to how horrible they are.

Also, he has tried to talk to them but his mother doesn't listen. She likes to control him and hates the fact she can't control me.

Thanks in advance, sorry for the long post!!

OP posts:
2littleninjas · 11/07/2019 09:55

OP please ignore the rude comments that think it’s okay to completely slate your life choices, that are in no way related to your post.

Your MIL is rude and if I was you I just wouldn’t visit. Your DP can, but not you.

LCP22 · 11/07/2019 10:21

@Treacletoots @Bluntness100 @2littleninjas Thank you for your comments and for the good advice! ☺️

And yes, dogs are family - mine is 100% coming with me! He's great with children and babies too, absolutely loves them!

OP posts:
BarbedBloom · 11/07/2019 10:36

I had to grow up quickly too with an abusive father. I had a good job at 20 and could have supported a child. I often wish I had a child at that age before I was diagnosed with RA as now I have had to accept I wouldn't manage.

You sound like you have everything planned OP, maybe stick some money in savings before baby arrives just in case. As for his parents, I would just grey rock them. If they do comment just say something like, I'm sorry you feel that way, we have made our decision on x, thanks. But in general just don't see them as often and maybe your partner could try grey rock too. Good luck Flowers

LCP22 · 11/07/2019 11:19

@BarbedBloom I'm so sorry you had to deal with this too, it's not an easy subject to talk about but it's something that has made me stronger from it. I'm also sorry to hear about the RA, that can't be easy to live with and you're so strong for dealing with this.

I have money in my savings already, over a good few grand in there for extra things if needed! My partner and I have had a talk and I won't be seeing them until they change their attitude and if they don't, they won't be seeing our son either. Thank you for commenting! 😊

OP posts:
Mumoftwoyoungkids · 11/07/2019 11:36

My mum had me young too, I'm 21 this year and she's 39 so she's very supportive.

I have had more life experience in my 20 years of life than post people will ever experience - being a child was taken from me and I didn't get to enjoy my childhood.

I think that this is why people are concerned about you being a young parent - you were the child of a young parent and didn’t get a childhood. And are now supporting your mum. It’s not ideal really.

However, you are pregnant so that is that and everyone needs to make the best of it.

I think you just need to disengage here. If your boyfriend’s mum throws strops then don’t see her. If she writes things on Facebook then don’t go on Facebook. Just focus on your own little family. If your boyfriend wants to see her then that is up to him but you don’t need to. You don’t live with her. Your boyfriend is welcome at your house - why would you ever need to see her?

ravenmum · 11/07/2019 11:37

They don't have to like you, and you don't have to like them. It's all fair and equal. Don't feel under pressure to be nice to them - like you say, polite enough, but keep your distance.

What kind of an upbringing did his parents have? How old were they when they had kids? Might they be projecting their own experiences onto you?

Torridon19 · 11/07/2019 11:53

I know you're saying time and again that you are 'mature", "very mature", we are "mature" etc etc, then you say "we weren't trying for a child, it just happened"......Er...what ? ...... were you mature enough, between you, to always use contraception during sex ?

hellsbellsmelons · 11/07/2019 12:15

Just stop seeing his mum.
You have no obligation to do so.
Stop engaging with them all.
Block them on facebook so you don't have to see their posts.
You DP can see them all he wants but you don't have to see them at al.
So don't.

LCP22 · 11/07/2019 12:31

@Torridon19 Yes, actually. I was on the pill, took it every day at the same time. However, for some reason, I got pregnant. I did not miss a day either and was on no medication that effected them from working. Contraception is not 100% effective and every time you have sex with someone you are at a small risk of having a baby so if you don't want a baby, don't have sex. We weren't planning it but here we are and we are happy! Again, not asking for advice on having a baby at a young age, thanks though!

OP posts:
LCP22 · 11/07/2019 12:33

@Mumoftwoyoungkids I didn't get a childhood no, because my father was abusive and sexually abused me from the age of 3 until I was almost 14. However, I am very happy with how my life is now and have no concerns about "not having a life" as some people say. I will give my child the life I never had and my age doesn't effect this.

OP posts:
LCP22 · 11/07/2019 12:37

Thanks to the people who have given genuine advice in response to his family and how to respond to their negativity. The reason for posting was for this and this alone, not because I was asking for help on being a young mum. I am 100% aware I am young but that won't make me any less of a parent. Being a parent isn't defined by age and my child will be loved and looked after very very well.

My partner and I have decided that I will be distancing myself from his parents and if they continue their rudeness and negativity, they won't be around our son either as we don't want him growing up feeling unwanted and resented by them. He's just a little baby and he deserves all the love in the world, which my side of the family will be giving him. My family are super supportive and we are very close knit! Thanks for all the good luck and wishes too, it's very nice to hear! ☺️

OP posts:
Graphista · 11/07/2019 23:08

"I have had more life experience in my 20 years of life than post people will ever experience" that statement manages to be both arrogant and ignorant! You're assuming those of us responding haven't had similar experiences to you and therefore don't understand why you THINK you have a lot of life experience and we're wrong to say you're immature in some ways.

Certainly in my case, and by law of averages it's likely to be true of others too, you are WRONG!

I grew up in an abusive home with an alcoholic, violent parent. I left home at 17 as a result and first fell pregnant at 18 (we'd been together almost 3 years. Pill failed, as it occasionally can even with correct use, what I wish someone had told me was that around this age fertility can be particularly high and so 2 methods of contraception really is best. I also had an at that time undx condition which possibly meant the pill was less reliable but again I had no knowledge of this) my own pregnancy ended in mc, but if it hadn't I was well aware I WASN'T particularly mature purely by having a shit childhood.

Instead I was concerned because I'd not been set a good example of parenting, and as an 18 year old living in a bedsit working a low paid job (most jobs before you're 21 are low paid even now, even if not nmw) was not in the best position to be a parent.

I don't know what decision I'd have made if the decision weren't taken out of my hands by events but certainly abortion and adoption would have been options I'd have at least considered.

Having a shit/non existent childhood == maturity, indeed it can mean the opposite often.

"We both know how to avoid being a bad parent" most parents even, perhaps especially the good ones recognise that while they tend to avoid the mistakes their parents made, they often end up making different ones by default. Eg those brought up by too strict parents being too lax on discipline with their own kids.

See this poem

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48419/this-be-the-verse

NO parent is perfect but quite honestly someone who THINKS they will be a better parent purely because the arrogantly think they have more knowledge/experience than others is far more likely to fuck up parenthood than one who is aware of their faults and disadvantages and willing to be open to advice and information from those who have more experience and knowledge.

"I have so much experience from looking after him all the time. I have strong mothering instincts anyway, which people have always said and I love children."

I'm the eldest of 3 siblings, a ton of cousins and I've been looking after other people's kids "officially" since I was 14, I was a nanny & a nurse before becoming a parent and I've been a childminder since - caring for other people's children is NEVER the same as being a parent.

The emotional dynamic, the relationship, the exhaustion, the responsibility is on a COMPLETELY different level. You seem very stubbornly unwilling to acknowledge this - being like that, expecting that you'll find it relatively easy because of all the "experience" you have? Actually puts you at more risk of finding it difficult - because you're setting yourself up for a fall!

Because WHEN you hit a situation that it's impossible to experience as a carer for others children, you will be thrown.

"The perfect parent is the one that doesn't yet have children"

His parents have not handled several issues at all well from what you say, you don't have to tolerate rudeness or aggression from them (including verbal) but I really do think given the likely outcome here (the two of you separating, him moving back to parents, your child staying there during his contact time) you need to find some way to handle them, communicate with them, that isn't simply ignoring them. Because unfortunately I think it highly likely they will become involved in your child's care and you need to be able to communicate with them with regard to your child's needs, routine etc.

It's far from ideal but unfortunately it's still very difficult to prove emotional abusiveness to a point that a court would agree with you, if you and your partner were to split, that he shouldn't have contact at his family's home.

Hopefully this will change but it takes a long time for these changes to be made societally/legally.

CJsGoldfish · 12/07/2019 00:44

It's funny you're quick to comment on someone having "actual life experience" as if older people are the only ones that do. I have had more life experience in my 20 years of life than post people will ever experience
This actually just shows your immaturity.
His mother will definitely not be picking up any pieces because there will be no pieces to pick up! We both know how to avoid being a bad parent and we will both love this baby massively
I think you misunderstood. I meant that his mother will pick up the pieces when your relationship goes south. As it most likely will. I know that, at 20, you think it's forever but generally it's not. Adding a baby in won't help that.
We have the finances, love and care to look after a baby and this baby will be so loved and cared for
I have no doubt you'll love your baby but love just isn't enough. It really isn't
Age doesn't mean you will be a bad parent!
No but it does add so many limitations and failing to see or acknowledge that just shows how young you actually are.

HolyFuckballsBatman · 12/07/2019 02:05

I completely agree with @Graphista

Many reality checks are needed before this baby is born.
The whole situation is very sad.

Snappedandfarted2019 · 12/07/2019 02:38

I was you excately 11 years ago my ex didn't have autism though but had an illness in his youth which made his dm a nightmare. He left me just as the 1st year of my childs life and I was a single mother. I was completely blinkered like you are op, I wanted to make the family unit work so bad but we were far too young at the time and I was left holding the baby my life changed his continued with his freedom to be a young adult. I'm happily married now been with dh 9 years with another 2 dc but by then I was considerable more mature at the age of 26 when I had my dd than when I had ds at 21.

stroopwafelgirl · 12/07/2019 02:56

Some fucking awful comments on here. The OP is doing her best and clearly has positive intentions. Regardless of your feelings on young parenthood and her family circumstances, this baby will be born and there is absolutely no use chastising its mother for mistakes that may have been made or may never manifest themselves. I am the second child born to teenage parents and I’m absolutely fine. You’d struggle to distinguish us from the other middle-class families in our area.
OP, regarding the problem with your partner’s parents - maintain a polite distance from them. You are not obliged to see them or speak to them. Their son can be the primary point of contact.

snitzelvoncrumb · 12/07/2019 03:06

I would be upset if I was his mum too. When you are a bit older and have a child you will understand why she is so upset. Just give them some time and space to get their heads around it all.

Neome · 12/07/2019 03:14

Congratulations OP!

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