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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

Would you let your MIL question you role as a mother Rant

7 replies

whimsy · 19/10/2004 14:44

Would you let your MIL and SIL question your role as a mother and let them get away with it? Let alone sit and slag your family off in front off you? I am so Cross, Angry upset and feel totally sick about the whole thing and don't know what to do next.

We went out for a meal with all DH family on Saturday and it turned into a war zone. Although the meal itself wasn't too bad but when we got back to PIL things turned really nasty. Mil had looked after DS 22mths on thursday while I went out with my sister. When we came back DS scribbled on the window and my sis said 'No don't do that. Which I think was fine as he keeps scribbling on things I was walking back in the room and she didn't raise her voice. Then MIL went to make cup of tea and ds started playing with the cupboard under the sink taking bleach, washing up liquid out. MIL didn't say anything as usual and sister saw him and said no poison come away again in a way I found acceptable. Anyway MIL in law came out on sat night and said your sister should not tell * no in my house if I want him to do those things then I will let him???
Explained that I didn't think she was right and that DS had to learn the word No for his own sake. She snipped back well that doesn't surprise me with your parenting skills and he's my GS so I'll do what I want your problem is you listen to your family too much. FFS
I was not going to argue back but when she slagged my family off who have done nothing but be understanding, welcoming ect to her then I said he was my son and if I want him to learn right from wrong then i will. She then started to cry and say i didn't understand, I walked off into kitchen and SIL followed she normally agrees that MIl is overbearing and that we should not let her become obsessed with DS. I was then told by SIL 'you don't understand what this family have been through the last 3 years. Well, thank god I don't know totally what they have been through as she wasn't my sis but I loved her and have given them all, all the support, love, praticle help, ect I could. I said I agree I don't fully understand but I've been three for them all SIL said get out of this house. I know she had, had drink but I didn't deserve that. MIL then started shouting about me and my family and how she would let ds do what he wanted afetr all my nieces and nephews were all little s*s!. So I turned round and said fine you won't see ds again if your going to be like that.
DH and myself argued when we came home (ds was at my sister in questions having a whale of a time, thank god) We've been trying to sort it out and we've said we will not let her split us up) I have said I will never talk to her again and she can see ds On my terms not just dropping in when she wants, infact I don't want her in my house.
I know she has never really liked me I was never good enough for her, mind you her own kids were never good enough for her either. She has always been nasty to me especially when she has had a glass of wine e.g. telling Dh everyone would understand if he never married me (on our wedding day), after trying to conceive on our 2nd IUI attempt said to me infront of both SIL's "well you don't know what it's like for me you not having kids, walking down our rd trying to think of excuses, it's worse for than it is for you. FFS tell people if they ask I've got nothing to be ashamed off. I never confronted her about that and there have been equally nasty things said since.

Do you think It can work with dh if I don't see his mother again, I have felt sick and upset all day not for what I said because I told the truth but that she obviously thinks Im a crap mom and I try my best I just want him to learn right from wrong I know he's only a baby and may be the only one I have but if he is let to get away with things at there house then he will not understand that he can't do it at other peoples.
Sorry to rant needed to get it off my chest, will now go and stop crying and calm down.

OP posts:
Tipex · 19/10/2004 14:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JoolsToo · 19/10/2004 14:55

to cut along story short I had a dispute with MIL over her slagging my ds off cos he passed his 11+ and her other dgs didn't - yes she was very strange - fortunately dh was livid also and went and gave her a piece of his mind and I said she wasn't welcome in our home again. We didn't see her for quite a few months but then she sent ds a gift for passing and dh said it was her way of apologising - I wasn't impressed but gave in - but what had once been a good relationship was soured forever. So in answer to your question you can probably get away with not seeing her for a while but I think it is inevitable that things will resolve themselves in the end - which I suppose they should really.

woodpops · 19/10/2004 14:57

THis all sounds soooooooooooooo familiar whimsy. Like you me and dh always end up arguing about it. For a long time dh stuck up for them. God only knows why. So now I know dh won't stick up for us so I do. Stuff it. At the end of the day all I care about is my family and if I upset His mother by sticking up for me and my kids then so be it. My mil favors my ds to my dd as ds was the 1st grandchild. As a result ds get's spoilt with sweets, presants being taken to the park etc and dd get's nothing. Dh kept saying he would say something but he doesn't so next time they have the kids I will say something 1st. My parents treat all the grandchildren the same but not dh parents.

Families hay?? It's just a shame I took the flaming name of his moronic family!!!!

whimsy · 19/10/2004 15:04

Tipex Think you could be right a bout the jealous thing, me and my family are very close and are not embarrassed to say we love you. DH said yesterday he would feel embarrassed if his mom said I love which I think is really sad, but he doesn't if my mom says it too him. Also my family live close by and although we live 15mins from PIL, SIL lives 200 miles away.
JoolsToo I know it would be best too but she has obviously had these thoughts for a while, and she has no grounds too.
woodpops Glad im not the only one have thought today about the name thing too LOL

OP posts:
whimsy · 19/10/2004 19:42

Also would you be happy to let your ds/dd take all the glasses out of the cupboard and have a drink of 'wine' in them at 22mths. I keep asking PIL not to do this as it's dangerous and also ds went round to friends house and tried to do the same There reply was he is having a bit of fun FGS. If he slips off work surface he will hurt himself and if he smashes a glass in his face
Sorry but it's all getting to me

OP posts:
vict17 · 19/10/2004 20:07

Hi Whimsy. This is such a tricky one. I think that you need to remind your dh that his duty is first and foremost to his family ie you and your ds. You need to discuss with him what you both feel is acceptable behaviour for your ds ie. does your dh find it acceptable for ds to play with wine glasses. Then he needs to be the one to put his foot down with his mum and his sister so that your not always painted as the bad guy. My dh and I row all the time over family things but I always insist he deals with his parents and I deal with mine. So if his mum wants to do something with my ds and I dont approve or whatever it's always his job to tell her no not mine. Hope that makes sense!

lulupop · 19/10/2004 20:31

God they are so vile, arent they? I think it CAN work with your dh if you don't want to see her again, but depending on him you have to approach it right.

My dh has a foul family and his mum was sort of ok for quite a while, although little things always told me she didn't like me (hearing her saying to him "you were never like this in your first marriage" - I met him 4 yrs after divorce BTW - was a good clue!), but since we had DD she's been just as bad. Forutnately for me dh also thinks her behaviour is unacceptable so we don't see any of them now.

My BIL chose to celebrate the birth of our 2nd child by sending a 4 page letter decrying how selfish dh has become since he met me and had kids (not so much cash being put in BILs direction any more), my poor abilities as a mother, how I had failed to bond with DS, how dh seemed depressed since we'd been married, how I had made sure our ds was "obese and insecure" because it suited me to have him cling to me, etc etc.

Vile, vile people. Life is too short. Hopefully your dh can also see how horrible your MIL is being and then I#d say just leave her to it. At the end of the say it's her loss if she doesn't see your ds. Sounds like you have a nice supportive family on your side - your ds doesn't need people like your mil around him.

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