Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

Husband Has Come Out With A Weird One About His Family.

26 replies

hollolew2 · 07/07/2021 12:01

A bit of background first. I am an only child & I have been married to my husband for 33 years who has/had 3 sisters. I have always got on well with them & was always the one who had them over Xmas , Easter etc over the years as the family has grown its tailed off as there are too many people & yes like all families they are badly behaved at times & it was never reciprocated.
One of my sister in laws died last year who i was very close to we lived in the same road & our kids are the same age she was like the sister I never had. My mother-in-law has mental health issues all her life & is very demanding. Because of covid we had a very small funeral last year but managed to have a memorial for 40 outside & then tea in the garden which was lovely.
Because of everything that has happened the siblings talk about things about 3 times a day( I try & sneak out of the room because it gets boring & repeatve ) & we see my sister-in laws everyweek & go out for dinner once or twice a month .
This morning we were talking & I mentioned that it was so nice the weekend but I still feel sad my husband replied that it really helped him . Then he told me he was thinking & because of my situation he doesn’t do things with his family!! My first reaction was like what? he told me he didn’t know then I got very upset & said I feel like your treating me badly I can’t help being an only child & Ive never been more than welcoming . He told me it wasn’t about me it was about him . So I said this situation that I supposedly have is nonsense I have a great relationship with my own parents , kids , friends & family. He replied that Im being selfish & only thinking about myself so now Im really confused !!! So I asked him to explain to me what exactly he’d like to do firstly he couldn’t answer me then he said his sister should be able to turn up with her grandchildren without asking me ( I have recently moved & we are lucky enough to have a pool in our garden) I said I thought that it was unreasonable not to ask your spouse if they were ok inviting people over with especially with kids ( meanwhile Im the one who sits out there with them & actually the kids are no problem & enjoy splashing around ).
Im really confused is this grief talking or is he being a dickhead ?

OP posts:
Jacopo · 07/07/2021 12:06

He’s being a dickhead.

MartyHart · 07/07/2021 12:06

I don't understand what you argued about?

Weenurse · 07/07/2021 12:11

I’m confused.

Prettybubblesintheair · 07/07/2021 12:13

I have literally no idea what the hell has gone on between you and your husband…

PearlNextDoor · 07/07/2021 12:14

I'm confused as well. Is he saying your family is too small, so he doesn't like to spend time with your parents because it's too intense, too one to one??

Nicolastuffedone · 07/07/2021 12:14

Eh?

ApolloandDaphne · 07/07/2021 12:17

I don't really understand either. Is he saying he isn't going to things because you are an only child?

Mumdiva99 · 07/07/2021 12:17

Not sure I understood the whole message but....subtext......sil asked you if she could bring kids over to use pool. You said no not convenient. Sil moaned to husband.....why can't we just use it all the time......
Sil then said to hisband...you can come use our garden anytime you want....

If this is pretty accurate your sil is being a cf. Your dh is being a wimp not standing up to her.

Of course they should call to see if it's convenient. And no there is no obligation on you to have an open house just because you have a pool and it's out to be the summer holidays.

PearlNextDoor · 07/07/2021 12:19

What is your ''situation'' perceived to be?

What is it that your husband feels he cannot do because of your ''situation''?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 07/07/2021 12:19

Ive read it twice and still can't work it out. Sorry Op. Can You just repeat in simple terms what has upset You?

LunaAndHer3Stars · 07/07/2021 12:22

That was my interpretation too. DH thinks his family and inlaws should be able to just come round anytime and use your pool. You think they should call first to see if it's convenient. If this is the case YANBU.

GlutenFreeGingerCake · 07/07/2021 12:24

I think OP is saying that despite the fact she seems to have had loads of contact and involvement with his family over the years her DH is saying he doesn't do as much with his own family as he would like to because of OP's "situation with her family" as an only child. Yet OP says there is no situation and she had no problem with her own family and she is quite happy to see his family but just wants a bit of warning and not for them to pop in uninvited.
That sounds perfectly fair to me but I wonder if there is more to the story.

Dozer · 07/07/2021 12:28

Yes, unclear OP.

Seems to suggest that OP’s DH has argued or implied that:

  1. OP (having no siblings) makes it harder for him to spend time with his siblings and their families.
  1. OP hasn’t ‘made enough effort’ with the family.
  1. DH’s sister and family should be able to visit and/or swim in OP and DH’s pool without prior arrangement.

And you’re upset as you think this is unfair.

Dozer · 07/07/2021 12:28

DH is U if he’s arguing (3)!

SixesAndEights · 07/07/2021 12:30

He seems to be saying that because you're an only child you don't understand that with siblings it's natural (?) to turn up unannounced and spend time with whatever sibling's house you've just turned up at.

And it's about him because he's lost out somehow because you've not allowed or discouraged this happening.

And yet you're the one who always hosted at Christmas and Easter, and this was never reciprocated.

You were also very close to one of them who lived in the same street but who sadly died. You hosted (if I've got this right) the after funeral tea in your garden.

You currently see the other two every week, they and your husband like to ramble on about stuff so you leave them to it. You also go out to dinner with them a couple of times a month.

The only bit that's missing is what happened at the weekend.

But after the weekend your husband tells you you're selfish and his sisters should be able to come round any time they like with the kids.

My take is that now you've got the pool, the three of them have been talking and they've decided you're selfish because the kids would love to play in the pool any time they want and you should facilitate that.

So your husband's being a dick, and his sisters want a free pool for the kids that they can access any time.

I expect that you're happy to have them round and playing in the pool, but not any time they like. I suspect that if this did happen you'd never be rid of them on sunny days as they'd just make a beeline to your pool, and I doubt they'd care if you were there or not because they just want access to the pool.

You need to nip this in the bud. Flowers

MenaiMna · 07/07/2021 12:32

So you see his family, (they invite themselves over) and you are polite and even friendly and welcoming to them all multiple times a week and he says he's holding them back from visiting? He's saying you both don't see them all enough because he's respecting your background of a smaller less involved family? And he's leaving you to do the entertainment labour?
Yikes, yes he's a selfish dickhead & he's enmeshed with his family.
And on a separate note NO they can't let themselves in whenever to use the pool. That's a massive insurance/safety liability. If he wants his family (especially children) to use the pool he has to be present and capable* of supervising everytime.
(*Present & capable means sober and ready to rescue).

warmandtoasty2day · 07/07/2021 13:07

Sil has stuck her oar in, he has a different family dynamic and thinks you're the bad guy because you don't know what it's like to having siblings? They all sound pretty tedious and boring tbh.
How keen would they be to visit if there wan't a pool?
Would dh give them a house key and notify them if you were going out ?
That would be a breaker for me if he was sneaky and underhand.

GlutenFreeGingerCake · 07/07/2021 13:16

I also think this is particularly upsetting when you were very close with the SiL who sadly passed away. It's like he totally discounts the relationship you have built with his family over the years.

GameSetMatch · 07/07/2021 13:26

Can you read it back to yourself? It’s hard to understand... maybe add paragraphs

billy1966 · 07/07/2021 15:25

Your husband is a right nasty dick.

He has been really very unkind to say that after all the hosting you do.

Someone has said they feel they should be able to use your pool as a public convenience whenever they like and your husband has chosen to be very very nasty getting his snide, sneaky point across.

OP, I would go through him for a short cut and tell him NO ONE is using MY house without MY say so.

And I would give him a right piece of my mind to boot.

He's a CF and you sound lovely.

No doubt too lovely for him.🙄

hollolew2 · 07/07/2021 15:38

I don’t mind my SIL using the pool but of course I would mind if she just turned up. He was using this as an example.I actually don’t think its the pool thats the problem also if she did just turn up then I would make an excuse & leave him to sit there & talk to them it would only happen once as he’d hate it!!!
I think it has something to do with SIL that passed away he told me he wished he spent more time with her before she died . A bit more background my SIL that died was ill 3 times with cancer I took her every day for her radiotherapy treatment made dinner etc etc . Then she got Lung cancer & unfortunately a late diagnosis & her husband & kids took her to Germany for treatment where she unfortunately died. They had a big family rush to say goodbye & I couldn’t go as I had a stinking cold & didn’t want to give it to her as it would delay her treatment. In many ways I was much closer to her than he was.
Im left with two SIL neither of which I'm not that close to but see quite often . A bossy & controlling pool , printer, freezer etc one . She’s single but is constant contact with her ex who she divorced 20 years ago does things like look after him when he broke his leg (he slept at her house which I find weird ) & other SIL who is married and a really nice person.
I got very upset because I had just told him the memorial I thought may have given me closure didn’t . It was then he said about my so called situation ie being an only child has stopped him from doing things with his sisters . I have since told him that he has to take responsibility for his own relationships & I've never blocked him from doing that , he could have picked up the phone to her , gone over there etc but for many years didn’t bother & left it to me to make family arrangements.
Sorry guys if its coming out like word soup .I’m feeling pretty sad about my SIL that passed away & I think I felt he was almost blaming me that he didn’t have a closer relationship with her .

OP posts:
Nicolastuffedone · 07/07/2021 16:55

That’s his conscience talking then. He’s feeling guilty and remorseful, that’s his fault not yours.

thenewduchessofhastings · 07/07/2021 17:58

So basically your DH's family want open access to your garden this summer so they can use it as a public free leisure centre?

Sloaneslone · 07/07/2021 18:06

Unless he is usually a dickhead, I would put this down to grief.

Personally, I think he feels guilty. No matter how much he saw his sister. He still feels bad he didn't see her more.

He is trying to ensure he sees his family as much as possible and has an idyllic view where you are all together all the time. You (quite rightly), want boundaries.

But instead of realising he is being daft and that wouldn't work for most he is thinking if you came from a big family aswell, you wouldn't mind her coming round unannounced.

I spent loads of time with my nana. When she died, I spent months thinking about everytime, I was too busy to see her. Or could have gone in and didn't. I still feel bad 20 years later. But have accepted I would feel like that, regardless of how much I saw her.

I remember, being pissed off at my mum because she never brought nana to live with us. Which is ridiculous because nana wouldn't have wanted to and we didn't have room.

But as a I say, this all depends on wether he is usually a dick or not

QueenOfPain · 07/07/2021 18:12

It sounds like he’s jealous that you’ve been so close to his siblings, but it’s only just dawned on him.

Like you’ve said, he had ample opportunity to nurture the relationships himself but at the time I’m sure it was very convenient for him to let you do it all while he pleased himself.

Now he’s just using it as a stick to beat you with. Don’t let him.

Swipe left for the next trending thread