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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

Issues with my FIL

46 replies

Avh260 · 24/07/2024 17:48

Hi Everyone really hoping you can help!

We lost my MIL in Jan last year, she asked my husband to take care of his Dad no matter what. My husband has never been close to his Dad, his Dad is a very difficult and demanding character, ex RAF, selfish, arrogant, stuck in his ways, materialistic and frankly rude. We’re talking a man that makes a spreadsheet at the beginning of the week with all his meals and used to click at his wife if she forgot to put serviettes on the dinner table.

So as you would we took his Dad under our wing, he came over every month or we went there. My husband went and stayed with him when his back went, we cooked and sent food over for him, we took him on 4 holidays and it meant we couldn’t enjoy our holidays because everything had to be what his Dad wanted (every day to go to the pub) we could only have sandwiches and pork pie for lunch, never go out for more than an hour at a time as he got bored. He never once during those holidays asked us if we wanted to go out as a couple and offered to look after the kids for us. We lost the only person we have to look after our boys when his mum died and we haven’t had a date night since!

anyway on one of the weekends we went to stay at his Dads I bathed my son and I went downstairs to watch TV. I left the bathroom light on for 2 hours and he went ballistic - said I was wasteful and we were wasteful as a family and whenever he comes to our house it’s like blackpool illuminations! he had been drinking but he was vile!
I apologised and I offered to pay for the extra electricity but he wouldn’t leave it. I walked out and told him he was a pathetic sad man to worry about such a trivial thing and I went to bed. He then started on my husband and the kids were at the top of the stairs crying - they had a full blown row and my husband packed us all up in the morning and we went home early. I said goodbye to my FIL but he ignored me, he was dressed in his going out clothes (he has house clothes for if he’s staying in) and it turned out he’d already invited his girlfriend over to eat the Sunday dinner we were meant to be cooking for him!

So yes, the girlfriend - 1 of my MILs friends!!

We’ve seen him since the argument but I kept out of his way, and I didn’t want him to come to my house especially after everything his dad had said. I vowed never to go to his house again but we are going away next month and he asked to see us before we go so my husband has arranged for us to go and stay for a night tomorrow. He went over alone to take him out for Father’s Day and met his girlfriend which he says he is fine with but I can tell he’s struggling.

His dads moved on so quickly and keeps trying to shove her in our faces, fitting her into his wife’s shoes, taking her to all the places they used to go it’s weird. Anyway, I don’t want to go to his house let alone sleep over! He’s invited his girlfriend and I’m really not interested in playing happy families. I feel so angry after everything we’ve done for him at the way I’ve been treated. I literally HATE him. Do I put my foot down and say I’m not going and risk falling out with my husband or do I go and suck it up and just be civil? The problem is I’m so angry I don’t know if I can? I’m not gonna make it easy for him, he certainly hasn’t for me and I resent him so much.

what do I do?

OP posts:
Opentooffers · 24/07/2024 18:00

Is your DH trying to keep him sweet for a future inheritance? If not, I'd leave it to his GF to look after him. It seems he's sorted.
I would not be staying. Does he pay his way when you do things with him? Pay his share of holidays and expenses? I hardly think the cost of a lightbulb ( energy-saving as they are theses days mostly) being on, equates to anywhere near all the things you've done for him. It's more about his age and being rigid in his ways, and downright rude.
Leave him to it, he's found a replacement to look after him, so you don't have to.

ZekeZeke · 24/07/2024 18:02

Not a hope I would stay over to keep the peace. F that.
Bad behaviour should be called out as and when it happens.
If your DH wants to visit I would leave that up to him, but foe yourself? Nope.

Choux · 24/07/2024 18:03

Exactly what @Opentooffers says.

Some people are not easy to like. You don't have to ruin your own lives trying to keep a promise to your late MIL. Family should be give and take not just take.

FictionalCharacter · 24/07/2024 18:06

I wouldn’t go. He sounds like a nasty man.

Choux · 24/07/2024 18:06

A Light bulb will use around 0.01kwh, which costs around 0.34p per hour.

www.homegroup.org.uk/manage-my-home/renters/money-benefits-and-wellbeing-support/help-with-your-energy-bills/understanding-your-energy-usage#

So he lost his rag for less than a penny. He's uninformed and irrational. Give him a wide berth.

FictionalCharacter · 24/07/2024 18:06

I wouldn’t go. He sounds like a nasty man.

Bigpaintinglittlepainting · 24/07/2024 18:10

I wouldn't be going, although I did go to in laws for years when I shouldn't have, so saying from experience. It gets you nowhere, they never appreciate it

olderbutwiser · 24/07/2024 18:13

What will work best for your husband? If DH really wants/needs you to go then I'd suck it up, but only for DH sake. You don't owe FIL anything.

Avh260 · 24/07/2024 18:16

You’ve hit the nail on the head!! Yup, him and his brother set to inherit when he dies which is what I think the reason is. He does pay his way but he is tight so he will only pay for himself on everything not any extra and even when we went away he never once paid for a meal or anything for us as a thank you.

OP posts:
Avh260 · 24/07/2024 18:18

He wants me to go - not because he wants me there for moral support but because he doesn’t want a scene!! Probably because he’s due to inherit!! I went to my mums the weekend just gone and I ran the race for life in memory of his mum and he didn’t come to support me!

OP posts:
ABirdsEyeView · 24/07/2024 18:20

Poor mil - spent her last days worrying about this selfish fucker and he's replaced her in 5 minutes!
I wouldn't see him again. Obviously your dh has to make his own choice because it's his dad, but you are under no obligation to have anything to do with him.

Catoo · 24/07/2024 18:21

Avh260 · 24/07/2024 18:18

He wants me to go - not because he wants me there for moral support but because he doesn’t want a scene!! Probably because he’s due to inherit!! I went to my mums the weekend just gone and I ran the race for life in memory of his mum and he didn’t come to support me!

Tell him there will be a scene if you go. So it’s best you stay away and send your best wishes.

Wishihadanalgorithm · 24/07/2024 18:21

Fuck all that shit. Your DH can go but you don’t.

FIL sounds like a vile bully so why would you want to be near him.

Nah, enjoy your time away from him and the peace that brings.

Turophilic · 24/07/2024 18:21

Leave your DH to deal with his father. You don't need to be anywhere near such a rude and disrespectful nam.

ABirdsEyeView · 24/07/2024 18:22

Your dh shouldn't waste his life keeping him sweet for an inheritance - he'll blow it on the new woman and life is too short to compromise yourself for money

Nanny0gg · 24/07/2024 18:24

Avh260 · 24/07/2024 18:18

He wants me to go - not because he wants me there for moral support but because he doesn’t want a scene!! Probably because he’s due to inherit!! I went to my mums the weekend just gone and I ran the race for life in memory of his mum and he didn’t come to support me!

There's a girlfriend on the scene...

ToofHurty · 24/07/2024 18:26

Your FIL sounds very much like mine.

I haven’t been to FIL’s house in several years and he rarely comes over to ours.

I told DH straight if I ever visit his dad again, or if his dad comes here to our house, I will call out every single racist, mysoginistic, snarky, nasty, belittling, penny pinching, vile comment he makes.

Like your DH mine seems very concerned about “causing a scene” or what it migyt look like if I don’t accompany him on visits and as such rarely sees his dad now.

I’ve never stopped him from seeing his dad, he’s welcome to visit him alone at any time, I’ve just drawn my line in the sand.

Our adult kids want nothing to do with the old bastard either.

Redshoeblueshoe · 24/07/2024 18:27

If Fil marries there may not even be an inheritance. I really wouldn't go.

coldcallerbaiter · 24/07/2024 18:30

I would keep an eye on him, in case he gets married. Keep him sweet so you can talk him out of it. Why should the gfs family get everything. Do it for your mil !

WhistPie · 24/07/2024 19:17

There won't be any inheritance for your DH - it'll all go to whichever wife is left standing when FIL dies!

Avh260 · 24/07/2024 19:41

Toofhurty well done for standing your ground. My husband just accuses me of trying to cause an argument and trouble when I can just let it go and all will be ok. But I’ve said it won’t be ok and I’m not going to stand for such disrespect. He’s currently blaming perimenopause on me standing up to his dad. He’s going to make an excuse that I’m unwell so that’s the reason I can’t come, I said I’ll happily tell him and my husband just said why are you trying to cause trouble? He doesn’t seem to get that I’ve put up with his dad’s behaviour for years and I’m not going to put up with it any longer! Apparently I’m just a bitter hormonal woman!

OP posts:
ToofHurty · 24/07/2024 19:45

Apparently I’m just a bitter hormonal woman!

Wow, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in this case, does it?

Your DH is as nasty as his dad.

NeedToAskPlease · 24/07/2024 19:49

ToofHurty · 24/07/2024 19:45

Apparently I’m just a bitter hormonal woman!

Wow, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in this case, does it?

Your DH is as nasty as his dad.

Agree!!

You have a huge DH problem who cares more for his inheritance (which will go to his next wife) then for you.

Fargo79 · 24/07/2024 20:02

Struggling to think of any circumstance where my husband would call me something as vile and misogynistic as "bitter hormonal woman".

Agree with PPs. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'd be more worried about the sexist prick I was married to than the one I only have to see once every couple of months.

Irridescantshimmmer · 24/07/2024 20:21

Don't go,

You would be seething for the duration and he's made his bed, he can dam well sleep in it. His trouble is, he's so far up his own backside, he can't see clearly.

It's not a good for kids, sounds like he could not care less about his own grandkids to put them through something like that.

As he is your FIL, support your DH but keep a healthy distance for your self and most importantly, your kids