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

Step-parenting

Connect with other Mumsnetters here for step-parenting advice and support.

AIBU MIL lands with the DSC at our house

372 replies

Carolinesturn · 05/08/2021 09:53

AIBU? My DP has access to his DC two daughters three times a week, Tuesday and Thursday after school and all day Sunday as well as EOW overnight stay. We have been together for two years. DP recently took on a new role at work where he is away through the week, as the EW works Tuesday and Thursday his role was not just contact with his DC but also because she can't get out of work until after 7 on those two days. DP asked MIL if she could pick up the DCs and care for them until EW finishes work, all sounds very reasonable however... MIL lives about 45/50 mins away from school and brings them back to our house.
I really like my new MIL but after I finish work and enter my house I feel incredibly awkward, I worry I've left knickers in the bathroom or that the fridge isn't clean and all those little personal things like that. Also I can't relax two days a week after a long day at work, she feeds the kids and does the dishes after and does everything spot on but I feel I can't relax, it's one thing my DP having his kids round (great kids and I like having them) but quite another with MIL.
Approached this with DP and he says he'll ask her to stop coming to ours with DSC but that makes me feel terrible. WWYD? Could this cause a family upset?

OP posts:
candlelightsatdawn · 05/08/2021 12:59

@MotionActivatedDog

However, 2 nights a week for the next 10 years would have most actual mothers running to AIBU in their distress!

Why 10 years? The youngest is 4? So will be taking themselves home from school in 7 years. It’s also possible in that time that dad will change his work hours, mum will change his work hours or some other change that means MIL won’t need to be at the house when OP gets in from work.

As a mum this would definitely have me running to the hills for support tbh. She's spot on.
MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously · 05/08/2021 13:00

OP I do understand why you wouldn't like it. Most of us wouldn't either but there's not much of an alternative that doesn't involve your dp changing his work hours. And really he should want to see his children. It's odd that this isn't his priority - if I was a nrp hell would freeze over before I gave up time with my children.

candlelightsatdawn · 05/08/2021 13:00

@Carolinesturn I don't even like my cleaner coming in to my house. She's lovely,friendly, paid well and I'm grateful.

But I still don't like it when I just need some RR. Agreed

Fieldsofstars · 05/08/2021 13:02

‘ Gosh so many posts and questions. He's told me I'm the most important thing in the world to him yes however I think I'm equal to his DC and I'd never put this statement to the test as I love him and like his children immensely (no I don't love them)’

Gosh. What adult would actually want to hear this?
As for believing it...

You sound horrible. Those poor kids.

SupermanWithTheGreyHair · 05/08/2021 13:03

I see you're already pregnant, OP.

Is she? Another happy blended family. 😬

Howshouldibehave · 05/08/2021 13:03

@Carolinesturn

Did you say what the plan now is for Thursdays, now that the dad can change his work days and be there for Tuesdays? Where are they now on Thursdays?

SpaceshiptoMars · 05/08/2021 13:03

@MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously
Sorry, wasn't intending to point a finger at you. It was a general comment based on the notion that the OP should suck up being 'bottom of the pile'!

Carolinesturn · 05/08/2021 13:03

Eek I'm glad this is anonymous, I keep glancing out the window waiting for someone to barge in and club me over the head!

OP posts:
queenMab99 · 05/08/2021 13:04

Make sure you pick up your knickers on those days, and keep your fridge clean, until dp gets something sorted, to make sure the children are happy , settled, and cared for, his mother is doing her best for the family, not just being an inconvenient annoyance to you.

PinkGinny · 05/08/2021 13:05

@Coffeepot72

why doesn’t MIL take the DC to their other house and wait for their DM to come home? What is the point of them coming to your house if they are not going to see their DF?

No point at all. But I’m glad the OP has managed to speak to her DP and at least solve the Tuesday night issue. And I hope the OP posts on the step-parenting page next time, she can take advice from those of us who’ve got the T-shirt …….

But there is a point - he is a parent with parental responsibilities for his children on those two days; he is not Fun-time Franky who doesn't need to bother his pretty little head with things such as after school care. (and tbf to him he doesn't appear to subscribe to that view, just some of the posters on this thread.)

Contact is such an out-dated term and concept as it appears to absolve the adult of the responsibilities part of the equation. Shared care (whatever ratio) describes the relationship far more accurately.

Greenmarmalade · 05/08/2021 13:06

No husband or partner would ever be above my children in terms of priority. Ever.

You’re incredibly selfish.

MotionActivatedDog · 05/08/2021 13:07

Contact is such an out-dated term and concept as it appears to absolve the adult of the responsibilities part of the equation. Shared care (whatever ratio) describes the relationship far more accurately.

I agree with you. But at least contact is a million times better than “access”.

PinkGinny · 05/08/2021 13:13

@MotionActivatedDog

Contact is such an out-dated term and concept as it appears to absolve the adult of the responsibilities part of the equation. Shared care (whatever ratio) describes the relationship far more accurately.

I agree with you. But at least contact is a million times better than “access”.

Aye access very much plays into the same space and mind set .
Mummyoflittledragon · 05/08/2021 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

candlelightsatdawn · 05/08/2021 13:18

@Mummyoflittledragon the literal pitchforks are coming thick and fast at OP. I don't blame her for saying this.

Also those in glasshouses ...

Vanilla1Cookies · 05/08/2021 13:21

When you get home after work why don’t you tell the mil to go home and you will watch them til your oh gets home?

Vanilla1Cookies · 05/08/2021 13:22

I do think you should incredibly selfish though and childish.

Icantrememberthenameoftheartis · 05/08/2021 13:30

YABU

I think it’s fair enough she brings them to your house as she lives so far away AND she is looking after them and tidying up.

You would be unreasonable to ask her to drive 50 mins back to her house with the children.

SeeYouInFive · 05/08/2021 13:30

Maybe as time goes on I can take over child care but equally I don't want to reduce my hours and work as a child minder so exW and DP keep their professional jobs and high wages

Do whatever you can to avoid this happening at all costs.

This happened to me when DP and I had children together. One nine-month maternity leave was all it took for all the children to suddenly become my main responsibility. I went back to work part time, took the hit in all ways while DP and his ex just carried on as normal knowing they had me to pick up the slack with the DC/DSC.

At the time I thought I was doing right by everyone and 'putting the kids first' like a good step mother who knows what she's getting herself into should do.

But actually I was being a mug and a martyr. It was very hard for me and my career. I ended up having to give it up completely and retrain in a different field.

Just a word of caution there for you.

Considering you're with a man who has two kids and a job that means he's away all week, you've really got the best outcome possible. By which I mean that he's not putting any of the responsibility of the childcare onto you, all you have to do is put up with MIL being at yours for a couple of hours two evenings a week. Compared to the potential disruption to you that this situation could cause, you've got off relatively lightly.

The fact is that when you're with a man with children, things will never be entirely how you want them to be. There will always be something like this, which makes you feel uncomfortable, like you're compromising your boundaries, your time, your privacy. This is life with step-children unfortunately. Two years is not too deep into a relationship to decide it's not the life for you.

Coffeepot72 · 05/08/2021 13:30

@Carolinesturn its not natural to have your MIL in your home, not in the slightest. And I suspect not many of us are 100% keen on other people's children either (I'm watching out for pitchforks too ...) and to have to deal with both is not funny.

Bibidy · 05/08/2021 13:34

I understand OP. Although it's not unusual for a grandparent to care for children in their home, it does seem pretty pointless that she is bringing them back to yours just to then drive them over to their mum's as soon as she's home. Your DP doesn't even see them. I wouldn't be happy with this in your shoes really.

If I were him I'd be chatting to my ex to see if it was possible to rearrange the schedule so I could actually be around to spend time with them.

However you also have to bear in mind that it's not just about him getting quality time with the kids, but also managing childcare between parents so both can work. Just because he's now working doesn't mean it all automatically falls back into his ex's lap to sort.

BUT he's found a solution, which is good.....but a bit nonsensical. It would make more sense for his mum to care for the kids at his home when he's actually having them afterwards.

SoupDragon · 05/08/2021 13:37

If I were him I'd be chatting to my ex to see if it was possible to rearrange the schedule so I could actually be around to spend time with them.

She is at work! It is not her problem.

lorca · 05/08/2021 13:38

Amazing how 'selfish and childish' OP sounds when she's not amenable to looking after her DPs children. When the actual parents of his dc are both out, working in their careers and earning a good wage - why should she take the knock?

Well I think OP should move out. Maintain your own home, be UNAVAILABLE for childcare for HIS and HER children and have your knickers strewn where the hell you like. They will still be where you left them when you get back in.

Let the actual parents sort out their children. And take the knock to their careers/wages/pensions. Rather then look around for a convenient vagina-owner to sort out their kids, make them feel wanted and loved, raise them.

funinthesun19 · 05/08/2021 13:38

When you get home after work why don’t you tell the mil to go home and you will watch them til your oh gets home?

I suspect she’ll be wanting to see her son before she goes.
If the op doesn’t mind looking after them then that’s certainly an option to tell MIL to go home, but how do you tell her to get out without sounding rude?
Op might not even want to look after them anyway.

Carolinesturn · 05/08/2021 13:38

Yes @SeeYouInFive my mum has warned me not to get involved with child care as it may build resentment and actually DP has been great, I've offered a couple of times to look after the DC however he's always been very clear that he would never expect me to do that. He's obviously very clued up about how that could potentially effect our relationship. The crux of the matter is that those are his days and he should stick to them. I have made things difficult for him as if I weren't there then he of course would get his mum to do it but he has taken my feelings into account and is addressing the matter and has promised it won't happen again. We are actually arranging a family get together with his family and mine as we are due to get married soon. He's been in touch with his mum today and has assured me that she actually felt the same way and was happy to come to an alternative arrangement.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread