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Every weekend

110 replies

Fshkiyrcnm · 12/02/2022 20:11

My DH had a DD when he was very young. She is now 32 and we have 2 little ones (6 months and 2). Everyone gets on well.

She lives in a city about 1 hour away and has a great job there. She is quite negative though and does a lot of moaning about her life although she has lots of good stuff! She has just bought a place in said city. But says she really wants to live in London which is unrealistic due to her job (not really many in London!) And cost of property.

This is going to sound v horrible but she comes stay with us every single weekend and I feel like I don't have any space or privacy. The house isn't that big and I'm at work so weekdays are frantic. If she were a child I would feel completely differently.

The thing is it's not to see us, it's to go to parties and come back at 5am. Then sleeps in the playroom all day so we can't access that.

I want her to feel welcome but also feel she is self-fulfilling her belief that she can't be happy where she lives as she isn't even trying to make connections there and just comes back here and lives like a teenager when she is here.

Sorry if any of this sounds harsh. I just feel I need a little breathing space as life is full on and exhausting at the moment.

OP posts:
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Glitterygreen · 12/02/2022 21:46

I probably wouldn't put the bit about limiting visitors at the weekend as then you've gone on to say she can visit when she likes for lunch etc. Also she may take offence at being called a visitor (even though obvs she is).

I'd probably go with something like ...

Hey SD,
Good to see you this weekend, hope your journey home was OK.
I hope this is not too much of a pain for you, but we're going to need to stop the weekend overnights for a while. X has not been sleeping well and we really need the playroom back in action.
Obviously we still want you to visit so would love to have you for dinner or lunch or day out, whatever you fancy. Or we can come to you and check out your new place :)
Hope this is OK and see you soon

Hopefully by the time 'for a while' has passed, she will have got into a new routine.

Ps. No, don't specify once a month because ideally it will be never.

LittleSnakes · 12/02/2022 21:47

Why isn’t your husband sending the message?

Glitterygreen · 12/02/2022 21:47

Also before you send this make sure your DH won't reverse the decision if she goes to him moaning.

NeesAndToes · 12/02/2022 21:51

@Glitterygreen

I probably wouldn't put the bit about limiting visitors at the weekend as then you've gone on to say she can visit when she likes for lunch etc. Also she may take offence at being called a visitor (even though obvs she is).

I'd probably go with something like ...

Hey SD,
Good to see you this weekend, hope your journey home was OK.
I hope this is not too much of a pain for you, but we're going to need to stop the weekend overnights for a while. X has not been sleeping well and we really need the playroom back in action.
Obviously we still want you to visit so would love to have you for dinner or lunch or day out, whatever you fancy. Or we can come to you and check out your new place :)
Hope this is OK and see you soon

Hopefully by the time 'for a while' has passed, she will have got into a new routine.

Ps. No, don't specify once a month because ideally it will be never.

I like glittery greens message but take out the "hope this is ok". And it needs to come from your DH ideally
Kanaloa · 12/02/2022 21:52

I was coming in to say you were unreasonable and unfortunately as a stepparent you sign up to have kids staying with you. But this is beyond step parenting - I hope my own kids aren’t still lying around our house every single weekend in their thirties!

Be careful being the one to address it though. You don’t want to somehow come off as the bad guy here.

GreggsDoVitalWork · 12/02/2022 22:19

Will your DH send this? I think coming from you you’re setting yourself up to be evil stepmum.

Starseeking · 12/02/2022 22:43

I agree, your DH needs to be the one to send it. Even if you all get on well, there is a risk your DSD will be unhappy at her weekend crashpad being removed, so could use a message like this from you to complain that you hate her. If your DH sends it rather than you, it also means he can't distance himself from it, or pretend he knew nothing about it.

I'd go with Glitterygreen's message, rather than yours, although definitely don't say hope it's ok, as she might reply with no it's not!

sadpapercourtesan · 12/02/2022 22:46

Buy your DH a can of WD40 and a chisel Grin

Seriously - she's taken the piss for long enough. Her father should be supporting her to make a life independently now; by allowing her to keep doing this he's colluding in her unhappiness. She won't put down proper roots and make connections where she lives if she's crashing at yours every weekend. She's 32 years old, it has to stop.

Bunty55 · 12/02/2022 22:49

OP Is her mother around? Why cant she go there sometimes?

WTF475878237NC · 12/02/2022 22:55

This has the potential to massively backfire. It needs to come from DH.

bongobingo43 · 12/02/2022 23:05

I wouldn't put up with my own biological Dd doing this (not with 2 young dc in the house and her coming in at 5am and sleeping in play room, different if she was coming to visit us and spend quality time with siblings)

Littlepaws18 · 12/02/2022 23:10

@WTF475878237NC

This has the potential to massively backfire. It needs to come from DH.
It definitely does need to come from him and get rid of the last paragraph.
timeisnotaline · 13/02/2022 03:17

I’d be explicit it’s about the playroom in the message. If you had a completely spare room (& she didn’t wake you up) it wouldn’t matter so much except for of course thinking ‘ffs she’s 32 when is she actually going to grow up and why won’t her dad bloody well point this out to her’
Another one saying it has to come from her dad and agree he needs to not just say of course you can stay whenever you want as soon as she turns to him with a whats this about then?
Also, I’d be waking him when she wakes baby and saying has woken baby coming in, she won’t get back to sleep now so you’re up, I’ll take over at 7. Etc etc. I suspect he’s not experiencing the same inconvenience you are.

Snoopsnoggysnog · 13/02/2022 03:39

This should not be coming from you and not via a message!

Flickflak · 13/02/2022 04:09

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

PinkSyCo · 13/02/2022 04:35

This is just ridiculous! Your SD is acting like a selfish teenager and basically taking over your whole life, and her dad says and does nothing. In fact he barely gets a mention, like this is between you and his DD and nothing to do with him at all! Why are you doing the dirty work for him? What is you messaging her going to achieve? She will just run to her drippy daddy and I’m guessing he will undermine you and things will just continue as usual, only now you will be cast as the wicked stepmother. Tell your DH that unless he wants you to leave all the kids with him every weekend while you go and stay with friends/family/at a hotel, he’d better tell his DD that she is not welcome to use your home as a dosshole every single weekend from now on.

Hothammock · 13/02/2022 04:49

Sorry to be devil's advocate here but I don't think you are communicating the right reason to her for why she can't stay. If I was her I would not understand why you think it's ok to be so judgemental about how she lives her life.
If you don't want an adult relation in your house every weekend because that is impacting on your family life then stop tip toing around her and put your family life first. Be honest that is a problem, Reclaim the play room and stop going out every Saturday morning.
If however it is not true that there is an impact on your family life, you don't and won't want to use that room and will go out if she is there or not, then this is not about your peace and quiet and not about your concern for her friendship base. It's because you are being judgeypants about her life style. At the age of 32 it's not for you to say if she works and socialises in different areas and who she is friends with as if friends are simply people you meet in bars or cafes. It's a bizarre thing to focus on and pretend it's a good reason to tell her she can't stay anymore.
She will see through it and assume that you just don't want her in your family bubble any more. She will feel horribly awkward about visiting in future. Make sure you are ok with the explanation you are giving as once you say something there is no going back.
I think you should focus on the inconvenience of having someone in the house and don't say anything about her choices of what she does where with her weekends.

roastingmichael · 13/02/2022 05:02

I agree that this is for your husband to do and definitely not by text.

I also think it needs more honesty about the reasons. She's waking you up, she's not actually spending any time with her family and she's in the way if she's sleeping in all day in a room you want to use.

She'll likely still be upset/pissed off/embarrassed but it's going to be received a hell of a lot better from her parent and not dad's wife.

Anniegetyourgun76 · 13/02/2022 05:04

@Fshkiyrcnm

Yes I agree it is very teenage behaviour. I have always thought she would grow out of it but worried now it won't happen...

Thanks a lot, glad it's not me being horrible! It honestly has been every weekend since Christmas....

I think the reality is DH doesn't mind. That's probably part of the problem. If it were my child I would give some tough love

No you wouldn't, if it was your child you'd be over the moon to have her home every weekend.
EugeniaGrace · 13/02/2022 05:06

It’s doesn’t really help your dilemma but I’m interested in why she doesn’t like being in her flat on the weekends. Does she not like living on her own? Is she at yours to avoid something in x city? Does she regret buying a flat on a city where her friends and family aren’t close by?

I think there is a conversation to be had not just about crashing at yours but what she wants for her future.

If what she really wants to do is live in London, maybe she needs some support changing careers to one she can do in London instead of her current routine which involves coming to yours.

Anniegetyourgun76 · 13/02/2022 05:11

I wouldn't send a message like that if I were you, it'll bite you on the arse. The problem is you don't see your house as her home and she and her father clearly do.

ChuckMater · 13/02/2022 05:14

Crikey she's 32!! Tell her to rent herself a flat in the area you live if she is going to be home every weekend. Its not fair to lose a play room all weekend for 2 little ones while she is asleep. Does she pay you?

Cocogreen · 13/02/2022 05:36

She regards your house as her other home and I think that's not a problem, but you both need to have a straight talk with her. Be honest.
I'd say to her it's ok to stay but you're disturbing the baby when you come in and can't take over the playroom and sleep most of the day. Otherwise you needs to sleep over at a friend's place.
You love seeing her but it stops you from having people over if she's there sleeping in the main room.

UniversalAunt · 13/02/2022 05:40

Although she is 32, she sounds like a stroppy older teen.
How old was she when her parents parted?

Her behaviours sound like she is reclaiming something from her absent father, they seem to have missed out the phase when darling daughter pushes the boundaries & sensible father sets the limits.
There is a power game at play & a loving kind corrective is required so that peace is restored.

So @Fshkiyrcnm, AYBU?
No.

Thinking of children & boundaries, I suggest that you stuff your small children with a juice & bikkie early breakfast & send them into their playroom to see darling daughter just a couple of hours after she gets in after a night out. Close the door gently & let nature take its course. It’s good that they bond, isn’t it!

Once she is sentient, mobile & reasonably alert - a few stiff coffees may help - pop your heads round the door & quickly say ‘we’ve got to pop out for a bit, the kids are thrilled you are here so we’ll leave them with you, back soon’. Be brave, it’ll work.

Do this as many times as is required for her to get out of her pit & join the family for the day, particularly spending time with her father. Your house is not a hotel.

Do not leave her with the run of your home, e.g. take the kids out whilst she sleeps in, have the run if the house whilst you are away, until her less frequent visiting patterns chime with the smooth running of your home.

Word of caution, be utterly sweet & charming as you undertake this campaign because if you are too direct with her, you’ll become the panto stepmother & there’s a box somewhere nearby that answers to the name of Pandora.

Any honest conversations should be with her father & instigated sooner rather than later. You are already fed up enough.

timeisnotaline · 13/02/2022 05:42

@Anniegetyourgun76 do you really think that? That the op would be over the moon at having her 32 year old child stagger in in the early hours and take up a non spare room to sleep the day away every weekend? I don’t have to ask my mum to know she’d be horrified if any of us were entitled enough to think that was ok, and she wouldn’t welcome it one single bit. Nor will I when they are that age, I’ll be hoping they are adults with more fulfilling lives than that.