My OH has 10 grandchildren, this thread concerns his daughter who has 4, aged 2, 7, 9 and 11.
They live about 40 mins away and we generally only visit once every 3 weeks and stay for a couple of hours which suits me.
I have only 1 GC who lives abroad and whom I tend to visit once or twice a year ( on my own for financial reasons) which I look forward to very much. That’s just background so you can see where I’m coming from.
This concerns the 3 older children of my SD. They have had a lots of strike days at school this years and my OH keeps volunteering to take them out for the day but the truth is he can’t handle all 3 of them alone. So he expects me to go with them.
The problem is there is ALWAYS squabbles and fights and one of them in tears. The older ones tease the younger one and my OH ends up loosing his rag and shouting at them. Every time.
It’s just not enjoyable and I dread him telling me that ‘we’re taking the boys for the day next Wednesday’ and assuming I will be going.
He admits he can’t handle 3 of them alone but can’t just take 2 as then it wouldn’t be fair on the one that couldn’t go (understandably)
He always has a ‘talk’ with them before we leave but it soon descends in to arguments, fights etc..
I would really like to refuse to be involved but feel I can’t.
Any advice gratefully received.
