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Feeling left out

(433 Posts)
MoaningTurtle Wed 02-Aug-23 10:48:49

One of my DILs seems to resent our existence!
Today they have had their 20 week scan and thankfully all looks fine, however the placenta is low so she will need a scan at 36 weeks but they said they aren’t worried at all.
My son has just hurriedly texted me to pretend he hadn’t told me as she only wants her own mum to know.
I understand it’s her pregnancy and totally up to her what she does but this is just typical of her, she sees her mum during the week but doesn’t ever come to us, doesn’t want my son to ever tell us anything.
Am I wrong to find this hurtful?

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 18:09:35

If you look at your post you made to me yesterday @ 16.02 VS, that will explain.

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 18:02:54

We're all influenced by how our own families 'work' Norah and by what we find annoying smile.

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 18:00:02

Smileless2012

Careful VS posters might think you're trying to police others posts.

Explain what you mean please?

I don't mind I have all the patience in the world to answer people

But blaming me is unreasonable

Norah Sat 05-Aug-23 17:58:10

Smileless2012

As maddy's just posted Norah, every family is different. What some AC and spouses may find annoying, others may find caring and natural.

Thanks for saying what I was attempting - annoying, perhaps only to me!

I base comments on my dislike of intrusion into our life.

Everyone is different, as usual.

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:57:24

Careful VS posters might think you're trying to police others posts.

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:54:54

Also maddyone

I am 90% answering posts addressed to me or asking questions..

It's not really fair to say that to me if I am answering those going out of their way to disagree or question my every comment

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:52:23

As maddy's just posted Norah, every family is different. What some AC and spouses may find annoying, others may find caring and natural.

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:51:59

VioletSky

I wouldn't text or call when I knew they were at hospital either, I'd wait to hear... Son would need to be focused on his wife and baby, not answering me

Imagine if every family member and close friend did that. Their phones would be going non stop. How stressful would that be

Here

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:51:31

I'll find the post answering your question I have already said rather than retype Smileless

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:50:25

Personally, a priority for me is being a calm, approachable MIL

I am not saying my parenting is the only way, I am sharing what is working well in my family

And I am FAR from the only one saying it aren't I?

Norah Sat 05-Aug-23 17:47:05

Smileless2012

I agree Norah that it does look as if too much information was given but not because the OP asked for specifics, she just asked what I'm sure the majority of mums/m's.i.l./future GM's would ask, if everything was alright.

I tend to disagree. Apart from annoying our children and my husband, questions don't always need asking - wait to be told. Easy!!

maddyone Sat 05-Aug-23 17:46:57

Every family is different VS. Your family act one way, other families act another. You may not mean to, but you come across as though your way is the only way. It’s not! Each family behaves the way they want to. Our way may not be your way, but both are completely valid. I don’t force my adult children to behave the way they do, that’s their choice.
I agree with Smileless that this is not about the woman’s body so much as about their baby. It is her body, but the baby is theirs.

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:43:30

I agree Norah that it does look as if too much information was given but not because the OP asked for specifics, she just asked what I'm sure the majority of mums/m's.i.l./future GM's would ask, if everything was alright.

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:41:09

Where did she say it's her right? She asked if all was OK with the scan, what caring mother, m.i.l., future GM wouldn't want to know?

I don't think it's the OP's right to know, but I do believe it's her son's right to tell her what he wants her to know.

So if the day comes when your d.i.l. is pregnant VS wouldn't you want to know that everything's OK? The OP didn't ask him for information regardless of whether or not his wife wanted her to be told.

As maddy posted, if she hadn't asked how the scan went, she could be accused of not being interested so yes, It really is no wonder that relationships struggle.

Norah Sat 05-Aug-23 17:36:04

Smileless2012

It's their information not her's, because it concerns their baby.

Given we have daughters who do talk to us I may be wrong, however it seems to me from the original post - too much information was given. I'd not want my mil knowing 'placenta is low' - perhaps better had son replied to her questioning (who in their right mind questions?) 'all looks fine'.

Questioning out of turn and TMI cause many in-law problems.

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:30:22

It really is no wonder so many relationships struggle

When someone like the OP feels it's her right to know and sits with other family members speaking badly of this DIL

Do you think that's ok Smileless? Really?

It sounds like bullying to me

As a sensible older family member I'd never be involved in that

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:24:26

It's their information not her's, because it concerns their baby.

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 17:23:16

I meant Summerlove that the references to her body, her uterus etc for me isn't the issue. If course it's her body but she's carrying their child, and the information the OP's son gave her was in relation to the pregnancy.

IMO this isn't about her having control over her body, it's about the OP's d.i.l. controlling what the OP's son can and cannot tell her, which for me is wrong.

She told her mum and her sister, so why can't he tell his mum?

VioletSky Sat 05-Aug-23 17:12:31

I talk to my children daily by their choice, even the adult 2

Closeness doesn't mean knowing everything

Sometimes closeness means giving your children space to live their own lives their way and remembering you aren't nuclear family any more, their own families are their priority

That's as it should be to I did not spend decades raising children I don't trust to make their own decisions

Summerlove Sat 05-Aug-23 17:11:09

Smileless2012

I didn't say that a woman loses control over her body when she becomes pregnant Summerlove and you're right, we do differ about whose attempting to control.

Then could you explain what you did mean?

It is coming across as though you do not believe she has the right to keep her information private?

maddyone Sat 05-Aug-23 16:52:19

We’re very lucky with our children, even though our daughter is currently living and working in New Zealand, she has remained close to us, much more so than when she was married. She’s now getting a divorce. We speak to her all the time and also the grandchildren. Our boys are both married, one with a child, and we see them regularly, get together regularly for meals, go out together a lot, have our grandson over a lot. We help them out a lot, my husband is always doing jobs for them and we did also in New Zealand when we were visiting our daughter for two months in the winter. That’s our family though but not all are the same. I love the way our family is and wouldn’t change it. We’ve had experience of control in a marriage in our family but that person is no longer part of the family.
Likewise I was close to my parents even though I had ups and downs with my mother. And we were close also, but probably a bit less so, to my parents in law. That’s who we are and I love it. But others are not so close and that’s fine too, so long as no one is being coercively controlled. That is crucial.
I don’t know how the OP can resolve the issues apart from maintaining a loving relationship with her son and daughter in law, but not asking for any information. It’s tricky though because she could then be accused of not being interested!

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 16:47:00

I didn't say that a woman loses control over her body when she becomes pregnant Summerlove and you're right, we do differ about whose attempting to control.

Norah Sat 05-Aug-23 16:33:04

OP ^she sees her mum during the week but doesn’t ever come to us, doesn’t want my son to ever tell us anything.
Am I wrong to find this hurtful?^

No, feelings are feelings. You're to have your own.

However, perhaps manage your feelings to not be 'hurt' by her lack of alone visits? We really don't expect our in-laws to prefer us. In fact, I expect our in-laws and future in-laws to prefer theirs.

Summerlove Sat 05-Aug-23 16:32:34

IMO this isn't about a pregnant woman's right to privacy, it's about control.

I’d agree it’s about control, but I suspect we differ after that. I feel it’s about control of her own private medical information. Not about controlling her husband.

As far as this early comment All this rubbish about her body, her uterus etc., she's carrying their baby.

Again, it’s her body? her uterus.

This idea that women lost control of their body after conception greatly upsets me.

I understand OP is hurt, though I don’t think she’s helping herself much

Smileless2012 Sat 05-Aug-23 15:46:13

Not everything I agree.