DIL seeking advice

I would be very unhappy if one of 4 s.i.l would not stand up to his parents for my 4 daughter. Biblical "leave and cleave" is in play, H allegiance is to his W.

My m.i.l. was jealous of me Newatthis which caused no end of problems. I do think it helped that I was willing and able to stand up to her for myself and didn't expect him to always do so for me.

We have a very good relationship now and have done so for many years.

Good post Madgran.

Madgran77

This is not a "potentially" situation at all
His parents and husband have been seriously impacting OP for a very long time.

The word 'jealousy' was mentioned by you. I think that this could be part of the problem. My MiL was very jealous of me and made sure she ruined every happy occasion because the attention wasn't focussed on her (engagement, wedding, Christenings). My husband, like yours, did not want to speak up for me which caused many rows between us. Try to not let it bother you even though it's very difficult, concentrate on your lovely son and try not to let it affect the relationship you have with your husband because if so, she will have won.

I found we couldn’t do anything as a couple. They didn’t listen to me. It had to come from my husband. We worked together behind the scenes, but he had to try and deal with them. When he finally did, there was no going back. It was unsalvagable.

They are his parents, he should step up and set boundaries against their rude intolerable behaviour. HIS parents, not hers, HIS job to pull them to control

His parents are adults in their own right, not blobs to be "pulled into control". This is a mutual problem for this couple, impacting both on their child and their partnership potentially!! They should work together to solve the problem as with any other problems that couples encounter! They might agree together that DH has an initial discussion or they might agree that DIL has a discussion or they might agree a strategy of responses together. But whatever they decide it should be together and implemented together!

Oh Lakelover, there’s so much I could say....don’t know where to start. The number of times I heard the “ it’s just they way they are” statement. Well...... I didn’t like the way they were, and after 25 years of trying to put it right, gave up. My husband didn’t like it either, but found it difficult to deal with. He also had a sister who compounded everything. She was the instigator of “ we should just put up with it.
NO, you absolutely do NOT have to put up with it. You are starting with a clean slate with your new baby, and you are right. Children pick up on things, mine did, that’s why we eventually cut off 20 years ago.
Why grandparents, or parents of adult children think they can behave this way has always been completely incomprehensible to me. You are your little baby’s mother. He needs you for absolutely everything. He also needs his father to step up, and protect you from his parents, who, like many older people with grown families, still think everything revolves around them. You and your son should be your husband‘S first concern. It may be he’s frightened of them...or dealing with them, like my husband was, but it has to be done. Otherwise you’ll just create another cycle of the same for your son and any more children you have.
Do it now...on your own if you have to. Stand your ground. Perhaps your own parents can help. Mine didn’t, but that’s another story. There’s plenty of us on here who can support you. Your in laws...as your own parents, need to understand they’re just spectators now.
I wish you all the best, and congratulations on the birth of your son.

petra

Hithere
I think you missed your calling in life.
In days gone by ( thank goodness) you could have been an interrogator.
Your posts almost border on the ve haf vays of making you talk

He may rightly or wrongly, not regard his parents behaviour as as rude and intolerable as his wife does Norah. He may regard his approach as being the best one. I'm not saying that it is, which is why they need to work together.

I agree with Eviebeanz "Don't let it cause friction between you and your partner". IMO the attitude that "They are his parents, he should step up and set boundaries against their rude intolerable behaviour. HIS parents, not hers, HIS job to pull them to control" will cause friction.

He can't control his parents, just work together with his wife and hopefully with his parents to achieve a healthier relationship between his wife and his parents.

Smileless, I disagree. The OP wants her H to be supportive as he should be, but that doesn't mean he "should set good boundaries in place, refuse his parents rude intolerable behaviour", they need to do this together. Otherwise it can result in an 'it's me or them' scenario which is just as unhealthy and intolerable. They are his parents, he should step up and set boundaries against their rude intolerable behaviour. HIS parents, not hers, HIS job to pull them to control.

Hi I'm going to post and hope I haven't missed something that has already been said - firstly a new baby is a joy but can sometimes cause problems that they are blissfully unaware of
I think it's important that some of the time when your husband is home is designated as family time i.e. You, your husband and your son
also
I wonder how the in laws know how often you are seeing your parents.
I wonder if you are a youngish mum - can you think about setting some boundaries with the in laws?
Take up your space in your own home - don't think about sitting in your room when they visit - you could take your son and go out for a while...
Don't let it cause friction between you and your partner... Good luck.

I agree Norah which is why they need to work as a team, because that's what they are, a team. Not working together to find ways to improve this situation will be bad for their marriage.

The OP wants her H to be supportive as he should be, but that doesn't mean he "should set good boundaries in place, refuse his parents rude intolerable behaviour", they need to do this together. Otherwise it can result in an 'it's me or them' scenario which is just as unhealthy and intolerable.

The notion that GPs visit often and are dismissive and snappy of their son's wife is intolerable. DH just be quiet and go along with it so our son can have a good relationship with them is bad for your marriage.

They should do what Lakelover wants, and work together as a team. Of course she needs her H to be supportive, but it isn't his sole responsibility to find ways of improving the relationship between his wife and his mother, they have a part to play too.

Gordon Bennett. I'd say lower visits to once monthly for two hours. Your husband should set good boundaries in place, refuse his parents rude intolerable behaviour.

The red neon warning signs with your husband were there from the very beginning. What made you marry him and have children with him?"

"The red neon warning signs with your husband were there from the very beginning. What made you marry him and have children with him?". For goodness sake Hithere how is that going to help the OP? She wants to be a team with her H and rightly so, not allow this situation to come between them.

"Are they healthy grandparents, the grandparents you would like for your child?" Lakelover has already said in her OP that "they are good grandparents to their other grand kids". This issue here is her relationship with her p's.i.l. not their relationship with their GC.

Sometimes your posts on matters like this are like a wrecking ball Hithere, not just to a poster's relationship their p's or p's.i.l's but to their marriage.

I'm glad that you've discounted the 'advice' to cut your p's.i.l. off Lakelover it's appalling how estrangement is viewed as the one and only solution, rather than finding a workable solution. As you say, your H would understandably be devastated and as this behaviour is 'normal' to him, it may take some time for him to see things differently.

It sounds as if you're already looking at, and putting in place some sensible boundaries and I hope that things begin to improve for you.

Your husband must agree with you first on when and if ILs visit. Then he talks to his parents and coordinate.

He makes an visit with them you didnt agree, you and baby leave. He can enjoy their company on his own.

Do you know what relationship with the ILs you (you as a person) would like to have?

Are they healthy grandparents, the grandparents you would like for your child?

The red neon warning signs with your husband were there from the very beginning? What made you marry him and have children with him?

Your DH sees it as normal, you say. But did he actually see this behaviour as he was growing up?
Perhaps it only started when he and his sister were adults and got partners.
In any case, he is not the one they are being rude to now.
He should tell his parents that he will not tolerate nasty behaviour towards you.

I'd tell him not to invite them more than once a month, also, definitely not every weekend.

It sounds as though your husband is trying to support you. Stick to each other and it will become as normal as it can be these days.
All the best.

You tube videos about being assertive thank you already checking them out! I think this will help me overall. I agree with you guys I would like to be a team with my husband my goal at this point is just to get rude behaviour to stop and we can have a decent relationship where they visit with us every so often. That's it. I don't need to be friends with MIL or FIL just want them to be respectful. I am really hoping with these suggestions (labeling what she said as rude, being assertive, less visits) we can get there. I like it here. I have sought out advice from other places and everyone is quick to tell me to cut them off. Which would be devastating to my husband I could never do that to him. He really loves his parents and I think sometimes he doesn't see it as a problem because he grew up with it so it's his normal. The advice here seems more win-win for everyone, there was estrangement in my family growing up and I think it hurts everyone.

A few posters have asked how PIL know how often I see my parents. Before the baby PIL acted like they couldnt care less about my pregnancy until maybe two weeks before I had the baby. Before then MIL kept telling me it was so nice my mom lived so close so she could help me, she then went on to say she would be to busy to help. A few weeks after the baby came she changed her tune and wanted to come over several times a week. It's the only time I've been assertive I told my DH no, baby was cluster feeding, I was emotional and I just didnt want to deal with either of PIL alone So I think there is some hurt feelings. I have set the personal boundary since babys birth that DH has to be here if they come over. He works long hours so they really only see us on weekends. I am not sure if my DH tells them about my parents visiting. They really only come over when he isn't here, they give us space for family time on the weekends.

When you’ve confronted her, if she tries to argue, then yes, walk away with your baby.
Tell her you’re not going to argue in front of your child.
Quite honestly, if she carries on being horrible with you, I can’t see a good outcome. You will probably become estranged from them.

Sorry about spelling mistakes, on phone and find small keyboard tricky!

Lakelover
Have a look on YouTube at the videos
How to be assertive, not aggressive I think these will help you.