Help with in laws
How do you deal with this? I'm really starting to feel sad about the situation with my husband's family.
My husband and I got married 2 years ago, he proposed in June and I had 4 months to prepare for our wedding. That was no problem, it was a small wedding. I invited my mother in law to come with me to a couple of wedding venues, she came to one, but the other one she said no to because my sister in law was coming instead. She missed the point altogether. I was upset about this. On the day of our wedding, after the ceremony, my husband asked her what she thought of it and she said 'it was okay'. My husband later on for the whole evening was upset about this and it actually ruined our wedding night.
I moved countries to be with my husband. I'm away from my parents and my sister who I am very close with.
I was pregnant at our wedding and gave birth two weeks later in 2022. Last year, I was pregnant and around 28 weeks I started bleeding. I went into hospital and they decided to keep me in for the rest of my pregnancy. My two sister in law's and mother in law have a habit of being upset or finding fault with most things, tiring, so tiring, I've never known anything like it. So to let them know what was happening, I texted them on the family group chat so they they all knew at the same time what was happening. Noone was left out, noone knew first etc. One sister in law and her husband read the message and didn't reply until the next day saying, they hope I get better soon. Same with my mother in law. The other sister in law texted back straight away and was being so kind about my situation. I call her and we chatted for about an hour. It was after we had our baby that she told me husband that was I meant to text in the group? Was it a mistake? That I was being secretive about my bleeds and that I knew all through my pregnant that this would happen, I didn't. Why couldn't she just be straight up with me and talk to me and not my husband. My mother flew over straight away when she found out and stayed with us for the last 2 months of my pregnancy until the birth. My mother in law said she would have offered but she preferred to stay at home. It was the most vulnerable time in my life.
My mother in law wanted to sort out her Will last summer. My husband and sister in law and mother in law were meant to discuss things before she went to a lawyer. My sister in law chose her time and decided to coerce my mother in law to see the lawyer during the time I was in hospital and when my husband was incredibly stressed, looking after our 14 month old with my Mum and working full time. There was no discussion with the three of them. This was all done behind my husband's back. He was incredibly hurt and this manipulative behaviour of my sister in law is a long line of things.
As an example, she introduced me to a friend of hers 2 years ago, I met her friend once. We then went on to have babies and we happened to go to the same baby group. We exchanged numbers and became friends. There have been a couple of instances where I say I'm meeting up with them and my sister in law is like 'yeah you can meet them', like I am asking for her permission? My friend asked to meet up and I took our children. I had been out all day with them and went straight to meet her after, my friend said oh I invited your sister in law also. I was absolutely fine with it, when she turned up, she completely ignored me and it was so awkward. My friend the next day even texted me (unprovoked) to apologise that she put us together. I never said anything to my friend, but it was that obvious. Things like this has happened several times over the years, where my sister in law doesn't like me talking to her friends. I feel a sense of jealousy or possessiveness, but she can't say anything.
How do you deal with a narcissistic mother in law, a controlling sister in law and an oblivious sister in law? I have no family here, so am trying to make my own friends that none of them know. I've cut myself off from them emotionally, I give very little away now as it is always used against me in some. I am one of the most people pleasing people I know and have always tried to make others feel comfortable, but I've never known anything like this. I'm trying to set boundaries for myself and find I'm a lot quieter around them now and just focus on the children. I see them often. I'm friendly and happy go lucky, I have no problem making friends or meeting people. Am just myself, but I need help with coping mechanisms with how to react or not react to these situations.
first off let me say i am so incredibly sorry you’re dealing with ANY of this. i wish i could tell you it’ll get better but i feel we both know it probably won’t. maybe you & your husband can think about cutting ties bc life is too short to be this stressed out. unfortunately i’ve been thru my fair share of toxic family members, ones i’m related to & in laws so here if you ever wanna talk or vent