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How do I deal with this? (Sister-in-Law problems)

How do I deal with this?

    My sister-in-law (26 years old) takes the credit for everything and only talks and cares about herself.
To elaborate and explain...
    I am not new to this family. My husband and I have been together for a little more than 6 years - 5.5 years dating and 6 months of marriage. I've known him for quite a while before that and the same with his sister - we rode the same bus to school for years. Never had a fight with her previously but I think it's about time someone said something to her...
    His sister has not always made the smartest choices - the most recent of those being that she got pregnant with a guy she hardly knew, who has now 6 children with 4 or 5 different women and he can't pay child support, thus she moved in with her mom. During her time pregnant, she almost got a felony - the guy whos couch she was crashing on got caught with a bunch of LSD and since she was staying there, but had no idea what was going on she got off with probation.
    Anyway, about a week before the wedding, I told her if she was going to breast feed at the wedding, rehearsal or rehearsal dinner if she could do so in the bathroom, because she made guests at the bridal shower uncomfortable because she breastfed infront of them without covering herself up at all. This is when she through a hissy fit. She told her mom that she didn't even want to go to the wedding, that she shouldn't be a bridesmaid and was royally pissed off. My husband then had to go over to the house to talk to her and calm her down.
   When she calls my husband, she doesn't let him talk. He just says yeah and ok... but when he starts to talk she has to get off the phone within a minute. She calls to tell him the littlest thing about her kid, and then gets off the phone.
   She took credit for my husband turning out the way he did - a good and successful man.
   She tells people how to live their lives. 
   We told her about the paint colors we were going to paint different rooms in our home and she was like "Better think about that one. Orange makes people eat more. You should go with a yellow." Not your house.  
   Recently their cousin said is looking for a journalism school - he (cousin) wants to do a cross-medium degree. She (sister-in-law) told him not to do it - "look at how that turned out for me"... She dropped out of school and didn't finish her degree because she was with a guy (a different one) who sold drugs, stole her stuff and was wanted in Missouri. That is why you don't have a job in the field you went to school for. You don't have the degree!

Am I over-reacting or does she need to get told off?
--Rachel

Re: How do I deal with this? (Sister-in-Law problems)

  • And to give you a background on my husband and I.... been together since we were 15-16. He finished 4 years of college at 20. We bought a house in October. Got married in January.H e is starting Law school in the fall. We know how to save money because of what my parents taught me. We have not been handed anything; we work hard for what we have.
    --Rachel
  • Honestly, I don't think telling her off is going to change anything. She is who she is. Accept it and move on. Don't take what she says too seriously and try to laugh it off when you can.
  • edited July 2014
    How do I deal with this?

        My sister-in-law (26 years old) takes the credit for everything and only talks and cares about herself.
    To elaborate and explain...
        I am not new to this family. My husband and I have been together for a little more than 6 years - 5.5 years dating and 6 months of marriage. I've known him for quite a while before that and the same with his sister - we rode the same bus to school for years. Never had a fight with her previously but I think it's about time someone said something to her...
        His sister has not always made the smartest choices - the most recent of those being that she got pregnant with a guy she hardly knew, who has now 6 children with 4 or 5 different women and he can't pay child support, thus she moved in with her mom. During her time pregnant, she almost got a felony - the guy whos couch she was crashing on got caught with a bunch of LSD and since she was staying there, but had no idea what was going on she got off with probation.
        Anyway, about a week before the wedding, I told her if she was going to breast feed at the wedding, rehearsal or rehearsal dinner if she could do so in the bathroom, because she made guests at the bridal shower uncomfortable because she breastfed infront of them without covering herself up at all. This is when she through a hissy fit. She told her mom that she didn't even want to go to the wedding, that she shouldn't be a bridesmaid and was royally pissed off. My husband then had to go over to the house to talk to her and calm her down.
       When she calls my husband, she doesn't let him talk. He just says yeah and ok... but when he starts to talk she has to get off the phone within a minute. She calls to tell him the littlest thing about her kid, and then gets off the phone.
       She took credit for my husband turning out the way he did - a good and successful man.
       She tells people how to live their lives. 
       We told her about the paint colors we were going to paint different rooms in our home and she was like "Better think about that one. Orange makes people eat more. You should go with a yellow." Not your house.  
       Recently their cousin said is looking for a journalism school - he (cousin) wants to do a cross-medium degree. She (sister-in-law) told him not to do it - "look at how that turned out for me"... She dropped out of school and didn't finish her degree because she was with a guy (a different one) who sold drugs, stole her stuff and was wanted in Missouri. That is why you don't have a job in the field you went to school for. You don't have the degree!

    Am I over-reacting or does she need to get told off?
    She's got an immaturity problem, a judgement problem and, I'll bet, a drug problem!

    The last one is kinda a big red flag? Heck yes. Willing to bet that acid was hers and not his and she's also dabbled in dropping acid, if not a full blown fan of it.

    Stay away from her.

    And based on all of the above you need to have as little contact with her as possible.

    That she's a buttinski and isn't a fan of birth control isn't your problem: it is hers. Do yourself a favor: cut loose from her as soon as possible before this turns into a codependency and an enablement issue between you and her.
  • Well… these days you don't tell people how or wear to breastfeed.  I'm with you that people should at least cover up- and everyone I know does cover or goes into the bathroom- but this is touchy/personal subject best left alone.  I'm offended when people wear extreme cleavage-baring clothing, so I'm also offended when people bare during breastfeeding without using a cover, but… most people aren't going to agree with that.  She wasn't off base for flipping out- she's probably in the majority of people who would.

    You and your husband need to create some healthy boundaries.  You cannot, and should not tell her how to lead her life- she will do whatever she wants regardless.  I have almost identical issues with my SIL.  But I've accepted that we will never tell her we don't approve of her life.

    Here's the one I love and totally identify with "She took credit for my husband turning out the way he did"  YES.  Isn't it obnoxious?  Umm no lady- he's lucky he isn't a crazy person from having to grow up with your wacko shit.  Just sympathizing. 

  • It sounds like she is an annoying person without a filter on her thoughts. I think you should just avoid her as much as possible and take the high road with her whenever she acts awful.

    BTW, it's gross for a mom to BF in a bathroom. It's just.....well, where would she sit, on the toilet??? Um no. Moms should not have to be sent to a restroom to feed their babies.

    I also am of the mindset that moms also don't have the right to whip out boobies in public or in places where people who are outside a very intimate circle of people (mom, husband, etc.) would see them. Moms should be covering themselves....it's just a matter of propriety and shows respect for others. Breast feeding moms do not trump other peoples' comfort.

    If she needs to visit YOUR house in the future, as she enters you can whisper to her that you want her to be comfortable while nursing and that you made her a quiet room for her to sit with baby. It needs a door and a chair with some clean pillows. Show her the room. If she refuses, then you can just explain that as a host it's important to you to be sure every guest is comfortable, including her, the baby, and others around....it's your job to consider everyone's needs and comfort.

  • VORVOR member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Love Its 500 Comments Name Dropper
    I was going to try and give some constructive advice until I got to the breastfeeding part.

    I HOPE this is MUD. 
  • VOR said:
    I was going to try and give some constructive advice until I got to the breastfeeding part.

    I HOPE this is MUD. 
    One camp says "who's going to care if she does it in the reception area" and the other camp says "let her use the john."

    Use the bathroom if there is a lounge or a family room, perhaps where there is an area where she can relax and do it in private --- I vote you ask the management in advance where a woman can breastfeed without sitting on the throne or being out in the open. They will accommodate a nursing mother.
  • 1. Saying something to her won't change how she is. Accept it and don't share too much with her. And ignore her when she starts spouting off with her opinions.

    2. Who she gets pregnant by is none of your business. Sure, the guy is a loser but that's her problem to deal with.

    3. What the f*** you actually asked her to breastfeed in the bathroom?!?! What the hell is wrong with you?! Insensitive, asinine and in most places against the law for businesses so that should tell you something. And as for covering up, a lot of babies will pull covers off anyway. And BFing mothers don't usually "whip it out".


    image
     image
  • I think the only thing you can do is limit your interactions with her. When you see here try to limit what you tell her about your personal life & just smile & nod & chug another glass of wine or bottle of beer...lol. I'm wondering if she is trying to put others down & appear more superior because of where her life has gone or hasn't gone.

    I feel your frustration with the breastfeeding. I had a family member who was breastfeeding at the time of the wedding, I asked the venue prior to the event if there was an area she could go in private to feed if she needed to, they offered up their office. Luckily for me, she pumped before hand to make it easier at the reception.

  • The appropriate thing would have been for you to arrange a comfortable, private, APPROPRIATE area for her to use IF SHE WANTED TO to breastfeed, and tell her so in a way that was compassionate and kind ie: I know you will be breastfeeding and wanted to make sure you had your privacy in a place that is comfortable - the venue has made their office lounge available for you if you would like to use it.

    Otherwise, butt out and let that one go. Actually, let ALL of the other stuff go too. She made a crappy life choice, how does that affect you? She gave you her opinion on your room colour in your house. So what?
    image

    Chronically hilarious - you'll split your stitches!
    I wrote a book! Bucket list CHECK!
  • Come on.  Some babies don't like to be covered.  Mine did not. I do my best to be discreet, but you know what, I am just trying to feed my babies.  If you think it is the only way to BF in public, try eating your next meal skin to skin with someone under a sheet and see how you feel.

    The point is, a woman shouldn't be shamed for trying to feed her baby.  That is what breasts are for.  Covering up doesn't always work, pumps are expensive and a pita to clean, and some babies won't take bottles.  Most of us are just doing the best we can so give the poor woman a break.
  • Uhh no, you don't tell someone to feed their baby in the bathroom.  That is disgusting. Would you eat your meal in a bathroom ?  And no you don't tell someone to cover up either.  She was just trying to feed her baby, that is all and some babies ( like mine ) hate being covered and it is hard and uncomfortable for them  to breathe under there.  You were in the wrong there and had some gall to tell the woman to feed her baby in the bathroom.  

    Breasts were made for feeding babies and that is what she was doing and she should not be shamed for doing so.  

    I didn't bother reading the other crap you spewed.  
    Duuuuuude it's her wedding. I get the whole argument but if it made people uncomfortable then I don't think it's rude of her to suggest she try to be more discreet. I don't think the bathroom was a good suggestion though. Maybe could have looked into a "quiet room" where breastfeeding could be done in private.

    I breastfed and would not have been offended at all if someone asked me to be more discreet.
  • 1. I don't think you had any right telling her she HAD to breastfeed in the bathroom. That is rude beyond belief. I understand it is your wedding, but you can't tell people they HAVE to wear a certain outfit, or they HAVE to behave a certain way. If it were me, I would have chose to decline your wedding.

    2. She is a one-upper- a person who always wants to get the better and be better and tell everyone how much better they are. Ignore it and move on, nothing you can say will change her, it will become another story for her to use.

    3. If you know how she is, why do you tell her about what colors you are going to paint? Just do it and move on .

    Saying ANYTHING to her is most likely going to create problem between you and your in-laws and potentially your husband. I would think twice about that.

  • Why did you ask her to be a bridesmaid? It's obvious you hate her.
    fiizzlee = vag ** fiizzle = peen ** Babies shouldn't be born wit thangs ** **They're called first luddz fo' a reason -- mo' is supposed ta come after. Yo Ass don't git a medal fo' marryin yo' prom date. Unless yo ass is imoan. I aint talkin' bout chicken n' gravy biatch. Then yo ass git a all-expenses paid cruise ta tha Mediterranean n' yo ass git ta hook up Jared Padalecki on tha flight over while bustin yo' jammies. But still no medal.
  • At large catering/wedding halls, the bathrooms aren't necessarily just a bunch of stalls.  I BF'd my child at my sister's wedding.  She didn't ask me, but it was quiet, away from the music and hubub, and had a large lounge area with a comfy sofa-like seat.  Most people in the lounge area were reapplying makeup.  So asking SIL to BF in the bathroom doesn't mean sending her and her baby to sit on a toilet.  However, I do agree that you are in the wrong to tell SIL where and how to BF.  If you had used more tack ("the catering manager's office is darker and quiet and has a nice chair") you may have gotten a better response.

    I would not tell your SIL off.  Her choices speak for themselves.  Is dh's cousin REALLY going to change his/her mind about getting a degree because your SIL got knocked up, started hanging with drug abusers, and never finished her degree?  If yes, then that is your cousin's problem. Why would anyone in their right mind listen to her?  

    Although it bothers you, I would not interfere with your SILs calls to her brother.  Your husband is a big boy, a smart, successful guy.  He is big enough to make his own choices about whether or not to talk to her.  Maybe he loves his nephew even though his sister is a pain and wants to hear about him.  Maybe he feels listening to his sister is something he "should" do.  Unless you are about to go out the door with him or she is interfering with plans you have, let him talk with her.  When he is ready to stop listening to her, he will.  Or she will get a new boyfriend and stop calling your husband.

    When she gives you advice on paint colors, tell her "hmmmm that's an interesting perspective."  Then do what you want.  I understand that she is bossy, pushy, and annoying, but you are the one with the house, she is not.  She can decorate her own home the way she wants when she is paying the bills.

    If I were you I would avoid her as much as possible and find ways to avoid conversations with her without being rude.  If she starts telling you how to live your life, excuse yourself politely and move on.

    image "Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.
  • SheMarie82SheMarie82 member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its First Anniversary
    edited November 2014

    I don't think that saying anything is going to change her behavior in any way.  You are just going to have to find a way to cope.

    It is NOT okay to tell her that she has to breastfeed in the bathroom!  There is no way that is acceptable behavior on your part.  If that makes others uncomfortable that is on them, she is feeding her child.

    My SIL/Bridesmaid BF at the wedding, but I have no idea where, because it ins't my business!

    Be the change you want to see in the world!

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