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My husband and I are in our late 40’s. We have 2 minor children. My mother in law is 77 and has lived with us for almost 2 years now after a catastrophic illness which left her bed bound and incontinent. It’s been hard but we have managed to make it work but she will be going to a facility in a few months. We cannot continue to look after her and we have our own family.
My biggest problem right now is her siblings. They think they can come over anytime they want to. I finally put my foot down recently and told them I prefer them not to visit when we are having a full day of medical personnel in our home. It’s just too much. Her sister got all bent out of shape about it and accused me of trying to keep her sister away from her. Which is ridiculous. She doesn’t visit but once a week but it’s always on a day when we have a bunch of stuff going on. For months I would just accept it when she would show up knowing we had a full house. I would tell her in advance, hey we have a bunch of people here can you come later or tomorrow? She would always say she’s coming anyways. Which is really irritating because I told her it’s not a good time. This is my home too. Not just her nephew’s home. I’m sacrificing my time and my energy taking care of her sister while she gets to do whatever she wants to do.

You are so not wrong! Your doing fantastic, keep up the good work! 🙂

Keep moving forward with getting mil in a facility, so you can have your family back!!
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XennialGal Oct 27, 2024
January can’t come soon enough. It’s been hard and no one has attempted to help us. My husband is an only child but there are lots of cousins his age in the family who told us they would come and help and never did. His Aunt flat out told us she isn’t willing to learn any care to help her sister but want to come over when she feels like it.
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No one is ever wrong for setting boundaries.
It's your house, your rules. If other family members don't like it tough sh*t.
So next time someone comes after you said no, now is not a good time, you just don't let them in and tell them they'll have to come back when it's more convenient for you.

And just FYI....you may think that you've been setting "boundaries" but you've not been sticking to those boundaries. So toughen up girlfriend, and say what you mean and mean what you say.
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Geaton777 Oct 27, 2024
Right! Saying you have a boundary and then doing everything to defend the boundary are 2 separate decisions.
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Why isn't your husband talking to his own Aunt?

You did set a boundary and the Aunt ignored it. Now your husband needs to re-inform her and stop her at the front door if she continues to ignore it. She can be told politely, with a smile (which always throws people off). Lock your door on that day. Make sure she is told in email or text so that she can't say you didn't tell her or she didn't remember being told.

Regardless of who informs the other of boundaries, it is your house, your Mom is privileged to be there getting TLC and your family has a life that you get to control.
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XennialGal Oct 27, 2024
He doesn’t like to upset people. She’s 70 years old etc. I wasn’t rude to her at all. I was really nice about it and she was the one raising her voice and carrying on. She even slammed my front door when she left.
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Yes, now time for nephew to tell her "Tuesday is not a good day for visiting because of medical personnel" A person in their 70s is very aware of the saying "my house, my rules". Just because she is a sister, this does not give her the right to come to YOUR house when she feels like it. Time for being nice is over. You firmly say "There will be no visiting on Tuesdays because its just too hectic here". When she says she is coming then say "you will not be allowed in if you do" Make sure the door is locked, even the storm door if you have one. Open enough to tell her that you told her today was not a good day for all involved. Or tell a little white lie saying the Medical personnel asked that there be no visitors when they are there.
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I’d suggest that you get a lockable screen door fitted outside your front door, and you keep it locked. If you open the door and someone inappropriate is there, you don’t unlock the screen door. Just say ‘Please come back later. Check in advance if this is inconvenient for you.’

No of course you are not 'wrong'. It's putting you in your place as 'not really family'. This is a power trip for her, not a visit for her sister. She is the one who is being rude.
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You are not wrong at all!! Please continue to set boundaries. It took me a long time to do so and it caused a lot of regrets. Now that I do set boundaries, I'm looked at as the "bad person". I would meet at the door and tell her it is a bad time or maybe not even go to the door. That is your house. I also agree that your husband should also talk to her.
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Pur your foot down and have your husband back you up .

The siblings are ridiculous . It is your home .

Enforce that boundary . Tell them “ I’m sorry but that does not work for us “. and then tell them when it does work for you .
Maybe you could give them a couple of days to choose from ( with a preset window of time). Example . Monday OR Tuesday from 2-4 works .

Don’t let her in any other time.
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I do think that threatening a trespass action is raising the stakes a bit high! However if (as I guessed) this is about putting down the DIL as ‘not really family’, it would be totally appropriate for OP’s husband to talk to her. He IS family, and it might come across better without any need to be confrontational. If the house is full of medico's, he can make it for MIL rather than for DIL.

If that doesn't work, go for the lockable screen door!
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One thing you could do is next time she comes over on a bad day, tell your husband he's in charge. Leave the house for the day. Spa day! Shopping and lunch with a friend. This would only happen once I'm guessing.
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waytomisery Oct 27, 2024
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"He doesn’t like to upset people. She’s 70 years old etc."

I am 75 and that gives me no entitlement. I am not that old to understand that Tuesday is a bad day to visit. You husband, like mine, is wishy washy. When he does nothing, than you need to do it. No vistors on Tuesdays, period. Tell her all the other siblings comply, she needs to, too.

I was so glad that my Fraternal Aunt passed before Moms Dementia really set in. No Mom was not her sister but I am sure she would have had a lot to say about my care of Mom.
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I am 82.
No one has yet issued me a "Be Rude and Get Out of Jail Free" card yet.
I understand that there must be a lot of terrific depression to be so debilitated.
While you remain as caregiver you have a right to decide when visits are convenient for you, and you should be consulted about planned visits the day before at the least.
It is time to write the siblings a nicely worded kind note: Short and sweet.

Something to this effect:
"Dear Irma, Ruth and Edna:
I so appreciate your loving support of you Sister Iris at this time. She has been through so much, as has all the family who must stand witness to her ordeal.
I have to tell you that while I love having you visit her, and so does she, you must let us know at least 24 hours in advance of any visits so that we can insure we are ready, that there isn't any therapy or appointments and that it's convenient for this large and sometime chaotic household.
Please leave a simple text. I will be back to you to OK your planned visit; and certainly feel free to cancel if you must.
I appreciate you help in this."
Certainly they may try to ignore this and show up. If they do, a simple "Oh, Edna, I am SO sorry. I can't allow you in just now. I hope you can text next time before a visit as I asked."
No WHYS and no DISCUSSION. No discussion on the phone. Just you "don't have time; so sorry."
Keep your tone gentle.
They really cannot work with "gentle". They expect, thrive upon and can USE anger.
GOOD LUCK.
Looks like with placement this is somewhat self-limited? I mean will be off sooner than later?
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I am surprised that it took you 2 years to "put your foot down".
You are well within your right as primary caregiver to set boundaries and establish rules that make it convenient for you to do what you need to do.
She / they can visit all she wants when her/their sister is moved to a facility that will care for her.
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If you've been putting up with this nonsense from the relatives for the last two years, you can get by with a couple months more until your MIL is in residential care.

Or, if you want to throw down the gauntlet this late in the game with the visiting relatives, you tell them that they must call first if they want to visit and if you say no and they come anyway, they will not be let in. Let them get bent out of shape. These people are nothing to you. It's an aunt by marriage. You're placing your MIL anyway.
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So my husband’s Aunt is still planning to come on the day and time I told her not to come. She clearly thinks she can do what she wants. I hate to be ugly and not open the door for her... but looks like that’s what I have to do smh.
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Anxietynacy Nov 4, 2024
She is testing you, pushing you to see if you push back. Stand up for yourself.

So sorry your going through this, you have enough on your plate than having to deal with her!
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Put a note on the door:

QUIET PLEASE, MOTHER IS SLEEPING.
VISITING HOURS are on TUESDAY between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Lock the door and do not answer if she knocks, which she shouldn’t if she’s a nice person. Fat chance, right?

People do that all the time when there is a new baby in the house. It is not offensive, especially if your aunt was warned ahead of time.
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XennialGal Nov 5, 2024
My mother in law is just as bad. She told me her sister won’t stay long can’t she come anyway? She said she’s scared her sister will stop coming to see her because i have a problem with her. I’m so frustrated.
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X, please keep us posted on how it goes.
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You are not wrong for setting boundaries. You are doing the work, the care and it's your house. Visitors should work around what's right for you.
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CaringinVA Nov 11, 2024
Absolutely💯
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Don't make it Convenient for them.
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What I learned is if you don't set boundaries for yourself, someone else will try.
I've had to do it for myself, and I'm not very popular with family since I've stopped being a yes person. I don't care anymore.
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Update. So Friday she came over and the infusion nurse and OT were here so I told her she needs to come back in an hour or so. She threw a huge fit and left and didn’t come back. Yesterday my husband confronted her about her behavior and she lied and said I was the problem and I was the one with the attitude. She was nice to me etc. Made me so mad because she denied everything and blamed me. Then my mother in law told me not even worry about it because she was probably just having a bad day. There was no excuse for the way she treated me in my own home just because she can’t have her way.
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MargaretMcKen Nov 11, 2024
The answer to this is to do it again, harder - and saying didn't you hear me last time? If you don't, it comes across as an admission that you shouldn't have done it this time. If it gets repeated, she knows that the huge fit didn't work and the message will start to sink in. It also tells MIL that aunt wasn't just 'having a bad day', and MIL may start to question the blame on you.
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That's exactly how this type of person reacts. They lie, deny blame...refuse to take responsibility for their own bad behaviour. There is no excuse for this kind of thing. She is a very mentally unhealthy woman,

I trust your husband believes you.

Keep your boundaries firm. Don't let any of this sway you from doing what you want to do in your own home. Sorry you have to deal with this.
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More thoughts – I don’t think it’s safe to have a house where you have to open the front door in order to see and speak to who is there. The norm here is sometimes glass panels beside the front door, or often a lockable screen door outside the front door, so that you can leave it open overnight to cool the house down. The screen spoils the look of the door, but it’s a serious safety feature in some places.

With either of those, aunt can’t have her hissy fit IN your house. She doesn’t get inside unless you let her in. A hissy fit outside on her own won't be so rewarding for her.

If she is inside, I’d pick up her bag and anything else she has dropped, and put them outside the house – at the curbside if necessary. A couple more hissy fits will make it clear that she isn’t just ‘having a bad day’.
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