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    In-law problems?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Relationships
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    • 2 Offline
      2ppaamm
      last edited by

      There are 3 units going out this month at about $1000+ to $2000. They are in district 9, 10, 11 and 21. I’ll PM. If this costs less than your expenses in the household if you were to stay with the ILs, then this is a good bet.


      I’ll PM you.

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      • T Offline
        tree nymph
        last edited by

        2ppaamm:
        There are 3 units going out this month at about $1000+ to $2000. They are in district 9, 10, 11 and 21. I'll PM. If this costs less than your expenses in the household if you were to stay with the ILs, then this is a good bet.


        I'll PM you.
        Thanks 2ppaamm. I'll check it out. will keep a look out regularly if the units are not suitable this month

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        • B Offline
          buds
          last edited by

          tree nymph:
          hub finally 'see the light' and agreed to buying a place and stay on our own.

          :hugs: I'm so happy for you, tree nymph! :hugs:

          I've tears welled up in my eyes just reading the above liner..
          It's definitely good news to the coming new year. 🙏
          HE must've heard your prayers. 😉
          tree nymph:
          but as he is spoilt by his parents, he wanna look at private housing first. I've done up some calculation, don't think we can afford lah. but will let him try lor. more logically it should be a HDB. but have to be around district 5 - to be near to DS1's school.

          I will pm you. better to rent first then hubs will see the urgency to move!
          2ppaamm... when my time comes, can i PM you oso? 😞

          You got good lobang for apartments and pte housing arh?
          Paiseh, OT a bit here.. :oops: :siam:

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          • B Offline
            buds
            last edited by

            2ppaamm:
            I reflected upon how the situations could have been better. If DH would believe me when I told him how his mum REALLY is, then I wouldn't get so angry. If he would listen a bit deeper into what his mum is saying against me, perhaps I wouldn't pick up a quarrel. Perhaps if he would offer a shoulder to cry on rather than focus on defending his side of the family, I will not think I'm alone in this battle. This defense won't change wife's point of view and improve MIL/DIL relationship, it only pulls hubby and wife further apart, it seems.
            I did this reflection too and thought, would it have been better to have
            married someone we have known inside out before marriage... like the
            marry best friend kind. :idea: But after that i pondered on an old friend
            who did marry her long time beau since Pri Sch days and they didn't end
            well either... maybe case of know too much about one another liao. 😛

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            • B Offline
              buds
              last edited by

              [quote].......get another car seat for your FIL's car. [/quote]
              While the suggestions from most wud be that in future a car seat be in
              place in the ILs car to avoid future and prolonged issue with regards to
              car safety based on the car seat preference...

              Getting the ILs a new car seat for the boy is only about a quarter of the
              problem solved in surfermom's case. On the day, this blatant display of
              drama unfolded... there were indeed three ways to work round it.

              1. Ask the ILs to drive to Mac's in surfermom's/surfermom DH's car,
              since the car seat is in place...

              2. Remove the car seat from surfermom's/surfermom DH's car and
              fix it in the ILs car instead... ( if they aren't used to driving someone
              else's car )...

              3. Get Mac's to deliver.

              Again, this would've only solved ONLY the issue for that day..

              treenymph:
              ....... BUT I also think you have to talk to both of them about lying to you. Tell them that kids learn from adults and if they are doing this, they are not setting a good example to the kids. If its to me, the lying part is more serious then the safety part. but talk to them properly.
              Reading into surfermom's recent posting and the ones before, i personally
              have the feeling, through her sharings of course, that her kinda ILs are
              beyond the talking and discussing phase. Especially since it ain't their 1st
              time doing something which is outright opposite of the mother's wishes...

              What more to talk to them about their lying to her. :shock:

              I wud think that they'd think she was ill-bred. And that wud evoke yet
              another unwanted eruption. While i agree that what they did isn't a
              good example, there isn't a place with such people where one can sit
              down and 'talk properly' cos honestly... i've been there. Cause in the
              1st place the DIL has no place in family hierarchy to begin with..

              While it is fine to overlook some trivial issues where baby is concerned..
              safety issues are important.. health issues are important.. respect issues
              are also equally important though hard to seep through. Getting a very
              reluctant husband to the talking does make it worse cos there won't be
              any conviction in what he wud say to his parents, hence making him the
              victim in both sides of the party.. making him the least fun person to have
              for the next few hours, days or even weeks cos he's been made to do
              something beyond his will. Like many have cited, being a son or dotter
              to their parents, there's this shadow of a stamp over both eyes where
              due trust is natural.. and whatever one does is normal.. and definitely
              not an issue. They just won't see things the way another person does
              in a big deal.

              My hubs is filial to a fault (not that it's ever a bad thing... :hugs:)... and
              not once yet has he helped me talk to his folks on my behalf on anything.
              I bet not anytime soon either.. not that i don't expect it... expect him to
              stand up for me... when i AM right. As it oredi is, he's being labelled as
              henpecked even now... just cos hubs tends to ask what i think or what
              opinions do i have over certain issues. And if he should so even nod at
              what my opinions may be, he'd get another round of ... duh, he's such
              a sissy...

              Let me recap an event of my ILs over what i thought was a talking over
              properly discussion.

              After a doctor's appointment for DD1 at a few months old, we were
              advised to keep her off pets, smoke and dust infested areas and that
              where she sleeps and plays be cleaned effectively and thoroughly on
              regular basis. So sharing with both sides of the family was crucial so
              that she won't get another bout of bronchitis again so soon after she
              has just recovered. That visit to the doc's ascertained the doc's initial
              guess that DD1 if exposed to certain allergens would develop shortness
              of breath within a short period of time.

              Being an ex-nurse at a GP hubs requested i lay the cards for them as per
              what the doc said, cos he didn't know how to do it tactfully. All she said
              was, i raised three sons with cats even though they had asthma and
              none of them died. Then she rolled her eyes sharply in disgust. She went
              on to say how she struggled to care for BIL in hospital ever so often cos
              he would have attacks.. and i was like DUH? Letting a child suffer just cos
              she believed a cat would not be able to have triggered any reaction to
              her sick child just didn't make me feel that she did a good job at it, esp
              since she knew how chronic her son's asthma was... yet she put him thru
              it all. I couldn't even bear seeing my baby being given the neubalizer. 😞

              I related to hubs and he simply kept quiet. He did add on later what she
              said was true... that they didn't die. :roll: So, on our following routine
              visit i reminded him and yet when i left DD1 in his care just for minutes
              perhaps, i saw DD1 being changed in their room on the bed where the
              cat slept with them without so much as a changing mat even and worse
              the cat was just beside DD1 with its tail wagging and almost stroking her!

              I picked her up that instant and stomped out and true enuf within minutes
              DD1 was on a sneezing spree while i tried to clear off all the fur all
              over her dress. Needless to say, i insisted we went back right away
              and this time i just had to show my displeasure. I threw her dress away
              and changed her into a new pair i had in my bag and brought her to a
              baby clinic recommended by hubs' colleague. Not only did i get an awful
              reception from the clinic assistant and i could barely make out what the
              doc (who spoke with a lisp) was saying, we were slapped with like almost
              a hundred dollar bill and with one of the medication which she was
              actually allergic to, followed by a long night with me not sleeping taking
              care of DD1, drippy nosey.. red watery eyes.. and very bad bad cough
              plus all that phlegm in her throat, she could barely breathe. Each time she
              fell asleep i put her back in the cot only to have her cry again cos she had
              difficulty breathing : nose blocked, drippy and phlegm made it harder for
              her. I had to work too but hubs was deeply asleep and snoring in fact.
              He didn't talk to me and ignored me completely. That day was supposedly
              our wedding anniversary. And boy that was a memorable one to boot... 😞

              In short, that blatant refusal to adhere or simply make a gentle compromise
              went down the drain just to prove that she was WHAT? Right?! :x ....
              That what! She ate more salt?!? She had more kids?!
              She had more experience???! She had more everything???!!! :x :x :x

              I cried silent tears just holding DD1 in my arms trying so hard to breathe
              through her discomfort... i couldn't sleep. I didn't put her back in the cot
              after she finally managed to doze off, and i definitely was in no right mind
              nor body condition to go to work. I got a stern reminder over company
              policies cos i had to urgently declare i cud not go to work at the eleventh
              hour. I felt so bad cos it was unlike me to be so last minute, i was
              thoroughly shacked. DD1 barely just recovered from her previous flu
              bout. I was pissin' furious! I didn't hell care whether he talked to me or
              not. And i ain't gonna make the first move.. he couldn't even look out for
              DD1 for that few minutes cos he said... what could possibly go wrong
              since she was an experienced mother.

              Well, in my case everything went wrong just so that she could prove..

              In the case of safety, though some of us may feel it is fine to compromise
              on such issues... some mothers may not have conceived their babies
              easily like some others could... and cannot wait till accidents happen to
              go to the point of pointing fingers and blame shifting... it would be too late.

              In the case of health, some kids are just say... allergic to candy. Eat a
              candy and they can die within minutes... to peanut butter and get a
              heck of a reaction...

              Well, some babies and some parents just can't take trivial matters as
              that. Cos no matter how respectful we are to the ILs, some matters
              are not negotiable... regardless of how experienced.. no matter how
              salty.

              Mebbe some wud not agree with me and my views on this but... for me,
              i wud rather not come to the point where i would be too late... i cannot.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • B Offline
                buds
                last edited by

                Remember when i mentioned couple of days back about one occasion

                where i just had it? Well, here was what happened..

                If some of you remember, i wasn't on the top ten DIL list. All this time,
                the ILs had a preferred DIL who was supposedly betrothed when they
                were younger (to hubs). In olden days i suppose child betrothal was
                still in fashion.. with hubs there was this special DIL material in both
                their hearts. And she is rich to boot. To make things even easier, they
                are close relatives and spent lots of time together growing up.

                Being rich, the family indeed was a blessing in times of trouble and so
                vice versa hubs and his family would be there for their family when the
                need should arise.

                Upon the uncle's deathbed, he made hubs promise he would marry his
                daughter should he pass on.. which hubs couldn't even at his last breath.
                He say wan lar.. i dunno the details for sure. So, to cut story short, hubs
                didn't have similar feelings for the girl like what she did for him over the
                years. Well, hubs was husband material. Responsible, filial, good with
                chores, a handyman, practically the works.. but he wanted his own
                choice of a wife. Besides, he thought he was too young to be tied down.
                Even if it was with a rich girl. If i'm not mistaken she was an only child,
                hence all the father's property and assets would've been passed on to
                her at her father's demise.

                Feeling helpless, the girl asked how hubs wud honour his promise to her
                dad. He just said he couldn't no matter how much he loved and respected
                his uncle a lot... and from then on, he spaced out from his cousin and led
                his own life...

                Fast forward to a couple of months back, the girl rung my ILs to say she
                was coming over to Singapore for biz. Yes, she ain't from here. Then, ILs
                quickly invited her over to stay at our place saying there was plenty of
                room for her and that she cud stay however long she liked, without so
                much so of .... informing hubs. But how to not incur hubs' anger and get
                this plan in motion? It was to tell me.

                We weren't even exactly on talking terms that time. ILs called me into
                their room, which was even more strange. They told me nicely a relative
                was coming to visit and that they had promised her already she could
                stay over. They wanted me to tell hubs. :shock: And may i add... cajole
                him to agree to the arrangement and that they were counting on me...

                I asked, where she wud sleep. ILs said, in the kids' room la. I said where
                got spare bed? They said one kid can sleep with us.. be nice. She's a
                guest. I said but it's exam week, they need their room to work on their
                school stuff, and it would be inconvenient. Then they said, if it's sooo hard
                that i cannot compromise, they will leave the house so she could stay over.

                I was like :whut:? I have to put my family's convenience and order of
                priority first!! And how awkward would it be to have a still single lady
                in the house? On those days hubs works nites, i usually go over my
                parents' place to stay and de-stress and avoid the ILs.. does that mean
                i have to allow her to be alone with hubs should he come back while i'm
                at my folks? ILs said, she's a relative.. it's nothing what. I mean like yah..
                and she is still single.. duh. And last i heard, she asked hubs if he remem-
                red her father's death wish...

                End of story, they ticked me off for being so calculative and chided me for
                not even considering their face since they already promised the girl. End
                of story they said, it was decided that they'd chill over BIL's house while
                she cud take their (ILs) room. Apparently, they oredi asked BIL and he
                said straight to his mother's face... it is inconvenient for them cos they
                dun reali know her that well since we grew up and that his wife wud be
                very uncomfortable with the arrangement of having someone in the
                house.. Wow, BIL sure worked fast boy! And so it was like the problem
                was planted onto my shoulders and that i should make it work.. 😞

                I didn't know what to do. So when hubs asked what was the issue they
                couldn't involve him with, i just teared up and told him what transpired in
                the earlier behind closed doors discussion.

                Never have i seen him so angry than ever before apart from the time MIL
                tried to intrude in his disciplinary actions over the children. This time it was
                beyond anger.. it was like pent-up frustration. He felt so bad for me.. that
                i was even told to put it to him nicely so that he'd agree to her staying
                over. I just said this is not my house so i got no say. That he and them
                would have to decide on the eventuality of it.

                MIL screamed that she cud promise what she liked since it was her house
                and said that since she didn't mind giving up her room to her niece, that
                it shouldn't bother us four at all. Hubs argued that they would have to
                give her a set of keys to go for her biz appointments and back and care
                for her meals and well-being while she was around. He added that we
                were busy enough caring for then two kids who were unwell and with
                exams round the corner as well. Hubs said no. The screaming match
                escalated when MIL called hubs names like proud ass... dun remember
                your roots and how people helped us and all that... Hubs got riled up..
                Hubs said the day he helped lay his uncle to rest was the day he had
                repaid his uncle for everything. MIL reminded him how hubs didn't keep
                his promise to care for the girl before he died. At that he hollered at her
                that he did not make such a promise.

                She accused that she presumed i was the one who was insecure.. and
                didn't let hubs agree to the arrangement. The last straw for hubs
                eventually was when MIL stood up and yelled in his face..

                \"If you don't have any feelings for her anymore then why are you so
                afraid for her to be here... to be around you?!?!?!! Why are you so
                scared??? Only if you still harbour special feelings for her then you
                would be doing this.. Admit it! You have feelings for her isn't it? That's
                why you disagree to even have a harmless visiting relative around da
                house. This is MY house! I can choose to have her over without even
                telling you about it. So what!! You forgot how she and her family was
                there for us and all.. you forgot?! You're being ungrateful now that
                you're successful. JUST ADMIT IT that you love her! Admit it! Why?
                Scared your wife wud be angry? Be a man and own up!!! Just say
                that you have feelings for her!!\"

                Hubs turned red in the face.. I sat kneeled behind the door with my girls
                in fright at the drama unfolding.. I cried at MILs attempt to bring the
                house down with her insistence and definitely conniving plans.. I just
                couldn't stop crying.

                Hubs turned to MIL and said to her face. \"Soooo... it's my house your
                house thing you're playing now huh? FINE! My final answer is NO and
                if anyone still dares to bring her into the house, the minute she leaves
                i want my name outta this house. You guys can start finding a place to
                stay! I've had it with all the nonsense! And no i don't have feelings for
                her. Never did!\"

                Once hubs closed the door to our room, he just leaned on the wall at
                the back of the door. His eyes red with anger... and tears flowed down
                his cheeks... his back slowly slided downwards and as he sat with his
                knees propped up, i noticed he was shivering. He said, \"I've never felt
                this angry and sad at the same time in a long time...\" And he just cried
                there and then.

                After he cooled down, he hugged me and assured me that if she did
                come over despite the confrontation that just occured, he asked if i
                could ask my dad's permission for us to check into their place a couple
                of days till his cousin went back to her hometown.

                I met up with daddie the following day.. he was bursting with anger &
                said of course we were more than welcome to stay there as long as we
                wanted.. and he said this time if hubs didn't stand up for me... he would.

                Daddie said he would for once hafta intervene and fight for his dotter's
                plight. And he sent me back with much worry. He said, if hubs is a good
                husband, he will take care of it. And that i wud be in his prayers. Indeed
                hubs did.

                And that folks... was the last straw i cud ever swallow.

                I knew from then on, MIL's mission to break our marriage was still in
                motion and would not stop at any cost to fulfil it... at any cost. :scared:

                I knew there was no way ever i cud live in harmony with such a deceitful
                person in the near future. There was just no way...

                And to this day, i'm praying we'd get out of this rut. Like treenymph said,
                for the sake of our dignity, sanity and happiness... we need to get our
                own place no matter how big... no matter how small... as long as we are
                all together. If he still wants us that is..

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                • JenniferJ Offline
                  Jennifer
                  last edited by

                  buds:
                  And to this day, i'm praying we'd get out of this rut. Like treenymph said,

                  for the sake of our dignity, sanity and happiness... we need to get our
                  own place no matter how big... no matter how small... as long as we are
                  all together. If he still wants us that is..
                  Hugs to you.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • P Offline
                    PnTMom
                    last edited by

                    buds:


                    And to this day, i'm praying we'd get out of this rut. Like treenymph said,
                    for the sake of our dignity, sanity and happiness... we need to get our
                    own place no matter how big... no matter how small... as long as we are
                    all together. If he still wants us that is..
                    hugs buds

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • 2 Offline
                      2ppaamm
                      last edited by

                      buds:

                      And to this day, i'm praying we'd get out of this rut. Like treenymph said,
                      for the sake of our dignity, sanity and happiness... we need to get our
                      own place no matter how big... no matter how small... as long as we are
                      all together. If he still wants us that is..
                      I have PMed you the link for good-value rental places. Perhaps after you've moved out, your MIL will see your goodness and come to her senses. We can only pray for that, and you need not get involved with her anymore, except for occasions like CNY. I'm down to only that just to make hubs happy.

                      And, I know for sure you'll love to be yourself again. Getting a new place is like getting married once again. We had to get our finances calculation in place, set expectations, divide chores, get the children re-orientated. A lot of stress, too. Please plan carefully, and have fun!

                      I remember having to paint my children's room when I was 8 months' pregnant with DD1 14 years ago. And even though it was difficult, it was freedom, and I started charting our new course!

                      Having said all that, I still believe harmony is the best gift in any family. I do hope to see that in young families, and I sometimes wish I had given my FIL and hubby a bit more of that...

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • T Offline
                        Tri-mum
                        last edited by

                        :hugs: Hi Buds, accidentally chanced into this thread and by reading your posts really bring tears to my eyes....especially when you mentioned earlier that your DD said she will stand by you during your most devastated situation....so sensible and this s the most comforting words for sure (I believe even better than DH said I love you :lol: ). Your MIL is really a tough woman. Didn't your FIL say something and maybe you can try talking to your DH to move out and if your DH is worry for his parents maybe tell him to move somewhere nearby instead of staying under one roof and this will also helpt to reduce conflicts. God bless you and give you peace.

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