gcvmom
Here we go again!
My anxiety is already starting to build over this. I've been fairly snippy this weekend with husband over innocent commentary he's shared about conversations he had with his parents over dinner last week. Ugh. They will probably only be with us two nights, but still... I just am not looking forward to this.
I don't know why I let these people have this kind of power over my emotions -- it's nuts. I'm still angry with mother in law for slapping difficult child 2 two years ago when they were supposed to be in charge for a few nights while I was with husband in the hospital. That was the final straw moment for me -- I've been tolerant of them for 20 years, but now I'm at the point where these are people I just am not interested in being around. I'm tired of the games, I'm tired of the pettiness, and the superficiality. I'm tired of their ignorance, I'm tired of their excuses, I'm tired of their whining. I'm tired of hearing mother in law bad-mouth the men her daughters married (I can only imagine what she says about me). I'm tired of father in law pretending to be a know-it-all and listening to him drone on about his experiences and all the one-sided "conversations" (I think he's an aspie). No amount of good intention makes up for all their crap. Maybe it's because I'm on the back side of my don't-give-a-flying-fart-forties...
Anyone else reached a point in their life when you just can't be bothered with people who are ingenuous and a general PITA?
Sigh.
When mother in law found out husband and I are going away for the weekend at the end of the month, she offered to take difficult child 1 off my mom's hands so she won't have all three kids to deal with. I have to laugh at this because it feels like she's trying to look like she's doing us this big favor. And this is the woman who has made it very clear to me over the years when her daughters asked her to watch their kids that she does NOT babysit, that she has already RAISED her kids and has no desire to take care of grandkids. It's fine to visit, but she made it clear to me (and this was before I even had kids) that she was not keen on being asked to "babysit."
And frankly, after the last episode, I don't want her watching my kids ever again.
difficult child 1 said he wants to spend the weekend with mother in law and father in law, so we told her he could hang out with them at sister in law's house while we're away, with the caveat that he call my mom to come get him if there's any problem.
So I had a conversation with mother in law about two weeks ago and we discussed all the arrangements. Then yesterday, husband says his mom wants to know "XXX" (repeat conversation I've already had with mother in law). This is where I'm getting irked. I told husband she and I covered this already. Then husband says mother in law asks if we want them to stay at our house one of the nights to "relieve" my mom. I'm laughing now. No, my mom doesn't need them to give her a "break." (Side note, my mom enjoys coming over to our house because it gives her a break from my difficult child-dad! And as for handling my kids, she's the only one who we've ever been able to TRUST and rely on for help, and frankly, she's the only one who completely understands what we're dealing with here on a daily basis.)
So, already I'm sensing some manipulation. Oh, and husband hands me this bag... a "gift" from mother in law for... ready for this one? Me! It's a Caphalon skillet she got as a prize from one of their many trips to Vegas-that-they-have-no-money-to-afford-to-go-to-so-they-drop-hints-until-one-of-their-kids-(like-husband-this-year)-gives-them-money-so-they-can-afford-to-go-and-not-have-to-sit-home-like-two-pathetic-souls-whose-only-entertainment-in-the-world-is-to-watch-TV-and-work- jigsaw-puzzles-and-crosswords-because-they-don't-like-anyone-in-their-neighborhood-or-at-church-and-they-only-feel-alive-when-they-go-to-casinos.
Okay, enough venting. I can do this! I can get through a couple of days with them! I can be polite and pleasant. I can grin and bear it. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
I don't know why I let these people have this kind of power over my emotions -- it's nuts. I'm still angry with mother in law for slapping difficult child 2 two years ago when they were supposed to be in charge for a few nights while I was with husband in the hospital. That was the final straw moment for me -- I've been tolerant of them for 20 years, but now I'm at the point where these are people I just am not interested in being around. I'm tired of the games, I'm tired of the pettiness, and the superficiality. I'm tired of their ignorance, I'm tired of their excuses, I'm tired of their whining. I'm tired of hearing mother in law bad-mouth the men her daughters married (I can only imagine what she says about me). I'm tired of father in law pretending to be a know-it-all and listening to him drone on about his experiences and all the one-sided "conversations" (I think he's an aspie). No amount of good intention makes up for all their crap. Maybe it's because I'm on the back side of my don't-give-a-flying-fart-forties...
Anyone else reached a point in their life when you just can't be bothered with people who are ingenuous and a general PITA?
Sigh.
When mother in law found out husband and I are going away for the weekend at the end of the month, she offered to take difficult child 1 off my mom's hands so she won't have all three kids to deal with. I have to laugh at this because it feels like she's trying to look like she's doing us this big favor. And this is the woman who has made it very clear to me over the years when her daughters asked her to watch their kids that she does NOT babysit, that she has already RAISED her kids and has no desire to take care of grandkids. It's fine to visit, but she made it clear to me (and this was before I even had kids) that she was not keen on being asked to "babysit."
And frankly, after the last episode, I don't want her watching my kids ever again.
difficult child 1 said he wants to spend the weekend with mother in law and father in law, so we told her he could hang out with them at sister in law's house while we're away, with the caveat that he call my mom to come get him if there's any problem.
So I had a conversation with mother in law about two weeks ago and we discussed all the arrangements. Then yesterday, husband says his mom wants to know "XXX" (repeat conversation I've already had with mother in law). This is where I'm getting irked. I told husband she and I covered this already. Then husband says mother in law asks if we want them to stay at our house one of the nights to "relieve" my mom. I'm laughing now. No, my mom doesn't need them to give her a "break." (Side note, my mom enjoys coming over to our house because it gives her a break from my difficult child-dad! And as for handling my kids, she's the only one who we've ever been able to TRUST and rely on for help, and frankly, she's the only one who completely understands what we're dealing with here on a daily basis.)
So, already I'm sensing some manipulation. Oh, and husband hands me this bag... a "gift" from mother in law for... ready for this one? Me! It's a Caphalon skillet she got as a prize from one of their many trips to Vegas-that-they-have-no-money-to-afford-to-go-to-so-they-drop-hints-until-one-of-their-kids-(like-husband-this-year)-gives-them-money-so-they-can-afford-to-go-and-not-have-to-sit-home-like-two-pathetic-souls-whose-only-entertainment-in-the-world-is-to-watch-TV-and-work- jigsaw-puzzles-and-crosswords-because-they-don't-like-anyone-in-their-neighborhood-or-at-church-and-they-only-feel-alive-when-they-go-to-casinos.
Okay, enough venting. I can do this! I can get through a couple of days with them! I can be polite and pleasant. I can grin and bear it. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...