I Can't Do Two Mother's Days

@MoonGypsy (4606)
United States
May 11, 2012 5:50pm CST
my mother in law wants us to come to her shelter to hang out with her this weekend. it is the day before mother's day. on mother's day we plan on hanging out and going out to eat. however, she wants to do that thing where she lives the day before (saturday). it's my only day off and i don't have to go anywhere or do anything outside of the house. my teeth hurt cause i got some work done on my braces. i wanted to just stay at home with my family, watch some movies, clean house, maybe even get some gardening done. she knows this i told her, but she keeps giving me a sob story about how she is all alone and everyone else have moved away. i understand she is lonely and wants some family support over at that shelter thing. on the other hand, i don't like being manipulated or emotionally blackmailed. after all we are hanging out for mother's day. i don't know what to do and i don't want to be forced to go if i don't want.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
12 May 12
Hi Moon, From all you have said about your MIL, I say, don't go. Just tell her what you have told us here and if she doesn't like it, oh well, so sad. Sounds as if she is just manipulating anyway. I highly doubt that everyone from the shelter has moved away although many of them in those places do choose to live in tents etc once warmer weather hits.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
12 May 12
no, what she means is that everyone in the family but us has moved away. she is lonely and wants to use our time for her entertainment. the thing is though, when she is ready to pop off on her crazy missions, she leaves everyone else. you can't tell her nothing then. now she has to stay put, she wants us to be at her beck and call.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
15 May 12
she is pretty self centered. someone once suggested to me that it's because she is getting older. she is not even in her 50's yet, but she is playing the grandma in a wheelchair thing so that she could get some sympathy and get the things she needs. i probably need to be patient with her, though. maybe something in her past causes her to act this way.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
13 May 12
Oh, I see. Still...don't do it. If she knows she can guilt you then she will continue to do so. She clearly does not care about your time or anything. She actually sounds quite self-centered.
@lady1993 (27224)
• Philippines
12 May 12
Well, the older the people get, the more clingy they might be, i think sh really is sad though, why don't you all go as a family and just visit her, even for a few hours..
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
12 May 12
i guess i could go, but that would mean that she could pull out the manipulation and emotional black mail every time she wants. my own mother doesn't do that. they are about the same age. they are not even 50 yet. i think she is just use to getting her way. she is not going to with us. she isn't old enough, yet. plus, my own mother doesn't get what she wants when she wants it.
• United States
12 May 12
Don't go. If you give into her manipulation she will think that she can manipulate you whenever she wants. You deserve to relax on your day off and do what you want. You are definitely not being rude or mean in anyway if you say no, because you are seeing her the very next day! Perhaps invite her over to your house for lunch or dinner, that way you include her, but it's on your terms.
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
12 May 12
no, see, if i invite her over to my house she will never leave. she wants to be able to come over my house everyday and sit. she lives in a shelter and doesn't like it. so, that would be a bad idea. that's why we are taking her out to eat.