Wife Furious After Husband Invites His Parents On Their Family Holiday

The disappointed mum says she’s annoyed that her husband invited his parents on their family holiday without consulting her first.

An upset mum has posted on popular parenting forum Mumsnet after her husband invited his parents on their anniversary trip. Doubling as a family holiday with their two children, the mum said she was excited for some quality time with her husband and kids until he made the surprise announcement…

Six Is A Crowd

The mum said she was over the moon when her husband surprised her with the trip but that quickly changed when he announced his parents would be joining them. “Husband told me tonight that he’s booked our dream trip as a surprise to me,” she said. “I was ecstatic! So happy, so excited and so looking forward to it. I could have burst with happiness. He then tells me he’s also invited his parents along with us and they’re booked and staying with us. He booked it with them a few days ago.” We can completely understand this mum’s disappointment – travelling with your husband and kids is one thing, but adding in laws into the mix can be a totally different experience!

Just Needed To Ask

The mum says it’s not that her in laws are coming on the trip, but that she wasn’t asked before the decision was made. She says her husband was less than impressed with her reaction. “He started getting really defensive and talking about how much they do for us and love the kids and they’ll be able to help them whilst we are away,” she said. The situation took a turn for the worst when her husband packed his bags and went to stay with his parents following the argument. “He said I’m selfish, spoilt, ungrateful and a cow. I’m prepared to be told I’ve been terribly unreasonable, but I was just so desperately longing for some time as a family, no phones, no work, no one else – just us. Have I been awful? Should I have just faked a smile and accepted it?”

The lesson to take away? Surprise holidays are always a good idea, so long as it is the destination that is the surprise and not the company!

Do you think this mum’s reaction was over the top? Let us know in the comments!

78 Comments

- - mom330666 said
  - 13 Jan 2020
    7:42 pm
There is no way i will go

- - mom112217 said
  - 13 Jan 2020
    7:29 pm
He should have absolutely discussed this with his wife first!

- - mom322089 said
  - 13 Jan 2020
    6:36 pm
its always a case by case basis and different relationships withing the marriage and in laws etc vary.

- - mom129591 said
  - 06 Jul 2019
    10:52 pm
Parents should come if everyone is happy with that decision and they all want to spend time together.

- - serotonin said
  - 06 Jun 2019
    8:28 pm
Do they go on his parent’s anniversary trips? Or did he used to as an adult? Is it something they are used to doing? I understand why he didn’t ask her first being a surprise, but really he should’ve waited to book his parents until after he told his wife so he could check with her.

- - Kate Sander said
  - 12 Apr 2019
    10:05 pm
Anniversary trip so I’d be peeved too if I wasn’t consulted first. Yes they can babysit for them, enjoy a holiday with the kids but it’s their Anniversary trip so nope sorry, should have asked first if it was ok. That’s the part of partner, means you make decisions together.

- - Kim said
  - 03 Apr 2019
    1:38 pm
I would be fuming.

- - mom81879 said
  - 21 Mar 2019
    8:33 am
Yeah, I can see her side of this. He should have asked her before asking his parents. I would have loved a holiday with my mother in law, she was always good fun and great with our kids, but it should be a mutual decision to make the invite

- - mom206279 said
  - 11 Mar 2019
    4:24 pm
He probably should have asked her first. At least organise for the parents to go home earlier so they can have a few days as a family.

- - mom74005 said
  - 10 Mar 2019
    10:03 pm
Six is a crowd, he should have asked but maybe he was thinking about the baby sitting…

- - Blossom said
  - 10 Feb 2019
    7:34 pm
I would be so angry I’d probably ignore him until the children were sound asleep, then let him know your feelings without upsetting them. Hopefully the in-laws will mind the children – away from your immediate surroundings – so you and your husband can have some “anniversary fun”.
Why didn’t he ask either yours or his parents to have them for a few days at their own houses…..unless they live in a retirement village. Some of them have very strict rules. Would you trust your in-laws (or your parents) to mind the kids at your house if necessary?

- - mom101628 said
  - 01 Feb 2019
    10:11 pm
Think I can see a divorce coming up and soon.

- - tessie said
  - 31 Jan 2019
    10:51 am
This is so wrong. It was meant to be an anniversary trip. Why not tell him they need to invite her parents as well and he has to pay for them too. That way the inlaws can entertain themselves.

- - mom282285 said
  - 30 Jan 2019
    5:56 pm
This happened to my sister. Needless to say, they are now divorced!

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 30 Jan 2019
    5:11 pm
It was supposed to be an anniversary trip. Don’t invite your parents!

- - rovermum said
  - 30 Jan 2019
    1:34 pm
Nooooooooooo! I think it’s the husband who has the problem. In fact, he was so selfish and threw a tantrum by leaving after the argument. Selfishly, he invited them for all they do to help, but could also look after the kids while they were away. WIN WIN only for him I think! What a top bloke… NOT!

- - ella12 said
  - 30 Jan 2019
    12:32 pm
I don’t think the in laws need come along on a special anniversary holiday. The kids are one thing but seriously the in laws could tag along another time and also I believe the mum should have been part of the discussion as to who was coming along on the holiday, it is disrespectful and dishonest to not involve her.

- - rachel1970 said
  - 30 Jan 2019
    5:49 am
Oh dear, you would have thought he would have discussed this before the holiday, to see if it’s OK with his wife and I guess, to explain why he wanted them to go too.

- - nealsq said
  - 28 Jan 2019
    8:14 pm
my husband does stupid stuff like this all the time, it will be the reason we divorce

- - mom93821 said
  - 28 Jan 2019
    6:15 pm
Holidays need to be discussed and agreed to – it is family downtime.