My sister in law.. the idiot!

United States
June 21, 2010 11:24am CST
We were hanging out at my father in law's place yesterday when my SIL showed up out of the blue.. which isn't a big deal, it was father's day and it's her dad too.. no big deal. What's odd though is that she seemed to act like nobody was there except her father. She sat down and started talking to him completely ignoring the fact that we were there. The main reason that was odd was because she doesn't see or speak to us much.. actually she hasn't seen any of us since her mother's funeral in March.. and one would think that she'd be excited to see her niece and nephews that she rarely ever sees.. but no, she acted like the kids weren't there either. After awhile she does eventually look over to my husband and say to him "When are you due?".. making fun of him for being overweight. Then she makes some odd comment about how he is bald. None of this bothers him. He's been overweight his whole life and he's been bald for about 10 years now.. he shaves his head by choice, and looks better that way I believe. But it ticks me off that this is the only way his sister knows how to communicate with him. This isn't the first time she's behaved this way. About 6 or 7 years ago hubby had to have his appendix removed. His sister showed up shortly after he'd gotten out of surgery, he was groggy and could hardly stay awake... and again she was doing nothing but making fun of him. I politely found a way to get rid of her to make it stop! I suppose the poking fun at him wouldn't be such a huge deal if she actually spoke to him more often, but she honestly hasn't seen him since March, and before that it had been years since they last spoke.. and all she can do is make fun of him? Just ticks me right off!! Thanks for letting me rant! Do you know anyone like this? Do you have a family member who acts like a total idiot whenever they're around?
4 people like this
17 responses
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
23 Jun 10
That is bad. Some people just think they are perfect. I have a relative that thinks they are better than the rest of us. They are always showing off what they have, but it really is nothing better than our things. They are always broke, and behind on bills. I hate to go around them, just because they think they are better than us.
1 person likes this
• United States
23 Jun 10
My sister in law does think she's better than us because she has more money.. and she has horses which are expensive to care for. We have children, but she doesn't see that as a redeeming quality.
1 person likes this
@piya84 (2581)
• India
22 Jun 10
Hiii there May be your SIL thought to made everybody smile little in stressful situation but her timing was wrong.May be she is little stupid.But if her intention was good i wouldn't mind much actually.There are some people who arent much good in communication.She is one of them it seems. I dont have anyone like this in my immediate family.
• United States
22 Jun 10
I don't think insulting someone can ever be justified, unless you get along well and you both know it's all in fun. My husband did not feel it was all in fun.. he was offended but didn't let it show.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Jun 10
hello kats, frankly, i don't think i will ever tolerate a person with that kind of attitude. making fun of is something i am prone to get mad off for sure.thank god i don't have that kind of relative here. but you are lucky you are able to tolerate this women. imagine what would happen if she ever had weight then it would be another huge insecurity anger, or depression attitude on her part if shes' not making fun of your hubby or his brother
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Jun 10
I don't know how I could relate to that. I don't know also if I will prefer your sister in law's behavior more than my SIL's. One of my sisters in law, instead of poking jokes,is not courteous even in front of my mother who is her mother in law. She seldom speaks as if my mother is invisible whenever my mom visit them. My mother doesn't ask money or any help from them. She just wants to see my nieces and even brings food and other goodies when she goes to their house. I don't know why she behaves like that. And speaking of your sister in law, isn't she just lacking in attention? But it's so immature of her. I presume she's of age already. Anyway, I understand your feelings, but maybe, instead of focusing on her ugly character, why not see her good side? When she saw and talked to your father, that means, she has love and respect somehow, to your father. If that's truly the case, then she is still a good person. I would love anyone who has the love and respect for my parents. Cheers!
1 person likes this
@jennyze (7029)
• Indonesia
22 Jun 10
I think we all have this kind of experience. If not from a family, maybe from a friend. I have such a friend. Every time we both went together and met a guy, she would ask: "Which one of us is prettier and younger?" She is three years older than me and she has fair skin while I have a deep tan. With time, I found an answer to get back at her. I would say: "Of course she is prettier, with that fair skin and straight hairs. Don't you think, Guy? But as you already know, I am the smarter!"
1 person likes this
@sahm01 (22)
• United States
22 Jun 10
The good news is that she doesn't come around often! haha. I have SIL who always talks bad about my husband's brother to his own family. I try to not listen and take up for him when I can. I feel bad for him because he really tries but nothing is ever good enough! Some people just stink.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
21 Jun 10
Not for the most part....my older sister did it to me once....big time...and I called her on it and we didn't speak for a year..but...once we made up I told her if she ever did anything like that again I would make sure everyone knew what she said or did....that has seemed to stop the whole thing...I would however had made a retort back to her like ...when are you due?
• United States
21 Jun 10
Hubby's sister is not at all overweight.. she works out a lot and has always been very thin. There really isn't much about her that can be picked on, except that she's blonde.
• Philippines
22 Jun 10
no one makes fun of me, as they know that i am very much good at them. they know how sensitive i am and they can't just say things that wouldn't actually get me hurt. i think that SIL of yours is just jealous of him, despite of his belly, he is still good looking (judging by the pictures) i think looking like stone cold is a lot better than looking like an action star, well, just my opinion
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
30 Aug 10
hi katsmeow This sounds like a so called friend of my deceased husband. the man thought he was the funniest thing around, like a paid comedian.' He would do like your sister in law, make fun of my hubbie for being tall and lean. Now my husband was healthy , he was not skinny but he was right at the weight he needed to be while our comedian, self made, weighed probably close to three hundred pounds. He once told my husband he looked anorexic which was really stupid as my husband was of normal size. well I fixed this idiot. I said, well forgive me but you look like you are about nine months pregnant so whens the baby due? He could not take a joke so he walked off, and he never did come back.My husband was really thrilled as he did not really like the jerk.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
25 Jun 10
Asperger's? Well seriously, everything can't be Aspergers. Does this bother your husband? To me the part that would be annoying is that she ignores your children actually.
• United States
25 Jun 10
Yeah, it bothered him.. but he never really mentioned it even to me.. I just knew it did. "Ignored" might not be the right word.. she was more or less indifferent to them. It's not like they ran up to talk to her and she literally didn't listen. Sure she could have stopped and said hi to them or something.. but they didn't really bother to speak to her either.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
21 Jun 10
Hi, katsmewo1213. I am familiar with this. Only my mother-in-law likes to say things to me when no one is around. She makes sure that she says anything to me when it is just me and her that are around each other. She is very sneaky, and I can't stand when she is this way to me. Your sister-in-law is mean and stupid! Why can't she just be nice to you all and not make fun of your husband. Why does she pick at her own brother? Why be so mean to him? I think that she is doing this to see if you will jump in and defend him. That is how in-laws can be. I am sorry about this. She wants attention, but don't give her any. She needs to get a life and stop acting like an immature spoiled brat!
• United States
21 Jun 10
I don't think it has anything to do with me.. I think it's more or less the only way she knows how to communicate with him.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
22 Jun 10
Hey kats~ As long as you and your husband know what a moron she is and don't feed into her stupidity that's all that really matters! You don't need her in your families life and when you happen to run into her like yesterday just remember that she is "nobody" and not worth thinking about! Your husband knows what she is like and you all don't need to even think about her another second! Just let it go and someday when she is all alone and decides she wants "her brother" and his family you can slam the door in her stupid face!
• United States
22 Jun 10
Well, here's what's funny. When she was married the first time, she decided to alienate her whole family and cling on her husband's family. So I kept saying "Oh, just wait till they get a divorce and she's left with no one because her own family is too mad at her". So, they soon got the divorce I predicted, but she never tried to come back into our lives, or her parents. Apparently she enjoyed just being alone.
• United States
21 Jun 10
Unfortunatley we can pick our friends but we can not pick our family...but wouldn't it be nice if we could? I don't have anyone that I can think of off hand that necessarily acts like that but I do have some that have their issues. I have an uncle that likes to stick in nose into the rest of the families business whne he has enough problems of his own that he should be dealing with, I don't talk to him only because he said some terrible things about my husband when we first starting dating that I can not and will not forget, the things he said were very much untrue and he has never said sorry for anything he said and that was nearly 11 years ago. As for my husbands side if the family, I get along with them all except for my step mother in law, and its not like I dont get along with her but there was some things that she said about me to some other family members that got back to me and while I have never confronted her I make it a note to watch myself around her...the thing that bothers me that most is to my face she acts sweet as pie to me but then goes and tells the rest of the family how evil I am. As in your situation it sounds as though even though she has family you all would be better off without her..if all she can do is say nasty things then why be around her? Maybe that is what she is looking to do is to push you all away, but even if she is not maybe if you pretend like she is much needed she will realize that what she does is cruel is straighten herself up....or atleast you can hope. Is she his only sibling? If not does she treat the others the same way or just your husband?
• United States
21 Jun 10
She's the only sibling, and she doesn't care if she pushes anyone away. She has gone years without speaking to her parents or us.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
22 Jun 10
I dont why sister-in-laws are like that. I think your sister in law is really rude. She's not thinking! I wonder where she put her brain. Anyway, I think I understand your situation because I have been to that too. My sister in law also did something that made me mistrust her. What's with them really? Why are they like that? I just dont understand. I am also a sister in law to my brother's wife but I made friends with her. We go out together and I treated her like a real sister. My husband's sister doesnt like my younger brother in law's girlfriend but I said to myself, if they ever gonna get married, I'll make friends with my new sister in law even if the other sister in law doesnt like her.
• Philippines
22 Jun 10
i have been lucky enough not to have a sister in law like that.but what annoys me with some "relatives" is the fact that there is some who always think we are rich when in fact we are so so in financial trouble.it annoys me that some people think we are just so selfish to share our money with them when the truth is we have been struggling how to feed our family.
@CRIVAS (1815)
• Canada
21 Jun 10
Well first off I have to say that it sounds like you SIL is a piece of work. You have every right to be upset by the way that she was behaving. It isn't funny to put down anyone, especially family that you haven't seen in a long time. I think that your hubby might have to talk to his sister though, it would be sad to hear that their relationship fell apart because of a lack of communication. I wouldn't take it to hard though, there are always going to be people like that in your life and the important thing to remember is that they are not worth the anger they produce. I hope that the next time that she comes to visit she will be a little more understanding and respectful. Hope that you have a wonderful day, happy mylotting.
@trisha27 (3494)
• United States
21 Jun 10
There's no one in particular that acts this way in my family. But I do have this one aunt in the family who is mad at my mom her sister and she completely ignores her and because of her being mad at my mom she ignores me and my brother and my dad. But I completely agree that she shouldn't be that way towards your husband I'd be the same way.
@lacieice (2060)
• United States
21 Jun 10
Sounds like my son. He is wonderfully polite to all family members except me and his sister. He is great friends with his cousins and aunts...laughs and jokes with them. As soon as I open my mouth to express an opinion. he cuts me down. He embarrasses me so much in front of everyone, that I can not stand being in the same place with him. I would feel better if he just ignored me.