Sister-in-Law Slammed for Kicking Brother, Wife and New Baby Out of Room

A frustrated new mother has gained sympathy from online users after describing a difficult holiday situation with her in-laws.

In a post on the U.K.-based forum Mumsnet, user Pondere said that after arriving at her in-laws for the week with her husband and their 21-month-old, they were given a small, single bedroom to sleep in, although a double was available. Usually when they visit, the three of them are in the double room, but this time her sister-in-law was also visiting and her 5-year-old got the double bedroom. So Pondere's family had to squeeze into a single room.

"The conclusion - SIL's child has a double room and bed to himself," she wrote. "SIL has a single room and bed to herself. I'm in the single bed with DS in his travel cot next to me, which has just about fit in, it's a very tight squeeze so I have to climb on to the bed the second I enter the room. DH is on the sofa. He doesn't like fuss so is fine with the arrangement."

Ninety-seven percent of Mumsnet users voted that the mother was not being unreasonable. One user said, "I'd be in the nearest Travelodge or on my way home."

A U.S. study last year found that both men and women reported having more conflict with their mothers-in-law than with their mothers, and mothers reported having more conflict with their daughters-in-law than with their daughters. The results, which came after two decades of research from Cambridge University, found that 60 percent of women admitted a relationship with a female in-law caused them long-term unhappiness and stress.

Kimberly King, the owner of Safe and Sound Kids Collaborative, which provides proactive parenting coaching and consulting, told Newsweek: "I don't think this mother is being unreasonable. When visiting in-laws and relatives it is important that everyone's needs are considered.

"Personally, I don't think that the 5-year-old should have dibs on the larger room with the double bed while you are in a single bed, with a portable crib and a hubby on the couch."

King went on: "Your comfort and function with a baby should be a higher priority. You actually need more room. It's a case of need versus wants. The 5-year-old will be fine in the single bedroom. Plus, you are staying longer. I wonder if you had a conversation about this ahead of time. Perhaps you did...and this was the result.

"Travel is hard on everyone. And getting families together can be stressful. When families focus on proactive communication and operate with more consideration and empathy...there are usually better outcomes. Next year...call dibs on the double room," King said.

Newsweek could not verify the details of the case.

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