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Food for Thought - Dear Prudence Article

Elizamen's picture

This was posted in Dear Prudence's current chat. I found it interesting:

Q. Boyfriend’s rude daughter: My boyfriend’s adult daughter routinely treats me poorly at family functions and gatherings. I have always been polite, friendly, and supportive of her and her children. However, most of the time she just refuses to acknowledge my presence or ignores me when I attempt to engage in conversation. However, since my boyfriend and I have moved in together and are planning to get married, she has taken to making rude statements in front of me to anyone around. Stating she would like her father to move in with her (now) so she can take care of him when he gets older. She will make sure he gets a “hot nurse” or “conjugal visits.” And he should move in with her now so she can feed him—because clearly I don’t take care of him properly. I know it’s petty, but her behavior is really starting to bother me, especially when she is so dismissive of our relationship. I normally sit in silence and I can deal with the cold-shoulder treatment, but I’m tired of hearing her rude comments in front of others. How can I address her without making it worse?

A: Either your boyfriend’s daughter waits until he has left the room to make these comments, in which case you should let him know immediately so he can speak to her privately, or she’s been saying things like, “Dad, move in with me and I’ll procure a hot nurse for you” (which is just creepy from start to finish) in front of both you and your boyfriend, and he’s said nothing. I’m not sure which possibility I find more unsettling—a secret campaign of whispered sabotage, or a man who thinks nothing of being promised “conjugal visits” procured by his own daughter. (Now that I see them written out, I find the former far more unsettling.) Whichever situation is the case, you need to have a conversation with your boyfriend. It’s supremely not OK that his daughter announces her plans to start nursing her still-healthy father in order to interfere with his romantic relationships, and he needs to put a stop to it immediately. If he’s unwilling to, you should seriously reconsider this marriage. This isn’t standard-issue cold-shouldering, this is deeply creepy and inappropriate behavior, and if your husband-to-be tries to dismiss these comments with “that’s just how she is” or “she doesn’t mean anything by it” (she clearly does), you should be very concerned about how invested he is in your comfort and well-being.

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

Wow. Spot on advice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2Tired4Drama's picture

In situations like this, I'm all for the polite confrontation approach ESPECIALLY when it is in front of other people. I would calmly say:

"SD, did you mean to insult your father and I with that comment?"

That usually brings on sputtering by the perpetrator, and sometimes giggles from the observers. Rarely will people openly admit to being called out insulting someone, especially in front of an audience they were hoping to win over with their antics.

It also makes it clear that you are not about to sit in silence and are willing to put on your "velvet" boxing gloves.

Rags's picture

I agree Echo. With the caveat that I do not get anyone who tolerates an unacceptable situatuation and says nothing. If issues are not addressed, they cannot be rectified. Rarely does confronting a situation go as badly as most people work themselves up to deal with.

The actual confrontation tends to be anticlimactic.

TwirlMS's picture

Creepy for sure, but since the older couple is living together and not married..... It's hard enough to be respected by the Skids but she is wide open for this kind of scare off tactics if they're not even married. It's hostile, disrespectful for sure.

Not to mention, very insulting to the health care profession.

grace8205's picture

Maybe the gf should ask the daughter if she planning to hook up her dad with the same Prostitutes that her own husband has been banging.
I would not tolerate that skid for one moment saying things like that.

Willow2010's picture

I simply do not get women who feel they have no voice.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My first thought is that the op was the other woman and that is why she will not stand up for herself. Guilt. I could not imagine ANY other reason.