Can you suggest a closer weekend trip that they can pay for?

Where do you live? PA has lots of cute places to go like Dutch wonderland or Bethany beach for a weekend may be nice.

OP, the only reason I think you should ask MIL why she's so insistent/set on this trip is that I really want to know.

Anonymous wrote:There’s something going on, they bought a timeshare or something.

My inlaws tried to pull that on us when we had a toddler. No, thank you.

Anonymous wrote:It's really annoying. But if this is out of character for her, I'd be worried about a mental decline.

Or that she already paid for the trip.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There’s something going on, they bought a timeshare or something.

She's already dug OP's grave in the forest, and doesn't want to waste the work.

Best explanation yet!

Anonymous wrote:I would stop giving her any reasons why this trip doesn’t work for you. No mentioning new job, probationary period, etc. “As we already discussed, we will not be taking this trip.” Also, don’t let her corner you. If she brings this up to you alone, immediately turn away from her and call your husband over, “Honey, your mom wants to discuss something with you.” Then walk away.

Yes! Stop giving excuses for her to worm her way around!

My spouse has had PTO in his job for the last 19 years and neither his parents nor mine can grasp how it works. Same arguments except his mother wants us to pay for the trip. Both just blame us for the limitations of PTO.

Anonymous wrote:You need to suggest an alternative in order for her to stop. This is the only solution.

Nope, the solution is to set clear boundaries and stick to them. Tell her that she has broached this subject multiple times, you and DH have already told her this trip is not one you can take, and please stop asking because the answer will not change.

Anonymous wrote:Op here

Yes we have toddlers. We've started dating freshman year of college at 18/19yo.

The trip is in a random spot in Tennessee (not near Gatlinburg or anything significant)

But why? Just a timeshare in the middle of nowhere?

Is there any way to just pretend you went to shut her up?

Have you asked her why this is so important?

Op here

Yes we have toddlers. We've started dating freshman year of college at 18/19yo.

The trip is in a random spot in Tennessee (not near Gatlinburg or anything significant)

Why can't you be more explicit. Middle of the forest? WTF. No one desperately plans a destination family trip to the middle of the forest. When people write like this I immediately think of a troll on a bored afternoon.

This is weird. I agree with PP that if this is out of character for her/she’s never done anything like this (being very pushy and insisting on something after being told no), I’d be worried about cognitive decline and/or physical decline (maybe she wants to do one last family trip bc she has a bad diagnosis she hasn’t shared w you yet?) or else she already paid for it and can’t get her money back.

Anonymous wrote:There’s something going on, they bought a timeshare or something.

Probably, but they need to go by themselves.