Vacation?...Why Do I Feel MORE Stressed?

[RealUnimportant]

I'd rather go on holiday with the puppy that the nephew tbh! At least the dog is too young to know better...

I'm generally an easy-going guy, but I'd have found the nearest rope & tied him down until he behaved himself - and if that meant he stayed tied up all week, so be it!

[RayvenQ]

That kid needs a week at Seraph school with no witnesses!

Sounds like a guy that was in my corp in EVE online ... he was seriously spoiled until he ran into someone who had something he wanted, and wouldn't put up with his crap and kept calling him on it, and refusing to let him walk all over herself ...

Ho boy, if he pulled some of the crap like that with the people I know in Eve, He'd have been ganked to tears by his own corp mates.

[Jetfire]

Ugh, after the first day of Runescape instead of helping out, the house would have had "Internet problems" for the rest of the week. (And possibly TV problems too if needed)

I agree with the above, that the kid needs Military school, and his mother needs a backbone.

Hope you can squeeze out a few quiet days to recover before work hits you again.

[Crossbow]

I agree with the above, that the kid needs Military school, and his mother needs a backbone.

Agreed on both counts. Unfortunately, I've seen this behavior in other kids. If he doesn't get some sort of discipline now, he's got a great chance of getting it behind bars. I hate to say it, but it's unfortunately likely.

[Nurian]

I would have found the password to the router (if possible, that is) and changed the security code. First time Bratly gets on and can't connect, he would have been informed that this is a vacation with family and needs to mingle with family. At the end of the day, the password "might" be changed back. Depends on how he behaved.

[Seraph]

If it were me, I'd have just up and left, written it off as a bad idea, and had a staycation for the rest of the weekend.

Eight hour drive back, plus already dropped $400 for our share of the house.

Agreed on both counts. Unfortunately, I've seen this behavior in other kids. If he doesn't get some sort of discipline now, he's got a great chance of getting it behind bars. I hate to say it, but it's unfortunately likely.

Sadly, you're very correct.

I would have found the password to the router (if possible, that is) and changed the security code. First time Bratly gets on and can't connect, he would have been informed that this is a vacation with family and needs to mingle with family. At the end of the day, the password "might" be changed back. Depends on how he behaved.

Yeah, my BIL also was miffed I didn't steal the cord and battery pack, and hide them in various places. =/

[wolfie]

Except, the house we rented apparently just did a big overhaul, to nicen things up. Revamped the furniture, deep cleaned the carpets, new floor mats, added some pretty wicker tables, stuff like that. They also changed the policy to no pets.

Sister in law, having put the rental in her name (we all sent her checks for our share), had reserved it a month before the change. Paid the pet waiver, and didn't contact the company after she saw the change in policy. As she put it "I paid the waiver, their own fault, they can suck it up."
And brought her brand new puppy. Who is not housetrained.

So anyways, puppy, besides the peeing, and pooping, chewed on everything. Remember that wicker table I mentioned? She tore it UP. SIL turned the table around and said "they won't ever notice, by the time they do we'll be long gone."

I see suck on the owner's part too - changing to "no pets" with an effective date BEFORE a pre-booked rental to someone who paid the pet deposit (and therefore would presumably be bringing a pet). How did SIL see the change in policy - did she look back at the website (plausible deniability), or did owner send her a letter with the change listed (clearly notified of change), and if the latter, why didn't owner refund the pet deposit (since it would not be applicable in a "no pets" rental) and offer her the chance to cancel with no penalty (since someone who paid a pet deposit is likely to want to re-book somewhere that allows pets, rather than stay at the same place which has suddenly become "no pets")?

As for the table, why does SIL think the owner won't check the place between rentals (simple cure for "it was damaged when we arrived/it was good when we left - they must have wrecked it and tried to blame us")? Sure SIL will be long gone, but owner will still have her contact info - enough to file a suit in small claims court.

[Seraph]

I see suck on the owner's part too - changing to "no pets" with an effective date BEFORE a pre-booked rental to someone who paid the pet deposit (and therefore would presumably be bringing a pet). How did SIL see the change in policy - did she look back at the website (plausible deniability), or did owner send her a letter with the change listed (clearly notified of change), and if the latter, why didn't owner refund the pet deposit (since it would not be applicable in a "no pets" rental) and offer her the chance to cancel with no penalty (since someone who paid a pet deposit is likely to want to re-book somewhere that allows pets, rather than stay at the same place which has suddenly become "no pets")?

As for the table, why does SIL think the owner won't check the place between rentals (simple cure for "it was damaged when we arrived/it was good when we left - they must have wrecked it and tried to blame us")? Sure SIL will be long gone, but owner will still have her contact info - enough to file a suit in small claims court.

I'm not sure why they changed it, or how she knew. I think, I *think* she was notified about the change before we went. Knowing her though, she probably just ignored it.

I have no idea, they also just surface cleaned the pee spots. You couldn't see them at first, but stepping in the area, you got a squish. So the owners will find those eventually as well. =/

[tropicsgoddess]

Forget boarding and military school, that kid needs BOOT CAMP! SIL needs to find her spine and start showing him who's boss. I absolutely can't stand spoiled brats. As for the puppy thing, that was a bad idea...epic fail to bring it when she was told about the policy change and with the fact that it was not house trained at all! I think it would be pretty easy for the owners to find the stuff the puppy tore up and peed on. Unless you use good stain removers, the smell and stains will still be there.

[taxguykarl]

Agreed with SIL growing a spine and nephew off to a military school (before he gets shipped off to the big house)..either that or change the decree to be in ex's custody (yes, this happened to one of my cousins--straightened him out). As for puppy, be damn glad you weren't being charged for the damage. Also you now have a example of how not to act for your own kids.

Suggestion: Get thee to a day spa and get a nice long massage and some other de-stressing treatments.

[kibbles]

I'm usually one to usually assume a parent is overreacting and be on the kid's side, but this story had me fuming by the end of it! How did you put up with it???

[rose_metal_nz]

Oh my everlovin' FUCK .... I am seeing red over this so bad. That kid is going to get beat up so bad. I do not advocate violence especially against kids but I have to say you have some AMAZING nerves of steel (as do the other adults) for not snapping & giving him the hiding I'm sad to say he truly deserves. Seriously. So mad. And sad, for your SIL

[jedimaster91]

Yunno, Seraph, I usually get a chuckle or two out of your various misfortunes. But there's really nothing to even smile about in this. Hope that kid gets straightened out soon.

[Merriweather]

Wow. Good for you for trying to parent that little brat, too bad your SIL, if she can't do it herself, wouldn't at least back you up (in actions, not in words - telling you it's fine, go for it then afterwards, giving him back the computer & caving makes it even worse).

I do have one question - did SIL have a backbone as a parent before the divorce? Or has it just been since? I've seen so many parents that are pretty decent to begin with, can discipline, etc - then after a divorce they feel guilty over the kids having to go thru that, and overcompensate by giving in, not disciplining - a "poor child's been thru so much, I can't upset them further" attitude. If that's the case, maybe someone can have a talk with her, tell her the best thing for a kid going thru a divorce is stability - and keeping the same rules of behaviour, same discipline for infractions, etc. as before the divorce will help them a lot more than giving in to them.

Been there, my daughter was six when ex & I divorced. I did my darndest to treat the whole thing as "life isn't always how we want it to be, that's just how it is now" and go on as close to as usual as possible. I can't say it didn't affect her, but she turned out pretty darned good.

[Seraph]

Suggestion: Get thee to a day spa and get a nice long massage and some other de-stressing treatments.

...I've honestly never been to a spa, or massage-type place. I wouldn't have the foggiest how to even look for one, LOL. (For further gasp-inducement, I've never had a manicure or pedicure either. Heh.)

I'm usually one to usually assume a parent is overreacting and be on the kid's side, but this story had me fuming by the end of it! How did you put up with it???

I tried to be as scarce as possible, and buried myself in either reading, walking on the beach (which, since Nephew usually followed, didn't happen a lot), or playing the new Simcity game on facebook. Yes, I know, FB game, but dear god its SimCity and I love that series to pieces.

I do have one question - did SIL have a backbone as a parent before the divorce? Or has it just been since?

She's never had one. They've continually raised these kids this sort of way, and let them have full run of everything.

Heck, there's an infamous story that hubby's family has tried to smooth over a lot. A couple years back, I think it was a Thanksgiving or a Christmas, Nephew punched SIL. Hard. Actually nearly made her cry. Everyone who saw froze, and he was just yelling and screaming at her, and was winding up for another punch. I saw red, launched myself over a table that in between us, and flying tackled Nephew in the midsection, and promptly put him into a pin. Twisted his arm behind his back and just stated, weirdly calmly "Apologize to your mother, now. You do NOT hit her. Ever."

SIL promptly started screaming at me to let him go, I was enforcing a "capital punishement system she didn't believe in", and "undermining her". She tried to make me apologize to Nephew, I just stared at her, looked at Nephew, and said "next time I see you hit her, I will knock you out cold."

There was a huuuuge 'scandal' in his family with that, I got in big trouble with everyone for it. Meh, I typically get into hot water every couple of years with them anyways, so I just ignored it all.

He's never hit her again that I've seen, though. I think I made myself pretty darn clear.