Family traditions are usually built over time, with people putting a lot of love and effort into making these moments possible. Unfortunately, these rituals can sometimes be tiresome for new members who might want to blaze their own trail instead of following everyone else.
This is what one man faced after telling his in-laws that he didn’t want to adopt a canine, even though they had a five-generation tradition of being dog owners. This issue escalated to such an extent that the man couldn’t deal with the pressure anymore.
More info: Reddit
Sometimes, pet lovers don’t seem to understand that there are folks who don’t really like animals as much as they do
Image credits: lookstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that he wasn’t really a pet guy and told his in-laws that he didn’t want to adopt a dog when they suggested he contact their canine breeder
Image credits: artursafronovvvv / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster’s mother-in-law couldn’t understand why he wasn’t getting a dog and kept trying to convince him, even though he was uncomfortable
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the man befriended a cat that kept visiting his house, and this angered his mother-in-law, who accused him of ignoring a five-generation family tradition
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The in-laws also started berating the man on Facebook, which made him feel worried as they kept calling him “cruel” for not following their tradition
It seems like the poster wasn’t really a cat or dog person, and that, in general, he was pretty ambivalent toward most animals. He had also never considered getting a pet for himself, but mentioned that he had been okay with the cat that he had owned with one of his girlfriends many years ago.
According to experts, there could be many reasons why people don’t own a pet or aren’t so comfortable with the idea. This could be because of specific hygiene issues, fear of certain animals, or even difficult past experiences, all of which are valid reasons for them not to take this step.
The OP was also sure that he didn’t want to get a dog, but when his in-laws began pressuring him to do so, he didn’t exactly know what to do. They were very pushy on the matter and tried to guilt-trip him into following their rules because getting a canine had been their family tradition for five generations.
Although certain rituals might have been continued for a long time, professionals explain that it’s important for older people to respect if the younger generations don’t want to follow their age-old traditions. The people who enjoy continuing these customs should do so, while also allowing new family members to start their own practices.
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At first, the poster thought that his in-laws would respect his decision not to get a dog, but he soon realized that they weren’t going to give up so easily. His mother-in-law, especially, kept hounding him on the matter and called him “cruel” for breaking their decades-old family ritual so easily.
Luckily, the OP’s wife was on his side, and she even stood up to her mother when she started becoming too pushy. In the meantime, the poster began befriending a cat that kept visiting their house, and he felt quite comfortable letting it into their living room, feeding it, and also looking after it, which angered his in-laws.
In situations like this, when people are faced with toxic extended relatives, mental health professionals explain that it’s important to establish boundaries as soon as possible. Rather than letting one’s in-laws get away with their rude behavior, talking to them and setting consequences for their actions can help protect one’s peace in the long run.
Unfortunately, since the man hadn’t done anything about his mother-in-law’s toxic behavior, she kept bashing him in public. She also began posting things about him online and trying to garner sympathy from their friends. All of this left the OP feeling nervous and guilty since he didn’t want to give in or make anyone mad.
How do you think the man should handle this complicated situation? Do share your honest thoughts with us, and what you would do if you were in his place.
People were shocked by the bizarre expectations of the man’s in-laws and urged him to keep his cat safe, just in case
