Where I’m from, it’s not at all unusual for families to blend after a marriage. You suddenly start hanging out and spending holidays with a whole new group of people you may not have even known before.
Or at least, you might wish you didn’t know them, because they make every day so unbearable that you can’t even fathom the idea of spending your holidays with them. And in today’s story, we learned that some reactions are completely justified. One woman decided she no longer wanted to put up with her enabling family and her sister’s mother-in-law, and honestly, we can’t blame her.
Read more: Reddit
Some families truly embrace each other once two members get married, but not everyone involved is happy about it
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A woman was practically forced to accept her sister's in-laws into her family once the two got married, but she wasn't happy about this
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The older woman is apparently a nightmare to be around, always criticizing everyone, but the only person to speak up is the narrator
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She recalls several times when the MIL was absolutely unhinged, including one time that she practically wanted to force the narrator to get her kid a new jacket
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The woman had a clear personal vendetta against the narrator, since she was the only one who actually refused to give in to her demands
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One day, the MIL decided to have Christmas celebrations at her place, and while the woman didn't want to go, she ended up heading there anyway
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After some nonsensical argument about a song, the MIL tried to forcefully take the woman's phone, and everyone gathered to defend the older woman
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At some point, her own family kicked her out of the family gathering, demanding that her kids stay with them instead of going back home
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The woman then saw a police patrol car, explained the situation, and managed to get her kids back, without pressing any charges
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She ultimately admits that she cut off contact with her sister's in-laws, as well as all family members who enabled and defended the woman's behavior
The Original Poster (OP) in today’s story is a woman who had to deal with her sister’s in-laws against her will. As she explains, they all live in a small town, and the families have gotten to know each other quite well. Unfortunately, her sister’s mother-in-law is quite a difficult person. She explains that their most recent conflict involved the OP’s child’s new jacket, which the woman despised.
Apparently, a piece of fabric was enough to make the woman snap after the OP had repeatedly asked her to get the child a new jacket. It got to the point where the argument nearly got physical — and it wasn’t the first time. In another post, the OP explains that her family has a big Christmas tradition, but one year, her sister’s mother-in-law decided to ask them to spend some time at her house instead.
After a whole commotion over the OP not wanting to change her plans, she was eventually worn down and agreed to go, though she later realized she shouldn’t have. The mother-in-law criticized everything she did and said, and then all hell broke loose after the father-in-law’s performance. The man apparently got inebriated and decided to perform a song. The only problem was that he sang the lyrics incorrectly.
When asked about it, the OP admitted the lyrics were wrong, but only after being repeatedly pushed to answer. Then, while she was trying to prove she was right, the mother-in-law tried to take her phone away by force. From there, everything escalated. The OP was kicked out of the house by her own family; they refused to let her children go home with her, and a police patrol had to get involved so she could get her kids back.
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So, let’s take a look at the mother-in-law. Her actions, including constantly wanting to be the center of attention, exploiting those around her, and even escalating into physical altercations when called out, all align with behaviors associated with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), according to experts. They explain that a lack of empathy, selfishness, and even tantrums are all textbook traits of NPD.
On the other hand, the family also appears to be falling right into the woman’s trap. Psychologists describe this as the "flying monkey" phenomenon, a term used for people who act on behalf of a narcissist to isolate, manipulate, or gaslight a victim. In this case, the entire family seems to cater to the MIL’s whims, having been manipulated into seeing her as the victim instead.
Ultimately, the OP’s goal was simply to vent. But what could she possibly do? As it turns out, she later updated readers, explaining that she had cut contact with everyone who defended the older woman. Experts say this can be an appropriate response in certain situations. When a relationship is known for severe manipulation, going no contact is sometimes recommended as a way to protect one's well-being.
Netizens were understandably baffled by the absurdity of the situation. Most urged her to go no contact, which she confirmed she had already done. Many others wondered how her sister managed to deal with the MIL, and apparently the answer to do whatever she was told. So, do you think the OP did the right thing by cutting them off, or should she have tried to repair the relationship?
Netizens wanted the narrator to actually press charges against the MIL, while others asked for more stories because of how entertaining it all was
