Mothers-in-law get a bad rap, but sometimes they deserve it. Whether they’re criticizing your parenting, overstepping boundaries you’ve set with your kids, or constantly second-guessing the choices you make, they can really get on your nerves.
One guy whose in-laws moved in to help with his newborn son lost his cool after he overheard his mother-in-law telling his toddler that he was too stupid to take care of her. Incensed, the guy kicked his in-laws out but now wonders if he overreacted.
More info: Reddit
Mothers-in-law can be a handful, as this guy unfortunately found out the hard way
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
His in-laws moved in to help take care of his newborn son, but his mother-in-law constantly criticized everything his wife did
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The mother-in-law’s meddling went too far after the guy heard her bad-mouthing him to his toddler via the baby monitor
Image credits: Min An / Pexels (not the actual photo)
That was the last straw for the guy, who packed up his in-laws' things while they were out shopping and dumped everything on the snowy porch, refusing to let them back in
Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)
After speaking with his wife, the guy went outside to lay down the law
Image credits: BrainLesionSinister
Despite demanding an apology from his mother-in-law, she refused, so he turned to the web to ask if he was overreacting
OP begins his story by telling the community that he and his wife have two kids—a 3-year-old girl and a newborn son. He goes on to explain that his in-laws moved in two months ago to help out, something that’s common in Chinese culture, but that he’s more Americanized than his wife and would have preferred a shorter visit.
He adds that his in-laws' relationship with his wife is complicated at best. She was abused by her dad growing up and her mom always criticizes everything she does, from how she washes vegetables to the way she does laundry. A particular pain point is her insistence that the couples’ kids are never dressed warmly enough.
OP goes on to say that recently, his daughter got a cold, along with most of the kids in her preschool class, and his mother-in-law has been relentlessly berating the couple for not taking proper care of her. One morning, the mother-in-law went to get her granddaughter out of bed and OP overheard her bad-mouthing him to her via the baby monitor.
That was the final straw for OP. He waited until the in-laws went shopping, then promptly packed their stuff and dumped it on the snowy porch, along with directions to the airport. When the in-laws returned, he refused to let them back in, so they called his wife.
After talking with his wife, OP went outside and laid down the law, demanding an apology from his mother-in-law. Well, not only did she refuse, but she also denied any wrongdoing. OP says his wife believes him but thinks he ruined her relationship with her folks forever. At a loss, he turned to the web to ask if he was overreacting.
Image credits: Vlada Karpovich / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The meddlesome mother-in-law has long been a cliché, reinforced by less-than-flattering portrayals in mainstream media. If your mother-in-law always sticks her nose in where it doesn’t belong, you can probably relate. So, considering she’s with you for life, what’s the best way to deal with her?
In her article for Stylecraze, Sneha Tete lists some signs you’re dealing with a toxic mother-in-law. Some of them include ignoring your thoughts, opinions, and emotions, interfering with your decisions, being overly jealous of your relationship with your spouse, and being passive-aggressive about small things.
In her post for Choosing Therapy, Brooke Schwartz suggests some ways to deal with a mother-in-law who’s driving you up the wall. According to Schwartz, you should do your best to set boundaries, consider the reasons behind her behavior, maintain your self-respect, stop trying to meet her expectations and communicate with your partner about the problems you’re facing.
OP couldn’t have been any clearer about his demands, but it looks like he’s still a ways off from finding any middle ground with his insufferable mother-in-law. Perhaps the whole crowd could benefit from a few rounds of family therapy.
Do you think OP will ever get an apology from his manipulative mother-in-law? How would you have handled the unhappy situation? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
In the comments, readers applauded the man for laying down the law and lambasted the mother-in-law for her appalling behavior
