A woman found herself in a whirlwind of emotions—shock, rage, and profound hurt—when her mother-in-law made a callous comment about her weeks-old son. In response, she and her husband decided to ban the MIL from their Thanksgiving dinner. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when her husband had a change of heart after receiving a text one day, leaving the woman utterly dismayed.
On October 30, 2023, an anonymous female contributor shared her story in the “Mother in Laws from Hell” subreddit. The woman painted a vivid picture of her challenging relationship with her mother-in-law, 63, who seemed to have an ongoing problem respecting boundaries and appropriateness.
The MIL’s behavior had created significant issues in the past, including causing her other son and daughter-in-law to cut ties with her. Their relationship reached a breaking point when the MIL insisted on a family member’s invitation to her other son’s wedding, resulting in her being uninvited.
What Was the MIL’s Recurring Problem?
During one holiday season, the woman and her then-fiancé, who is now her husband of five years, faced a daunting dilemma when visiting their families, who lived in different regions of the island.
However, the woman perceived it as manipulative, finding it difficult to overlook the lack of remorse in the message.
The mother-in-law adamantly opposed dividing their time between the two families, forcing the couple to spend the week apart to appease her. This incident left a lasting impact, with the woman vowing never to return during the holiday season due to the emotional strain caused by her MIL’s behavior.
Even during the woman’s wedding preparations, her mother-in-law’s disregard for boundaries persisted. The couple had requested her arrival on a specific date to allow them ample time to finalize wedding arrangements, especially since the woman was busy with teacher licensure tests up until two days before the ceremony.
However, the MIL arrived early, disrupting the woman’s focus and adding unnecessary stress during a crucial time. Despite these challenges, the woman managed to pass her tests, but the incident served as a stark reminder of her MIL’s inability to respect their wishes and boundaries.