These four stories highlight the challenges of cultivating healthy relationships with in-laws, particularly mothers-in-law. Each narrative showcases individuals who were compelled to assert their boundaries against in-laws who seemed intent on undermining them.
A pregnant woman in a yellow shirt holding her belly | Source: Shutterstock
Husband Keeps Choosing His Mother over His Wife until the Latter Gives Him an Ultimatum
A Reddit user asked others on the platform if she was being unreasonable in issuing an ultimatum to her husband, who had been largely absent for much of her pregnancy. The woman explained that she and her husband had been together for five years and married for six months.
A woman holding a scan of her baby in one hand and her pregnant belly in the other next to a basket of baby supplies | Source: Shutterstock
Six months pregnant when she turned to fellow Reddit users for advice. The original poster (OP) shared that her husband and his mother had an unusually close relationship, saying:
“My husband has an unusually close relationship with his mother. He’ll call his mother for hours, talk to her, and spend more time with her than he does with me.”
A man hugging and kissing his mother on the cheek | Source: Shutterstock
However, her final straw was the event that led to her posting on Reddit. When OP reached the sixth month of her pregnancy, she asked her husband if he could be around more and help her prepare for the child they expected to welcome.
He told her that being around more would eat into the time he had to spend with his mother. While OP understood that, she explained that she needed him more than his mother did at that point, to which he replied:
“You know my mom comes before you.”
A woman emotional as her husband and his mother scold her | Source: Shutterstock
The Redditor was shocked by what her husband said but took it in her stride when he left to go to his mother’s house. She then did everything she needed to do by herself. While preparing for her child alone, her mother-in-law (MIL) phoned her and told her she had won!
To make matters worse, as her MIL bragged about her win, OP could hear her husband laughing in the background. Although angry, she continued to go about her life as usual. A few weeks later, it was the couple’s anniversary, and while OP bought her husband a gift and prepared his favorite meal for the day, he had other plans for what to do with his time.
A pregnant woman and her husband fighting | Source: Shutterstock
While she was in the bathroom, her husband returned from work and left again. She thought he might be planning a surprise for her, but when he had still not returned half an hour later, she phoned to find out where he was. He confirmed being at his mother’s house, so she told him that his mother might as well be the one having his child, as he was acting as though he was in a relationship with her.
After hanging up, OP received text messages from both her husband and MIL, telling her that she shouldn’t disrespect his mother and should find something else to do instead of being bitter and jealous. She turned to Reddit users to find out if she was in the wrong.
A woman curled up and sitting while looking miserable | Source: Shutterstock
Soon after posting her story, she updated it, thanking everyone who had sent her messages of support and told her she wasn’t wrong. She also admitted, “I think my MIL is competing with me,” adding that she might have to give him an ultimatum because after reading the comments, things could only get worse from there.
Someone suggested she ask her husband why he enjoyed spending so much time with his mother, and he told her it was because his mother was a special person in his life. OP realized her MIL had no intention of changing and seriously considered divorcing her husband.
A woman looking at paperwork while contemplating her next move | Source: Pexels
She told her husband that she would divorce him if he didn’t stop acting like he was married to his mother. When he heard this, he began crying and vowed to change. OP was hopeful but knew she needed to talk to her MIL, who only told her she would never win.
A man crying while sitting and looking at something on a tablet | Source: Pexels
The Redditor clarified that there was no winning and losing and that if her MIL continued to act as she was, she would not have access to her grandchild. She confirmed that her husband had also stepped up since her conversation with him.
Wife Leaves In-Laws’ Home after Feeling Disrespected by Separate Sleeping Arrangements
What do a barn, a crib, and a Facebook fiasco have in common? These elements frame my Christmas nightmare with my in-laws. I’m Evelyn, here to share a tale filled with creepy barns, adorable twins, and in-laws who overstepped boundaries.
Two babies wearing red Mickey Mouse Shirts | Source: Pexels
My husband, Mike, and I have been blissfully married for two years, recently welcoming twins into our lives. This Christmas, aiming to celebrate our twins’ first holiday season, Mike’s parents extended an invitation for a two-week stay at their home.
I envisioned a restful fortnight, with the grandparents doting on the twins, allowing me some well-deserved sleep. After all, we hadn’t seen them since our wedding, and I anticipated a warm, loving reunion.
Two white packed suitcases | Source: Pexels
Packing for four, I included treats for the in-laws and wildflower honey for my mother-in-law’s tea, eagerly anticipating our family gathering. Their excitement to meet the twins was palpable, immediately enveloping them in love — a mother’s dream, yet not without its caveats.
The shock came with the sleeping arrangements. Mike and I were assigned separate rooms, a peculiar but manageable setup until I saw my “room” — a barn. Despite its bed and heater, the barn’s ambiance was far from welcoming. Discussing this odd setup with Mike led nowhere; he saw no issue, asking, “What are you complaining about?”
A dark red barn with closed doors | Source: Pexels
The situation escalated when discussing where the twins would sleep. Assured they’d be in a crib in the grandparents’ room, the separation felt unnecessary and harsh. “Our house, our rules,” they insisted, sparking a heated argument.
As tensions rose, Mike vanished, opting to reconnect with friends rather than support me. Feeling isolated and disrespected, I decided on an impromptu departure. After capturing the barn’s essence in photos, I shared my ordeal on Facebook, then retreated to the sanctuary of my parents’ home with the twins.
A white crib with an elephant blanket and stuffed toy | Source: Pexels
Now, amidst a storm of angry messages and calls for apologies, I find solace at my parents’ house, where love and care are abundant. As we prepare for a cozy Christmas, I ponder my next steps and seek advice: What would you do in my situation?
MIL Disobeys Daughter-in-Law’s House Rules and Pays the Price
A Reddit user sought advice on whether her method of dealing with her snooping mother-in-law (MIL) was too extreme, a sentiment echoed by her husband. The woman recounted her efforts to highlight her MIL’s invasive behavior, which her husband initially downplayed.
A senior woman looking through binoculars | Source: Getty Images
Despite her husband’s objections, she felt compelled to take action against her MIL’s habit of entering their bedroom uninvited. The situation escalated when she caught her MIL rifling through personal documents, a claim the MIL deflected by feigning confusion over the house’s bathroom location.
In response, exterior doorknobs requiring keys were installed on the bedroom and office doors. Yet, the MIL persisted, claiming forgetfulness as an excuse to attempt entry into the restricted areas, prompting the wife to devise a more direct solution.
A woman looking at bills | Source: Getty Images
Anticipating her MIL’s visit, the wife proposed locking the doors, but her husband believed such measures unnecessary. They compromised on a less conventional strategy: applying fine glitter to the doorknob to detect unauthorized entry, a tactic previously used to confirm the MIL’s snooping.
An open bedroom door with a key | Source: Getty Images
This time, the plan included a booby trap: a folder filled with glitter positioned to shower the intruder upon opening the door. Despite clear instructions to avoid the upstairs area, the MIL ventured into the bedroom, triggering the glitter bomb and coating herself in a sparkly mess, with OP sharing:
“She completely lost it and started screaming at me, so I yelled back, and now my husband is saying I went too far.”
Gold glitter on a black background | Source: Getty Images
The aftermath was chaotic. The heated exchange left the husband criticizing the extent of his wife’s retaliation. Meanwhile, the MIL lamented the glitter’s persistence, notably its unwelcome presence in her car.
A woman’s hand covered in glitter | Source: Getty Images
Seeking validation, the wife turned to Reddit, where the consensus supported her actions. Users agreed that the MIL’s disregard for boundaries justified the glittery consequence, affirming that respect for house rules could have spared her the ordeal.
MIL Decides DIL’s Upcoming Baby Will Be Hers, Even Throws Herself a Baby Shower
A woman took to Reddit to ask if she was wrong for not letting her MIL see her grandchild. OP explained that she and her husband were expecting their first child together, but his mother’s excitement about becoming a grandmother was a bit off-putting for the Redditor.
A couple holding an ultrasound scan | Source: Shutterstock
Firstly, OP said her MIL would often refer to her unborn child as her own. She would say, “I can’t wait for my baby to be born. My baby is going to be so loved.” The possession she took over her child was uncomfortable for the wife, but her husband told her to ignore the remarks.
The MIL had the idea to throw her daughter-in-law (DIL) a baby shower. The excited grandmother-to-be said she and her friends had made a pact to celebrate their children’s weddings and baby showers. Since OP and her husband eloped, she felt the Reddit user owed her the opportunity to throw a baby shower.
A younger woman and an older one happy about a pregnancy | Source: Shutterstock
OP asked if she could invite her friends, but her MIL said no. The baby shower was only for the older woman’s friends, and she told the mother-to-be she could have a separate one with her pals. Although the Redditor had doubts, she agreed.
The couple spent a lot of time putting together a registry and sharing it with the MIL and her friends, as she had instructed. The future parents planned a garden-themed nursery, so all the items were based on that.
Someone hugging a pregnant woman at a baby shower | Source: Shutterstock
OP was also asked what she wanted on her cake, and she said flowers to go with her garden theme. However, she was surprised to find a circus animal theme at the baby shower. OP did not fuss about it and thought executing her garden idea might have been challenging.
But she was even more shocked when all her gifts were different circus animals. OP was confused and even went back to the registry to see if she had gotten something wrong, as nothing from her gifts was on the list she shared with her MIL’s friends.
An upset pregnant woman sitting an holding her head and belly | Source: Shutterstock
When her husband arrived, he was also confused and asked, “What’s up with all the circus animals?” Then he got a look at the presents and added, “This isn’t what we asked for.” He immediately asked his mother what she had done.
The MIL said she did not like the theme his wife chose. “I’m going to decorate my baby’s nursery at my house with circus animals, so I created a registry for myself,” she continued. The husband was at a loss for words, but his mother did not back down, reiterating:
“My baby is going to need a room at my house, so I threw a shower for myself.”
A happy older woman smiling | Source: Pexels
Her statements made both the husband and his wife furious. OP made it clear that her MIL would never see her baby and the older woman started crying, telling the couple that they were keeping her away from her baby.
The Reddit user and her husband started receiving texts from the rest of the family calling them selfish and blaming them for ruining the MIL’s experience of becoming a grandmother. However, people in the comments did not think OP was wrong and believed she needed to take necessary precautions against her MIL. The MIL’s behavior alarmed many readers, and some were glad the OP’s husband was on her side.
Two women looking away from each other while having a disagreement | Source: Shutterstock
For those who enjoyed reading those stories, here is another one about a woman who embarrassed her mother-in-law in front of the family, giving her a taste of her own medicine.
