Odds are, you are a mother who is here to read these mother-in-law (MIL) stories. You are probably also going to contribute your very own story after reading (please do, we love comments!), but take heed mama, because one day you too may be someone’ s mother-in-law! That hits home hard.
After reading these real-life stories, grab your notebook to jot down some notes of what not to do or say to your daughter-in-law (or son-in-law).
My MIL is a chain smoker. When I was in labor, my husband asked her to bring a change of clothes so that when she held the baby, the baby wouldn’t breathe in the toxins. She got so insulted that she turned off her phone and didn’t turn it back on for two days. She had no idea that the baby was in the NICU or that I had an emergency C-section. My husband never told her what happened during labor either.
My MIL put a clove of garlic on my son’s bee sting. She used a bandaid to hold it in place.
When my kids we young, I worked full-time and my MIL babysat my four-year-old and two-year-old. She also babysat for my sister-in-law, but usually on different days. I purchased two car seats to leave at her house for my kids to use. Well, don’t you know, one day my SIL needed her to fill in, so she had all three kids. She called me to tell me that I needed to bring her another car seat. Why? She would also do things with my SIL while babysitting and would bring my niece home with her. She would put my niece in MY child’s seat and instead buckled my four-year-old with the SEATBELT! Her reasoning was so that, “The littler kids could use the car seats.”
My MIL said that doing our family’s laundry is how we love them well and that I must not love my family very well since I am not good at laundry.
When my son was little, my MIL would bring toys and food to church because I might forget to.
Every time my MIL comes to visit, she takes inventory of my house. “Oh, that’s new. And that’s new.” I can hardly remember what her couch looks like, but she can pick out a new picture frame or magnet on my fridge. It always makes me feel like she is keeping track of our money and how we spend it.
My MIL saw a crockpot on my counter and said, “Back in my day they were called the working mom’s best friend” and proceeded to tell me that she never used one because she actually loved her family and wanted to feed them well.
We live away from my MIL and were planning a visit when my son was five-months-old. She called to tell me that the church wanted to give him a bible and asked if I was okay with that. How do you say no to a bible? So, we show up to church only to find out she had planned a baby dedication where my husband and I had to take our son up on the alter and the whole shebang. My husband was LIVID because she was so sneaky and knew not to ask him because he would have said no. We did not, nor do we belong to that church.
My MIL INSISTED on making our bed when we moved into our house because that is what she did for all of her kids when they moved into a new place.
My MIL formula fed my husband as well as her other kids. I birthed her first grandchild and decided to breastfeed. She was at the house five days after the birth and I was just casually mentioning the times that my newborn woke up during the night and that I was sorry that I was so sleepy. She responded, “Well you are the one that chose to breastfeed.” Sorry, but breast or bottle, my newborn would have needed to be fed.
My MIL brings me clothes and says, “I bought these for your SIL, but she doesn’t want them so I figured I would just give them to you. I can’t return them because they were on clearance.”
My MIL was my daughter’s childcare provider when I went back to work. She decided to mix her formula with tea when she was six-months-old. She did this on purpose because he was fussy and said it would, “calm her down.” I was so mad as it was my second day back to work.
My husband and I decided to keep our baby name a secret until birth. My SIL came into the hospital room right after the birth of my son and she knew his name. I was so confused as to how she knew. My MIL decided that was her news to share, not ours. Nine months of waiting to share OUR news, she shared within minutes of a child exiting my vagina.
My MIL told my (now) husband that he, “Better marry that girl before you knock her up.”
Every time my MIL watches my kids while my husband and I are out of town, she makes it a point to take out my master bathroom trash. She also makes it a point to fold my panties, so that I know she folded them. I am a private person and would rather wad up my own panties, but whatever. She also saw that I hang up my bras, but usually haphazardly by one strap. I came home to my bras all hanging on separate hangers by both straps as if I were at Victoria’s Secret.
I made a comment about how I don’t pack my husband’s lunch for him and she said she always woke up early to do it because she was actually a good wife.
One day, I caught my MIL bringing back the spare key to our house. She had taken it to make her own personal copy, without our consent.
My MIL brought diapers on vacation and kept them in her room because she was afraid I would forget them.
Right after I had my first child, my MIL came and stayed at our house even against our wishes. She also brought my SIL with her. I found out years later, that she was mad that I didn’t get up and make her breakfast during her stay.
Sweet mothers-in-law, we do love you. We do appreciate you, but please, PLEASE respect your child and their spouse. You made the rules and decisions for your kiddos, now it’s our turn. Our house isn’t your house. Their kids aren’t your kids. Thank you for being there for us, thank you for your help.
A week away from giving birth to my second daughter, my MIL wanted to know if we were going to try again for a boy so that we would have a “complete” family.
Told me that the only reason my daughter is excited to see me is because I feed her.