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July 4, 2003
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My MIL has issues - actually his entire family does.  They have attention and bragging issues.  His mom always brings food to us (that she doesn't want), and as a token we should thank her and take her out for dinner!  What is that?  We're getting married in 3 months, and we've been planning our wedding for almost a year.  They haven't offered to help us yet.  He's the only grandson, the only nephew, and the only son!  In their opinion, a wedding is a waste of money, and if he wants one, he's on his own.  This is fine, because we get support from my family.  BUT, the problem now is that MIL wants to know EVERYTHING about our planning, BUT she doesn't want to help.  Being respectful, I do inform her, but I get her critical two cents of our ideas!  She tells all her friends that her son is getting married and it's a very important day for her to go on vacation, so her friends think that she's involved and helpful!  She keeps mentioning that she's the "MOTHER of the groom", so she's an important figure AND she doesn't have to do anything.  That's fine with us, BUT she doesn't have to behave in that manner, thinking that she's the QUEEN, when she hasn't participated in the planning.  She wants credit for doing nothing.  It's so obvious that my DF needs financial help, but she tells everyone that her son doesn't need her help to cover the wedding cost - how inconsiderate!  MORE, she keeps calling us (8 AM on the weekends!) and leaving messages like, "HELLO?  I know you guys are at home - you NEVER, NEVER answer your phone!"  And, then she hangs up then calls his cell immediately and leaves the same message.  She keeps calling every hour!  What if we're really busy or left our cells somewhere else??  Yes, she is the "mother" and we should be patient with her, but how much more can we tolerate if she keeps hassling us with her looney comments, especially during our wedding period?

        Signed - How Much More Can We Tolerate

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Worst gift:  My MIL is the queen of bad gifts.  After having my first baby, my MIL gave me a 4X sweatshirt.  I wore an XL (I'm 5'11).  It was so big that my husband, the baby and I could fit in it!  The next year, for Christmas, she sent my husband a jumpsuit, CDs, gift certificates, etc.  My daughter got a stuffed animal (the tag had my MIL's name scratched out and the doll used to be white.  It was "tattle-tell gray"!).  How thoughtful!  I got a picture frame.  It was the clear plastic type that you see on restaurant tables, ah ah

        Signed - MIL Is The Queen Of Bad Gifts

        Per the poster's request, no responses collected.

frequent fry her - Tooth  Fairy Frequent Fry Her TM. - Tooth Fairy/Posted: 4-JUL-03
There is one thing that drives me absolutely NUTS about MIL.  If you met her in person, you would be shocked at what kind of filth comes out of her mouth.  Every other word is "F" this, "F" that.  I am always telling her to please try to watch it, as it offends me.  And, my kids are small and I don't want them hearing it.  But, then, when she mails DH cards they sound like they are from a totally different person.  For starters, it is never addressed to the family (like the Christmas cards or Easter cards).  It always is just to "son".  But the message she writes is Dear "D", Our dearest son, We think of you with every passing moment.  Then, she always signs with "God Bless".  This is weird, since I do not think that they believe in religion.  And when did Mrs. Guttermouth get so poetic?

        Signed - Not Impressed with MIL Poetry

RESPONSE:  Not Impressed with MIL Poetry
She must have a ghostwriter or one of these Victorian books with sample letters for every occasion.

RESPONSE:  Not Impressed with MIL Poetry
Tell MIL that there are neurological disorders that cause otherwise healthy people to swear like drunken sailors.  And, until she sees a doctor, she's not seeing your kids.  They don't need that kind of influence in their lives.

frequent fry her - Tooth  Fairy Frequent Fry Her TM. - Tooth Fairy/Posted: 4-JUL-03
No matter how far we move away from the IL's, they still make my life miserable.  Now, the new thing that they are mad at me for is that I won't let my 2 year old go to stay with them for a week.  We live over 1,000 miles away.  They haven't even seen DS since last June, when he was only 18 months old.  So, he does not remember them.  And, to him, I am sure they are complete strangers.  I just think that it was ridiculous of them to even ask.  Plus, when we were there last summer, DS didn't have any toys at their house and was bored.  They only have one TV in their house, and I asked (I don't know how many times) if DS could watch cartoons or one of his movies.  Well, FIL would not let him.  Instead, we had to watch golf.  They only get to see us once a year.  You'd think that they would be as nice as they could be.  Hello, it's only for a week.  Then, they got mad at me because I wanted to go over to my friend's house.  She'd had a baby too.

        Signed - Dreading This Year's Vacation

RESPONSE:  Dreading This Year's Vacation
Why didn't you bring toys for your child?  I always packed a toy bag when visiting other people.  It is not anyone else's responsibility to provide your child with entertainment.

RESPONSE:  Dreading This Year's Vacation
FIL wouldn't "let" his grandson watch TV?!?!  Hellllooooo!!!  There's someone in this story who has a lot of growing up to do, and it isn't your son (he has an excuse for acting like a baby).

RESPONSE:  Dreading This Year's Vacation
What?  Send a two-year old on holiday on his own!??  I don't think so, lady!  Tell your MIL, in no uncertain terms, that your son will not be going to stay with anyone on his own, until he starts school.  There is no reason (except for dire emergencies) that a child that young needs to be away from his parents to stay with effective strangers.

RESPONSE:  Dreading This Year's Vacation
You need to take vacation somewhere other than the IL's house.  That is not a vacation.  And, I wouldn't leave my two year old with anyone for one week, especially if he didn't know them (grandparents or not).  That could be traumatizing, and he's too young.  When I do go to visit my ILs, I do visit my friends, and I even leave the baby behind with DH.  I didn't become a slave to marriage, baby, or my ILs.  If DH can take off for a little away time while I watch the baby, so can I.  ILs are pretty self-centered when they get mad at a DIL for going to visit her friends, as if she is supposed to be programmed to never want to see them again after marrying their son or having a baby.  Yeah right, that's not even a healthy way to live.  Why don't you try talking DH into treating you (his wife, and the mother of his child) to a real vacation where it doesn't just work for him, but for you, too.  Think about the beach, or even a couple of towns over.  It doesn't have to be far or drastic.


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