My husband and I dated for seven years before we got married.  I knew from the moment that I met my MIL that we would have trouble, but I knew that I had to tolerate her because I love my husband.  Right from the start she was jealous of our relationship.  She and her husband divorced many years before, and she had turned to her son for counsel, advice, support, and companionship.  Well, when we started dating she looked at me as the one who took her "baby" away.  We were both young at the time, 17, but old enough to have a serious relationship.  Anyhow, I was able to withstand the nasty comments and remarks about how her son could have anyone that he wanted; the fact that she would talk about other girls he could date, about how gorgeous he was etc., etc., and I would bend over to be nice to her.  I soon realized nothing worked.  I am the evil person that took her son away and I should be hung for marrying him, so she thinks.  Anyhow, shortly after our wedding, which she made terribly uncomfortable, my church had a late bridal shower for me.  My mother-in-law came, but she came with a gift.  Both were big mistakes.  She brought the gift all wrapped up in gold shiny paper, but what a surprise inside.  It was an enormous plastic eagle with its wings spread out in flight and it was holding a dead snake in its talon.  The snake even had blood painted all over it.  Imagine my expression after opening expensive pottery, crystal, silver, etc., and then a big, ugly eagle!  I was mortified!  But, to top it off she brought a plastic bag full of boxers that had belonged to his grandfather whom had recently passed away.  She thought my husband might want them.  Ever since we got married, when she calls our home she will ask to speak to Mr. (last name).  The only thing she says to me is, "When are you going to have a baby?"  Well, I've got news for her.  If she thinks that I am going to have a child and let her spend time with it she has another thing coming.  Thank goodness though that my husband does acknowledge that she is crazy.  I can't wait to see what she does next.  If my story is submitted I will continue to add stories and refer to myself as the eagle bride.

This is for all you jealous mil's out there!  A daughter is a daughter for the rest of your life, but a son is a son 'til he marries his wife.

My story is about the birth of my husband's and my first son.  I actually loved my MIL so much until I was 6 months pregnant.  All of a sudden she was obsessed with the baby.  She started demanding and pushing for certain things she wanted done when the baby was born.  When he was finally born, she started contradicting everything I did, from feeding to dressing him.  She would constantly pull my husband aside and tell him I was doing everything wrong.  When I said something to her she got so mad and stomped her foot and said, "I can do whatever I want.  That is my Grandson!"  To which I replied, "I don't care. He is my son!"  Well, that started a feud that has still never been quite resolved.  She plays the victim constantly and sulks whenever we are around.  Now, 3 years later, I am expecting my second child and she is starting up again.  I believe I know how to handle the situation better, but that includes a lot of looking the other way which is hard to do.  My husband is great and has really helped out a lot.  I have a feeling it is going to get bad again after I deliver this baby, and would like to hear other stories of maybe the same situation.  I really believe 75% of MIL's, if not bad already, turn bad once a  grandchild is born.  And it is a tough spot to be in.
 

I am not married - yet.  But my "future" MIL is really starting to exhibit the signs of not wanting to let go of her baby boy.  He and I are both the oldest in our families.  I have a younger sister - he, a younger brother.  My FMIL constantly makes comments about us buying things, and going places.  I make more than my BF, and money has never been an issue.  As a matter of fact, I helped my BF get his bills paid off (credit cards, etc) and then we bought a new car.  A few months later we bought another one.  As soon as we did this, she freaked.  Kept asking if we could afford it.  My BF works overtime when he can for the money.  So, by the end of it all, he brings home almost as much as I do.  She gets all hyper when she finds out he is working overtime.  She constantly asks why he has to work overtime - like it's me who isn't bringing home enough money.  Whatever.  She knows nothing about our financial situation, and yet she constantly makes comments about what we buy, or where we go, or what we are spending our money on.  We told her we wanted to buy a house, and we are still planning on it, and she made a comment that we should make sure we are both sure that this is what we want to do because it is such a huge commitment, and after all, we aren't married yet.  And we should make sure we are both protected.  Like we should sign a contract or something.  Well, that's just the start of it.  It all revolves around money with her.  And, sadly enough (not that I care), but I make more than him and I am certainly not with him for his money!!!

I recently broke up with my boyfriend because, out of several reasons, one of them was that I couldn't deal with his mother always being a constant burden and demand on his (our) time.  He's an only child and his parents divorced years ago, so he is all she has in the way of family.  This has somehow rendered him susceptible to her every whim and desire, especially now that she is sick.  Does it make me such a bad person that I can't accept the fact that he will always put her first?  Who should have to live with their mother-in-law for the rest of their life?  It's a hard situation to cope with and I'm at the end of my rope.


***NOTE:  Please feel free to respond to this (using our mother-in-law stories submission page) if you have any advice to share.  Reference this story as "Bad Person?" in your response.

RESPONSE:  Bad Person?  Response:  No, you are not a bad person!  My suggestion to you is:  if you love him give it time.  I promise he will soon realize what she is doing.  She is manipulative and possessive, and soon he will tire of it.  Mine did.  My MIL sounds a lot like her.  She and her husband divorced when my husband was nine, and he became the man of the house.  She depended on him for emotional support, and brainwashed him into thinking that she was this wonderful, loving, caring and compassionate person who did no wrong.  WRONG!  She was so controlling, and he did not even realize it.  She could whine and whine and turn things around so he would see things her way.  She acted as if he had no mind of his own.  After a while he realized it and asked if I did.  Now he rarely speaks to her unless he just has to.  Mind you, she still tries to play mind games.  But he is a mature adult now and sees what she tries to do.  Trust me, he will see it one day.  Don't feel bad.  Just go with what your heart says.