My husband and I will be celebrating our 5th anniversary in a few months.  We didn't have much of a honeymoon, and we have never taken a vacation together, so we thought our 5th anniversary was the perfect time.  We have 2 young children, so we asked my in-laws if they would be willing to stay with the children in our home.  They live pretty far away, but they are retired with money to spend, plus they enjoy visiting.  At first, we were told that they would be happy to.  However, when my mother in law found out where we were going, she said that instead of staying with the children at our house, she and my father-in-law would accompany us on our trip, stay in the motel room next to ours, and go sightseeing with us.  They would let the children sleep in their room.  Isn't that generous?  Needless to say, we've changed destinations to somewhere that we don't really want to see, but neither does my mother-in-law, so at least we'll be alone.

I met my husband 8 years ago, and from the very beginning his mother made me very uncomfortable.  My future husband would invite me to dinner with his parents, and both his mother and father sat silently through the entire meal.  After we were engaged and living together, I was in a car accident that totaled my fiancé's car.  The accident was my fault, but we needed a car, so my fiancé bought another almost right away.  His mother called him and told him that all I wanted him for was his money, and if there came a day when he no longer had money, then I would leave him.

When it came time for our wedding, my husband and I didn't have much money, so his in-laws offered to pay for the ceremony.  I didn't realize, until it was too late, that that meant they would have much more say than my husband or I.  They insisted that their names, "Mr. and Mrs. so and so invite you to the wedding of their son so and so" would be first, and my name and my parent's name came last.  I was very upset because my parents were very poor and I am their only daughter.  My in-laws had already married off 2 of their daughters.  If I had known how much this would still upset me all these years later, I would have called off the wedding, and waited until we could pay for it ourselves.  I had already agreed to be married in my husband's religion, which hurt my parents.

My father-in-law constantly makes nasty comments about how poor my family is.  Both of my in-laws are very hurtful and they seem to take some joy in this behavior.  My husband tries very hard to smooth things over but he refuses to take sides.  We recently moved several hundreds of miles away from our families, and I think we're both happier for this.  The problems arise when my in-laws visit.  They visit much too often (every other month) because they are well off and retired.  When they visit they stay with us.  We have to give up our bed because they have back problems, and all my mother-in-law does the entire time they are here is complain about everyone in the family.

This is a story of my mother-in-law's mother.  I have been with my wife for a little over three years.  Married for one year.  Every time I go with her to visit I am confronted by a 4ft. 11 in. nag.  She does not talk to me straight, though.  It always comes to, "ask him if he wants this", or, "ask him if he does that."  She asks about me, but it is, "how is that boy doing?"  I am 23 yrs old.  I have not been called boy in quite a while.  Well, that's my story. Hope you enjoy.

My mother-in-law was recently going through a very rough time.  I feel I was being very supportive and very understanding.  However,  apparently, that was not enough.  The last time I saw her, she decided to tell me how my life parallels hers, and, therefore, that I am headed for disaster also.  She also pointed out some of the negatives in my life right now.  I guess this way I could feel as rotten as she does.  I'm so glad I was being so supportive.

One time, when I was coping with some problems of my own, the only advice she gave me was, "that's life."  Next time she needs a shoulder to cry on, that's exactly what I am going to tell her.

Not too long ago, I was having dinner with my in-laws and my husband's grandmother, when the topic of a cousin's financial situation came up.  They proceeded to talk quite specifically (this was not guesswork) about this cousin's salary and expenses, and speculated what was left for savings at the end of the month.  This conversation went on for some time, discussing car payments, mortgage payments (what was paid for their house), amounts of yearly bonuses, child support payments, (etc.) all of which was known with uncanny accuracy.  That night, I made my husband promise to no longer divulge a single piece of our own financial information to any family member, since I don't want our own finances to be dissected at the next family gathering that we are unable to attend.

My story is quite different from any I have read on your website.  I am happy to say that I have a wonderful mother-in-law!  I have been married 23 years, and live across the street from my in-laws.  She adores my children, and always compliments me on whatever I am doing.  I began to see things from my mother-in-law's side when I realized we BOTH love the same man.  And, part of the reason I adore my husband so much is because his mother brought him up the right way.  He is respectful, kind and considerate.  One day I, too, will be a mother-in-law, and despite all the jokes about that, I hope I can be as sweet to my future daughter-in-law!