tee hee, thank you. At least in-laws can make for good comedic material if nothing else!
Lise
· 11 months ago
I think you just wanted to use that awesome picture ;)
What can I say? My mother acts like this - it's my mother-in-law who actually treats me like a human being.
Storyteller
· 11 months ago
Really, Lise? Yikes! I'm so sorry to hear it, but I'm glad that you married into someone kind.
Jenn
· 11 months ago
I have a haunting feeling that my grandma had a copy of this in her purse at all times. I always felt so bad for my mom on holidays. Once I got to an age when I could see this going on, I really started to resent my grandma for how she treated my mom.
Huh, I hadn't thought about all that in a long time. I should give my mom a call...
Rick_Juliusson
· 11 months ago
Lucia, this is fantastic. I've already started a full article response entitled "How to be a Stereotypical Son-in-Law." To be fair, we men ought to shoulder at least 4% of the blame.
Storyteller
· 11 months ago
Fabulous! Bring it on! I love your writing!
MoJo
· 11 months ago
Wow - that must have been a cathartic piece to write. I'm assuming your 'outlaws' don't read blogs? ;-) Great piece - my jaw was hanging the whole time I read it!
Storyteller
· 11 months ago
yes, she's a luddite, thank God
Jodie LaRiviere
· 11 months ago
Hilarious!! And too real to not be true... I sure hope she doesn't find her glasses and this article anytime soon. :)
Kathleen
· 11 months ago
Hahaha..what a fun chuckle. The greatest scripts in comedy are those that hit close to home. Reality is funny. Being able to laugh about it, well, it's the only cure. * miles of smiles*
Storyeller
· 11 months ago
have to laugh, yes? Or someone gets their false teeth put through the garborator..."ooops! so sorry! now you'll have to gum your insults!"
Helen
· 11 months ago
You could have been talking about my mother-in-law! I used to turn myself inside out trying to get her approval, the sad thing is my husband, her only son died and she has never made any attempt to keep in touch or have a relationship with her 3 grandchildren although they telephone her about important milestones in their life. When I think about her I can still feel the humiliation I felt each time we spent time together and she would make comments about my (I now know) perceived shortcomings.
Storyteller
· 11 months ago
oh Helen, what a tragedy. These kinds of people end up alone. I feel bad that my MIL lives alone, in a city alone, but she refuses to live closer and does so many things that alienate her from us and others. I do feel a bit bad for writing this article but also hope that maybe others who can relate can stop the dynamic...I dunno. Usually worth sharing the story, anyway. Thank you for sharing yours with me.
Susan Newman
· 11 months ago
And, I would add, tell your son and daughter-in-law to have another baby...or ask when they are having another. For ammunition on answering that mother-in-law "assault," check out Psychology Today: http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/singletons. Susan Newman, Ph.D. author of Parenting An Only Child: The Joys & Challenges of Raising Your One & Only
All Comments
What can I say? My mother acts like this - it's my mother-in-law who actually treats me like a human being.
Huh, I hadn't thought about all that in a long time. I should give my mom a call...
Stereotypical Son-in-Law." To be fair, we men ought to shoulder at least 4% of the blame.
I sure hope she doesn't find her glasses and this article anytime soon. :)
Susan Newman, Ph.D.
author of Parenting An Only Child: The Joys & Challenges of Raising Your One & Only