The relationship with a mother-in-law can develop in an unpredictable way, where almost nobody can say whether you will get along with this woman or not. II’m sure that every daughter-in-law has a couple of stories about her husband’s mother, and reading them is sometimes more exciting than a novel.

Story 1

My mother-in-law is a very capricious woman: she lives in a 4-bedroom apartment and always complains that she is tired of cleaning. But when we suggest she sell the place and buy something smaller, she starts to get hysterical. She doesn’t want to hire a cleaner either. “I don’t know this person!” And she wants me to clean her place because I’m not a stranger. My husband also began to pressure me, saying that I work remotely, and have a lot of free time, so I can help his mommy. I suggested my husband clean her place himself – he took offense, and my mother-in-law began to shout, “How dare you suggest this to my son!” We lived normally before, she cleaned somehow, a robot vacuum cleaner helped, and now she wants a servant – me. © Overheard at girls / VK

Story 2

My mother-in-law’s birthday is a day earlier than mine. In the first year of marriage, my husband gave me a cool laptop for my birthday, and my mother got a 2-week trip to the Maldives, we were both delighted. The second year, my husband had an accident – he fell and had to spend the lion’s share of his savings on a dentist. That year my mother-in-law got a trip to the Maldives again, but I only got a bouquet. He promised to give me a normal gift within a couple of months, so I was happy. But a month later, my husband brought me a treadmill. I told him that cardio exercise, especially running, was not my thing. My husband shrugged and started using the treadmill himself. Of course, we got into an argument. My hubby complained to my mother-in-law about me – and said I didn’t know how to be grateful. But his mother got all the details of the quarrel out of him and drew the right conclusions. She came to visit us and expressed to her son that he should have originally switched gifts. After giving him a lecture, she left and my husband and I were left staring at each other dumbfounded. Then he admitted he was wrong and the conflict was over. And I am still in a pleasant shock from the position of my mother-in-law. © Overheard from girls / VK

Story 3

When I was 7 months pregnant, I found out that my husband had an affair. I got so upset that ended up in hospital, and my husband packed his things and left for his mistress. So I am on IV, crying. And then my mother-in-law comes into the ward. She sits on the edge of the bed and says, “Lena, I never liked you, so our relationship is not good. But I think what my son did is disgusting. I’m sorry I didn’t raise him well. We may not be friends, but you’re carrying my grandchild under your heart, and I’m here for you.” There were no particular sentiments: she brought me a nightie, slippers, a cup, home-cooked food, then met me when I was discharged. It was my mother-in-law who picked up my daughter and me from the maternity hospital (my parents are no longer alive). I live with my baby at her place – I can’t afford to rent a flat like I used to. My mother-in-law helps me a lot with my daughter, and I am truly grateful to her for everything.

Story 4

My mother-in-law told my daughter that I was an evil witch who bewitched her daddy. And she will give Daddy money so that they could get away from me to another city. Thankfully, my daughter told me about it right away. My husband took the money from his mom, and then the three of us got away from this magical woman. We have been living in another city for a month now. © Overheard from girls / VK

Story 5

My husband bought a plot of land, we foolishly allowed my in-laws to plant beds there along with our beds. As a result, 3 years in a row, under various pretexts, they spoiled my beds. I gave up this vegetable garden and left it to them. They sincerely don’t understand why I did this, although I repeatedly explained. © MUMMY Mum / Dzen

Story 6

My mother-in-law used to come early on Saturday. I got up 2-3 times, made breakfast, and entertained her. But once I just woke up her son and made him entertain his mom in the morning. He immediately forbade her to come on weekends. She began to arrange meetings in advance. As for the rest, she is a normal mother-in-law. © Lyudmila Denisova / Dzen

Story 7

So, for the past couple of weeks, my mother-in-law has been saying she’s gonna cut my son’s hair. I clarified that she is not going to cut my son’s hair because I have a specific haircut and that’s what he wants. My son is 3 years old, and me and my husband both agree that we enjoy his haircut. When my son just came back on Sunday night after staying there for a couple of days, he had a buzz cut. I am extremely upset. © Sweet_Radio_4361 / Reddit

Story 8

We’ve been living with my husband’s parents for a month now. And every day is like torture. His mum is always poking her nose into our lives, “Why are you up so late? What are you cooking for dinner?” Every day something new! I try to explain to my husband that we can’t live like this, and he says, “It’s only temporary, be patient!” How long can we put up with this? She thinks everything we do is wrong. And if something goes wrong, she’s like, “I told you!” © Caramel / VK

Story 9

My husband and I live abroad. Today my mother-in-law said on a video call, as if joking, “Take your flat because the utilities are expensive.” “Our” flat is the one that the mother-in-law decided to give us as a wedding present. Even though she already knew that we were going to live abroad right afterward. “Our” flat is the one for which my husband gave most of his money, and it would have been very useful to us in a foreign country. “Our” flat is the one that we can’t even sell because our in-laws live there. And now they say that the utilities are too high. © Overheard / Ideer

Story 10

It’s very funny in our family. His family is crazy about me, and my family tells me how lucky I am to meet the perfect man. His parents gave 80% of the money for our apartment and registered it on me! And my aunt, I am her only favorite niece, made a gift deed for her flat to my husband. And this year is our 35th wedding anniversary! © Inga / Dzen

Story 11

Story 12

My boyfriend and I live at my parents’ place, and his family is in another city, we sometimes come to visit them, but we talk over the phone with his mother every day. Recently she came to visit us to find out if the little girl she heard on the phone was my niece. Before that, she was convinced we were tricking her and it was my daughter. © Overheard / Ideer

Story 13

We once did a group birthday thing for several of us who had birthdays that month. There were several desserts available – lemon pie, carrot cake, a fruit thing. But to me, without cake, especially chocolate cake (none of those desserts are to my liking) it was a letdown. I never said a word, had an otherwise lovely time, and made my (not yet) husband stop at the grocery store on our way home for a cake. Never intended to ever mention it. I was mortified when I found out that he told his mother. You know there has never been a family event without a chocolate dessert since then. © northerngurl333 / Reddit

Story 14

We enter the metro carriage with my little daughter and mother-in-law, but there are no available seats. Some girl wants to give up her seat to us. But the guy she was with pulled her back, saying that she could stand. I’m used to this, but not my mother-in-law! The guy ran out at the next station as red as a tomato after she got angry. She turned to the girl and said, “Miss, you should run away from him. If he behaves like this with a child and an elderly person, not to mention the fact that the child’s mother is pregnant, he will be just as rude to you.” So, the guy got judgmental stares from everyone who could hear my mother-in-law, and her voice was loud. A few men immediately gave up their seats to my daughter and me. © Ekaterina Grubina / Dzen

Story 15

Tonight I finally decided to cook my specialty dish to surprise everyone. And what did my mother-in-law do? She called and, before she knew what I was cooking, started advising on how to properly fry meat. My husband immediately supported her, “Mom knows better, she’s always done it that way.” Great, I thought, maybe I should give up my kitchen to her and let her cook there since she is now our chef. So, I was standing there, angry, and listening to my husband thanking her for her wisdom over the phone. I feel like I’m just a kitchen girl at the back of the family restaurant. © Mamdarinka / VK

Story 16

My mother-in-law was like, “Okay, bring your bald sphinx, we’ll give her shelter for a while.” A week later, also my mother-in-law, “By the way, we put an electric heating pad in her room and carry her bed from room to room so that she doesn’t get bored.” © Igorina / Twitter

Story 17

Syory 18

I had a normal husband. Didn’t pester and nag me. Then I don’t know what happened, he got grumpy. Years, kids, problems, illnesses, all that stuff. He thought he was doing a lot and I wasn’t doing enough. Well, my mother-in-law taught me, “Do everything as you usually do, but keep some things for the last 30 minutes before his arrival so that he sees them.” Now when my husband comes, I finish the laundry, take out the trash, unload the dishwasher, finish cutting the cucumber for the salad, and take food out of the oven to show him what I’ve been doing all day! It works! © Overheard / Ideer