Dealing with your partner’s mom can be a real rollercoaster. Imagine picking what you think is a thoughtful gift, only for it to backfire. That’s the story of one of our readers. She never saw it coming when her MIL stole her credit card, and the reason why is mind-blowing.
One of our readers dropped us a message.
Thanks for reaching out! We’re really sorry to hear about what you’ve been dealing with. We’ve got some advice that might come in handy for dealing with the situation.
Tell your husband about your concerns.
Pick a calm moment to have a conversation with your husband. Avoid discussing anything during arguments or when either of you is busy or stressed.
Be open and honest about your feelings. Tell him how the incident with your mother-in-law has affected you and your relationship with her. Mention that you feel like she’s plotting him against you and see how he responds.
Notice how your husband behaves.
See how he reacts to everything that’s happening. If he is calm and takes your side, there’s not much to worry about. You’ll eventually get through this and your MIL will give up trying to sabotage your relationship.
However, if your husband is starting to behave strangely and is becoming more and more distant, he might be under his mother’s influence.
Talk to your MIL.
Ask your MIL what she means by being a «normal» daughter-in-law. Try to understand her perspective and what she lacks.
Perhaps she’s feeling jealous that her son loves someone else besides her. She might also be comparing you to other DILs, and unfortunately, not in your favor. There could be something in you that upsets her. She might have acted impulsively because it was her breaking point.
Set clear boundaries.
Make sure you clearly express your boundaries and what you expect in the future, especially regarding personal matters. Let your mother-in-law know that you want her to respect your relationship with your husband and not get involved in your personal affairs, such as finances or household decisions.
Everything might seem great in a relationship until you notice something that doesn’t sit well with you. In this story, that’s what’s happening to one of our readers. She’s been married for two years, but her husband’s habit to please everyone is putting a lot of strain on them.