Marrying your partner should feel like joining a family that’s just as kind and supportive as they are. But let’s face it, that’s not always how it goes.
These Redditors opened up about the chaos that came with their mothers-in-law, sharing stories that are so wild they almost sound made up. From jaw-dropping drama to petty revenge, the situations they found themselves in are truly next-level.
Keep reading to see just how messy things can get when a MIL decides to stir the pot.
#21
She always says I don't tell her anything about my kid's life or schedule, even though I text her with info and pics quite a lot. Every time we see her it turns into an argument, where I produce my phone and show everyone I texted her stuff and she responded, and her insisting I'm some kind of technological wizard who can make texts that never happened appear on my phone.
Finally on Father's Day after a very theatrical performance from her about how I gatekeep info and me showing proof she's full of it, she admitted she deletes my texts immediately after reading because seeing my name in her phone fills her with rage (?!). She said this in front of everyone... shocked silence, eyes the size of saucers everywhere you looked. I would hope she will stop with her BS about my "information gate keeping" but nah. She loves being the center of attention. And I'm going to keep the receipts so I can discredit her every time.
Finally on Father's Day after a very theatrical performance from her about how I gatekeep info and me showing proof she's full of it, she admitted she deletes my texts immediately after reading because seeing my name in her phone fills her with rage (?!). She said this in front of everyone... shocked silence, eyes the size of saucers everywhere you looked. I would hope she will stop with her BS about my "information gate keeping" but nah. She loves being the center of attention. And I'm going to keep the receipts so I can discredit her every time.
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47points
#22
Not mine now but my ex mil lost her leg because she shot up wrong (got Gangrene) and had her leg removed and had to detox off subs and xanx while at the hospital, lost her mind when she left the hospital, stole an elderly woman's car after making her drive her everywhere all day and then got arrested. We call her the one legged bandit now even though she shot up in the other leg wrong and lost that one as well 🤣
Another good one I wrote years ago about my labor with her on this subreddit and how she made it difficult, broke into the room, and even started pressing on my belly to try and force the baby out faster, trying to smoke in the room while I was in the middle of delivery and even recorded my oldest birth and posted it on youtube, I had to take her to court to get the video removed and the photos she had of me labor deleted, she tried to argue with the judge but I had proof that she was showing strangers and putting me in dangerous situations.
Another good one I wrote years ago about my labor with her on this subreddit and how she made it difficult, broke into the room, and even started pressing on my belly to try and force the baby out faster, trying to smoke in the room while I was in the middle of delivery and even recorded my oldest birth and posted it on youtube, I had to take her to court to get the video removed and the photos she had of me labor deleted, she tried to argue with the judge but I had proof that she was showing strangers and putting me in dangerous situations.
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47points
#23
She’ll casually mention here and there that she has no retirement plan or savings. (She also doesn’t have a steady job, she re sells on eBay). She thinks it’s not big deal though because “I’ve got three wonderful kiddos who will take care of me!!!” Sorry, but no!
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47points
#24
Mines notorious for making things up to fit her narrative, regardless of how nonsensical she’s being.
Somehow we got in the topic of young grandmas (my mom and one of MILs sisters were teen moms and so became grandmas at a young age, late 30s/early 40s).
MIL apparently decided she liked the young grandma vibe and so announces that she also was a young grandma, she was only 42 when my oldest was born. I stared at her….. no… you were 52. NO. She was FOURTY TWO. She was VERY YOUNG. (Said in her typical, this is the story I’ve decided upon , I am the main character so stop ruining it, supporting character! tone of voice) I walked her through her birth year vs his, her current age vs his current age, the age DH was at his birth vs the age she was when DH was born (like, you weren’t 19 when DH was born and he wasn’t 15 when OS was born so…), DH and I didn’t even know each other when you were 42 and I was in middle school at that point, and she just would not let up. *MAYBE* she was 45, but absolutely she was NOT 52.
I just sat there laughing hysterically doing the math 16 different ways as steam poured out her ears and she just kept repeating “I don’t know what to tell you, I WAS a *VERY YOUNG* grandma!!” (ETA: no dementia just a complete lack of sense).
Somehow we got in the topic of young grandmas (my mom and one of MILs sisters were teen moms and so became grandmas at a young age, late 30s/early 40s).
MIL apparently decided she liked the young grandma vibe and so announces that she also was a young grandma, she was only 42 when my oldest was born. I stared at her….. no… you were 52. NO. She was FOURTY TWO. She was VERY YOUNG. (Said in her typical, this is the story I’ve decided upon , I am the main character so stop ruining it, supporting character! tone of voice) I walked her through her birth year vs his, her current age vs his current age, the age DH was at his birth vs the age she was when DH was born (like, you weren’t 19 when DH was born and he wasn’t 15 when OS was born so…), DH and I didn’t even know each other when you were 42 and I was in middle school at that point, and she just would not let up. *MAYBE* she was 45, but absolutely she was NOT 52.
I just sat there laughing hysterically doing the math 16 different ways as steam poured out her ears and she just kept repeating “I don’t know what to tell you, I WAS a *VERY YOUNG* grandma!!” (ETA: no dementia just a complete lack of sense).
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45points
#25
My MIL told a family member that we financially take advantage of her and mentally a**se her. The family member confronted me, so I set the record straight with them. Thankfully they know MIL is crazy and believed me. My husband confronted his mom. She blew up, cried, threatened to unalive herself because no one loves her, then she blew up at the family member for telling us, and cut off contact with them. Made herself the victim in the story, never apologized or showed any remorse. I was never close to her, but I limited my contact with her more since then. I’m civil with her if I have to see her at family events but will not give her any information about our personal lives. I won’t keep my husband from having a relationship with her, but I stopped encouraging/reminding him to call her or keep her updated on things. I don’t think he ever remembers to on his own so she never hears from us.
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39points
#26
She said she wanted to get a drink with me for happy hour. Proceeded to take me to a really weird place and refused to sit on the patio even though it was perfect weather. We went in and she was actually crashing a retirement party for a former coworker that she hadn’t been invited to.
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38points
#27
My MIL told me that both my therapist and OBGYN were obviously not helping me and that she was going to take me to a psych ward when I was struggling with depression during my pregnancy… went low contact after that one 🤦🏽♀️ also, after I told her not to kiss the baby on the face, hands, feet or anywhere, she proceeded to kiss the baby 😒.
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38points
#28
My husband tried family therapy with MIL and FIL at his therapist's office. After two sessions he decided it was a waste of time and went NC again. MIL lost her mind and left a voicemail for my husband's therapist trying to get information about him. She also lowkey suggested that his therapist help her get SO to talk to her. Then she ended her call with asking his therapist to please not tell SO she called and to keep it a secret.
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36points
#29
MIL was watching my daughter (age 5 or so) and decided to get her a haircut! We were trying to grow out her bangs, the rest of her hair was shoulder-length, and I guess MIL didn't like how it looked (who does? -- that in-between stage isn't easy), and proceded to give my daughter a pixie with even heavier, shorter bangs. I could. not. believe. it. When I went to pick my daughter up, my SIL was looking at me sideways, like is AndiAzalea going to blow up now? I was screaming inside, let me tell you. But my MIL wasn't someone you could tell off. Isn't that the first rule of things grandmothers aren't supposed to do to their granddaughters?! Besides getting their ears pierced... That's another story...
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36points
#30
Shortly after DH and I moved into our first place (in the same general area as most of my family), my JNM announced that she was getting tired of doing Thanksgiving. DH's favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, and - silly us - we immediately volunteered Our New Place.
No one attempted to discourage us. This is important.
We started making plans, even before Christmas - throughout the summer, we were trying recipes, making sure we'd have enough places for people to sit, inviting his family and some of our friends. We got a specialty honey to glaze the turkey with, found out about everyone's food allergies, and started collaborating with some friends of ours who also enjoy cooking.
October comes, and my mother's father has been moved into her house - still moderately active, but couldn't be left completely on his own. There's a family get-together for his 97th birthday, and DH is talking about some of the dishes we have planned and how his mother, grandmother and sister are all excited.
No one makes the slightest protest. My sisters are talking about bringing leftover containers.
I go into work the following Monday, and open my email.
I kid you not, there is a message asking me what I plan on bringing to the potluck Thanksgiving at Mom's place.
Y'all.
We have people making the trip from Boston to DC to have Thanksgiving with us. We are not rug-pulling them and porting them to someone else's place. Never mind the awkwardness of telling our friends not to come over.
From what I was told, our spread was better anyways. (Those leftover containers still made an appearance.).
No one attempted to discourage us. This is important.
We started making plans, even before Christmas - throughout the summer, we were trying recipes, making sure we'd have enough places for people to sit, inviting his family and some of our friends. We got a specialty honey to glaze the turkey with, found out about everyone's food allergies, and started collaborating with some friends of ours who also enjoy cooking.
October comes, and my mother's father has been moved into her house - still moderately active, but couldn't be left completely on his own. There's a family get-together for his 97th birthday, and DH is talking about some of the dishes we have planned and how his mother, grandmother and sister are all excited.
No one makes the slightest protest. My sisters are talking about bringing leftover containers.
I go into work the following Monday, and open my email.
I kid you not, there is a message asking me what I plan on bringing to the potluck Thanksgiving at Mom's place.
Y'all.
We have people making the trip from Boston to DC to have Thanksgiving with us. We are not rug-pulling them and porting them to someone else's place. Never mind the awkwardness of telling our friends not to come over.
From what I was told, our spread was better anyways. (Those leftover containers still made an appearance.).
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35points
#31
FMIL suggested he wait to marry me because I might be a man.
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35points
#32
I had so many WTF moments with mine. But one of the most WTFest of WTFs was when JNMIL told us to put our then young daughter (under 10 years old) on birth control so she didn’t get pregnant. At the time DH would try and excuse how she acted but even he couldn’t with this one. In fact he said “WTF Mother?!” JNFIL tried to have her back and doubled down. We left soon after.
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35points
#33
My exes mother came to my apartment once at 8 in the morning with an outfit that was approximately 3 times too big for me (at the height of my ED, that she was aware of) and told me that I would be wearing this to her parent's anniversary party the following week. As this was insane and I had just woken up, I excused myself to go to the bathroom and wash my face. I came out and she'd laid the outfit on my bed and tidied up. I don't miss this.
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35points
#34
My MIL took it upon herself to wash my SO’s and my clothes while we were visiting. When I came downstairs, she was folding my THONG underwear in front of her husband and saying, “omg look at this little strings! How do you even wear that?” I was embarrassed but also WTF?! Don’t touch my underwear, make comments on it in front of your husband!!!! I will never forget that day.
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34points
#35
We've only been married for two years but the current thing that takes the cake, is when MIL (who is inappropriately obsessed with her son) thought it would be cute to flaunt photos of my husband while he was a model for a destination wedding company - a full wedding photoshoot with a different, gorgeous model bride - at our actual wedding. 🙃
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33points
#36
My Ex GMIL gifted me pajamas for Christmas in a size large. I was a size US 4. I discreetly asked my ex Aunt in law in regards to a receipt or where purchased so I could just exchange - the look on my face when I discovered they were a regift. Needless to say just the tip of the iceberg.
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33points
#37
She had my sons tonsils out. Long story..I worked out of town and she took him to routine appointments and convinced the Dr it needed to be done. After the procedure the Dr told me it was at her insistence and wasn't necessary. Aarrgghhh. Dead and gone and water under the bridge.
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33points
#38
I have many things. The latest is LO has allergies, now confirmed by hospital. When meeting inlaw family my partner informed about the allergies and for everyone to wash hands and be bit mindful if the wanted to interact with LO.
MIL response: well, how is that going to work when LO starts kindergarten/daycare?
As if our kid is the first the world history to have food allergies and our daycare will be the first to take care a child with such allergies.
She also got offended when she of course touched LO right after eating food he is ALLERGIC to. Stated she has washed her hands, but that was before eating... I pointed that out, she said I was right. And instead of apologizing and getting up to wash her hands, she just ignored LO and glared at me for the rest of the gathering.
MIL response: well, how is that going to work when LO starts kindergarten/daycare?
As if our kid is the first the world history to have food allergies and our daycare will be the first to take care a child with such allergies.
She also got offended when she of course touched LO right after eating food he is ALLERGIC to. Stated she has washed her hands, but that was before eating... I pointed that out, she said I was right. And instead of apologizing and getting up to wash her hands, she just ignored LO and glared at me for the rest of the gathering.
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32points
#39
My otherwise lovely MIL would gift my LO boxes of really nice clothes that she had shoplifted. We lived hundreds of miles away so it wasn’t possible to return them even if we had known which stores they came from. We got quite good at removing ink and EAS tags.
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31points
#40
My husband's step mother (SMIL has been part of the family for 35+ years) however.
SMIL once was given a set of bubble bath and scented talcum powder for Mother’s Day. (Me and hubby have it to her as part of a “self care” basket she had asked for). She had specifically asked for that scent and brand to be included. She split the bubble bath and talcum powder up and gave me the talcum powder and my SIL the bubble bath for Christmas. SIL doesn’t have a bath and I’m allergic to the scent of the talcum powder.
SMIL once was given a set of bubble bath and scented talcum powder for Mother’s Day. (Me and hubby have it to her as part of a “self care” basket she had asked for). She had specifically asked for that scent and brand to be included. She split the bubble bath and talcum powder up and gave me the talcum powder and my SIL the bubble bath for Christmas. SIL doesn’t have a bath and I’m allergic to the scent of the talcum powder.
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29points