Mother-in-law. It’s a word that can elicit a lot of emotions for many people. But mothers-in-law, while they can sometimes be a lot of work, only mean good, right?
Well, in this one particular instance, a mother-in-law may have overstepped her boundaries one too many times. According to a post on Reddit, one woman says her mother-in-law sold her home so that she could move next door and become her son and daughter-in-law’s new neighbors.
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The poster wrote, “I don’t even know where to begin. She was looking to move down south to where we are, which we were semi-okay with but then the house right next door went up for auctions and she bought it. I was steaming mad but there was nothing I could really do about it.”
Then soon after becoming their neighbor, the mother-in-law reportedly wanted to take a vacation up north. And because they were just next door, she asked if they would care for her lawn and her chickens while she was away.
But as it turns out her trip up north lasted five months. “She left in June and came back today. We were stuck watching her chickens for almost five months.” And according to the daughter-in-law, this isn’t the first time her mother-in-law took advantage of their willingness to help.
Not only did she not offer to reimburse them the money they spent while taking care of her home and chickens, but she also allegedly brought cockroaches in their home, “demanded a 20-page apology letter” when her daughter-in-law made her mad, and had the car she co-signed for them repossessed after they were a few weeks late on their payment.
The daughter-in-law admitted that her mother-in-law’s behavior over the last year has been a lot to handle and now she’s just not sure if she can take it anymore. “I just want to pack up and go. I love my husband so much, but damn. I really, really can’t take it.” She admitted that after being with her husband for 13 years, for the most part, she and her mother-in-law have an OK relationship, but she’s sick of feeling like they are being taken advantage of.
That’s when she asked other Reddit users if they think she’s being overdramatic. And hundreds of people responded, many saying they didn’t think she was overreacting and calling her mother-in-law someone doesn’t respect boundaries.
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“You aren’t overreacting at all. Your home should be your refuge from the world, your sanctuary, your peace. […] She has no respect for either of you. She has no compassion for either of you. She has no empathy or consideration either. […] She invades your privacy and obviously doesn’t think you ought to have any from her. She is manipulative and emotionally abusive. You don’t owe her anything.”
And others think her husband is also to blame for not doing a better job at setting those boundaries with his mother. The daughter-in-law admitted that her “husband is mad and frustrated as well, but he just shrugs and goes, ‘that’s how she is. Always been like that. I don’t say anything because I don’t feel like hearing it.'”
The woman said she has since shared her post with her husband, who didn’t take it very well. “He’s pretty quiet and seems a little reflective so I guess we shall see? That’s all I have for now.”
It’s unclear what the Reddit user ultimately decided to do, leave or have an open conversation with her mother-in-law and husband. Share your tips or mother-in-law run-ins below!