50 Of The Best Mothers-In-Law Who Prove The Negative Stereotypes About Them Are Totally Wrong

According to relationship expert Dan, who created The Modern Man project, the issue isn't mothers-in-law, as much as people in general who try to force their way into a couple's relationship.

"Sometimes a mother-in-law forces her involvement in the relationship, decision making and planning for the couple’s future, which some people don’t like. However, in most cases, it’s not so much a mother-in-law per se that is the problem, but another person having too much of a say or presence in a relationship. Some people just don’t like other people being too involved in their relationship, or expecting too much in terms of attention and inclusion in their relationship," he told Bored Panda.

"As a result, a mother-in-law is sometimes seen as a nuisance or a problematic person in popular culture. Yet, in many cases, she just loves her son or daughter and is doing what she thinks will be best for him or her," he explained.

Dan stressed that there's no single simple answer to getting along with one's mother-in-law because they're all different. In short, they're individuals. What matters, however, is putting in the effort to get along, whatever shape or form that might take.

"If a man truly loves and respects his wife, then he will also genuinely respect and love his mother-in-law without feeling like it is a chore. He will naturally feel good about her. That doesn’t mean he has to see his wife’s mother all the time or want her to be a huge part of his life though. Instead, for most men, it simply means allowing her to be a part of the couple’s life as much as his wife wants her to be," the expert pointed out to us the most important things we should be aware of.

"If his wife respects him, then she usually won’t want to annoy or make him unhappy by having her mother become overly involved or present in their day-to-day life. Instead, she will want to ensure a happy balance is maintained, so she doesn’t cause unnecessary problems in her relationship with him. If his wife doesn’t respect him though, then she may not really care how the overly strong presence or involvement of her mother in their life makes him feel," Dan said.

Meanwhile, the expert added that a man who truly loves and respects his wife will also care about and respect her father, his father-in-law. However, he noted that this care and respect should only go as far as is appropriate for the relationship because "some women don’t really like their mother or father and don’t want them to be much of a presence in their life, if at all. So, in some cases, it’s just about caring about and respecting her parents from a distance, rather than trying to become more involved with them when she doesn’t want to be."

Dan told us that each and every relationship is different, but someone who truly loves and respects their partner will naturally want to do what makes them happiest. It shouldn't feel like a chore.

The r/adorableoldpeople subreddit is an online community that is all about shining the spotlight on our seniors and just how wholesome they can be.

The subreddit, founded back in the spring of 2018, has a dedicated following of 86.7k people. And the group, as a whole, is another reminder to love, cherish, and respect our elders. It’s a reminder to give our parents and grandparents a call or drop by for an unexpected visit.

It’s only natural for parents to want their children’s partners to be the very best people possible. Everyone likes to think that their kids deserve the best. And they do. So mothers-in-law (fathers-in-law in tow) become extra critical of whom their children date.

They try to check and see if the partners are quality individuals who are kind, strong, loving, and caring. What’s more, parents are also (usually) on the lookout for someone who is a family person and has the means to support their better half. Ambition and drive are as important as financial stability. You can’t just live off hopes and dreams when you need food; on the flip side, a massive income doesn’t automatically turn you into a great husband or wife.

According to Fatherly, acceptance opens the door to positive relationships between in-laws. For example, a mother-in-law telling her daughter-in-law that she’s a member of the family is a very powerful symbolic step.

Something else that helps get in-laws to become closer is sharing family traditions, talking about relationship problems in the family, and being nonjudgmental. However, gossiping about any family members or speaking ill of them leads to a drop in the quality of the relationship between in-laws. In short, things are very simple: being an awesome person leads to great relationships; being a jerk leads to bad ones.

The main things that daughters-in-law detest about their mothers-in-law, according to one 2015 study, are personal attacks and overbearing, controlling behavior. However, at the same time, a large chunk of respondents were also of the opinion that MILs who were under-involved were also problematic. It’s a hard balance to find when you’re trying to please your DIL as a MIL.

“I actually felt sorry for mothers-in-law. The same things that were making some daughters-in-law satisfied were making others dissatisfied. And I thought, these poor mothers-in-law, what the heck are they supposed to do?” the study coauthor Christine Rittenour explained to the Boston Globe.

It’s obvious that if you become friends with your mother-in-law that you want the very best for her. As we age, our bodies change, and it becomes vital to focus on physical and mental health even more, in order to lead a happy and healthy life. It’s important to support seniors and sometimes even gently nudge them into picking up healthy habits and letting go of old bad ones.

One powerful way in which seniors can keep their minds, wits, and bodies sharp and able is through hobbies. Age UK, a leading charity that is dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life, spoke to Bored Panda about lifelong learning and staying bright and capable as people age.

"Hobbies add color and variety to all our lives so it’s good to help to inspire others to take up new interests. New hobbies and interests can help maintain social connections and reduce feelings of loneliness and it’s a great way to learn new skills. Taking part in social activities may help us to stay sharp in later life," Age UK explained to Bored Panda.

"If joining clubs and classes are not an option, or your loved one doesn’t feel ready to start going outside yet, there are still ways to help them engage with new hobbies. Making sure older family members have everything they need to take up or continue hobbies, such as arts and crafts or wool if they are a keen knitter, ingredients if they are a budding chef, or even the right tools for DIYing, can help," the experts in later life learning said.

"Doing activities together such as the gardening can be a great incentive too, or maybe help them research locally to see if there is a neighborly Book Club dial-in they could join. Even encouraging older friends and relatives to settle in with a favorite book or audiobook, do some cooking, listen to the radio while doing a puzzle, or tuning in to an afternoon radio play can help emotional wellbeing and mental health."

Having hobbies isn’t just about spending time pleasantly. They help keep seniors social over shared pursuits. They also give life purpose and create routines to follow.

"If we want our brain to stay in peak condition, we should use it. In fact, one of the theories about reducing or delaying cognitive aging is referred to as the 'use it or lose it' theory. Research shows that things like learning languages helps keep us brighter as we age. It is just as important to look after your brain by exercising your thinking skills, as you would do physical exercise to look after your body,” Age UK told us.