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Sneaky In-Laws Pretend To Be There For Couple And Baby, Leave Them Helpless As They Do A 180
Stressed young mother holding baby in living room, reflecting challenges with sneaky in-laws and family support issues.

Sneaky In-Laws Pretend To Be There For Couple And Baby, Leave Them Helpless As They Do A 180

Interview With Expert

25

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Imagine a running back with the football, landing on the lawn a yard from the end zone. Imagine a basketball player going to an empty hoop on a fast break, and instead of a dunk, throwing the ball into the stands. Imagine an actor, already on stage to accept an Oscar, but then quickly running back into the audience.

Can you imagine it? I can’t either, no matter how hard I try. But, well, the user u/No-Worldliness8607, the narrator of our story today, had a rather similar experience with her in-laws. They first tried to persuade her and her husband to move closer to them, promising all kinds of help, but then changed their minds at the eleventh hour.

More info: Reddit

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    Image credits: syda_productions / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The author of the post and her husband recently agreed to the man’s parents’ coaxing to relocate closer to them

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    Image credits: user18526052 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The author’s in-laws even volunteered to take care of their baby so that the spouses could manage the move more easily

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    Image credits: faststocklv / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The couple agreed, skipped all their nanny or daycare plans, only for the in-laws to backpedal at the eleventh hour

    Image credits: No-Worldliness8607

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    So now the author is seriously considering cutting all ties with the in-laws and quitting all the relocation plans

    So, the original poster (OP) and her spouse live five hours away from his parents, and recently, they’ve been actively trying to persuade the couple to relocate somewhere closer to them. The husband’s parents, among other things, motivated this by the fact that they could take care of their baby, so the couple eventually agreed.

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    Even though this meant juggling their current jobs, looking for new ones, buying a house from out of state, and generally going through the hassle of moving. Fortunately, the author’s in-laws had announced upfront that they would take care of the kid themselves so that the OP and her husband could fully concentrate on the move.

    The man’s parents themselves suggested this idea and persuaded the author to skip any nanny or daycare plans. She agreed after all, it meant a significant savings for her and her spouse. And then, at the very last minute, when everything was ready and they just needed to drop off the baby with the grandparents, they backpedaled.

    Our heroine was furious and demanded an apology from the in-laws. Instead, they came up with another idea, of ​​being replaced by the author’s parents, who actually live 25 hours away, in another state. Now the author is considering cutting all ties with her husband’s parents and doesn’t want to move closer to them at all. So, the woman decided to take this online, seeking support.

    Image credits: pressfoto / Freepik (not the actual photo)

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    “Unfortunately, such ideas about moving somewhere closer to in-laws or parents are often based not simply on good intentions, but on some kind of selfish whims,” says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. “For example, an idea to control their lives.”

    The expert notes that in the described case, it seems as if the author’s husband’s parents were just trying to lure the spouses closer to them by any means, and the promise to take care of the grandkid was apparently just another ploy. And the suggestion that her parents, who live in another state, replace them is something completely out of the ordinary.

    “If you volunteer for something so vitally important to your close ones, then no matter how the circumstances develop, you should do your best to keep your word. At least, that’s what emotionally mature people do. Well, in this case, this woman and her husband may well have simply managed to dodge a bullet,” Irina Matveeva presumes.

    People in the comments also subjected the author’s in-laws to devastating criticism. And yes, according to many responders, our heroine was simply being tricked into some kind of emotional control so it’s good that she ultimately changed her mind about moving. “Good to know how much they actually want to help,” someone wisely added. So do you, our dear readers, also agree with this?

    Many commenters supported the author, claiming that her in-laws are perhaps quite toxic and narcissistic persons, so good for her and her husband to reject the move idea

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    Read less »

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    What do you think ?
    Helena
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And husband is insisting she should quit her job and SAHM? This was a setup from the word go, and if she's smart she'll rethink the move and the marriage.

    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The whole point of "it takes a village" is that it's community not dynasty based. Don't leave your friends, your support system who are now also the baby's support system just to be near flaky people who have marginally more DNA in common. It's better for your kid to be part of the village (read: community) that you're a part of, that you've made a space in, that you share values with and that you are familiar with. If you move you'll be isolated, and it's harder to make connections when you have an infant. It takes several years to really join a community, even simple things like where to physically hang out/do activities takes time. Raise your kid where you've built your life, not where your in-laws built theirs

    Helena
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And husband is insisting she should quit her job and SAHM? This was a setup from the word go, and if she's smart she'll rethink the move and the marriage.

    FreeTheUnicorn
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The whole point of "it takes a village" is that it's community not dynasty based. Don't leave your friends, your support system who are now also the baby's support system just to be near flaky people who have marginally more DNA in common. It's better for your kid to be part of the village (read: community) that you're a part of, that you've made a space in, that you share values with and that you are familiar with. If you move you'll be isolated, and it's harder to make connections when you have an infant. It takes several years to really join a community, even simple things like where to physically hang out/do activities takes time. Raise your kid where you've built your life, not where your in-laws built theirs

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