Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
MIL Can’t Stand Not Being Center Of Attention, Almost Kicked Out After Touching Sensitive Topic
The holiday season is supposed to be about joy, love, and kindness, but sometimes, toxic family members may see it as an opportunity to get their way. That’s why people need to set boundaries with such rude or manipulative relatives so that they can truly have a peaceful holiday.
This is what a man did when his malicious mother-in-law decided to prey on his daughter’s grief by bringing up her beloved dog. The grandma’s glee at her grandkid’s pain was enough to send the man over the edge, and he finally blew up at her.
More info: Reddit
RELATED:
Losing a pet is a difficult experience, but, unfortunately, some people don’t seem to realize how painful it can be
Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster shared that his 19-year-old daughter, who was devastated by the loss of their dog, was in quite a fragile state
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
To protect his daughter’s feelings from his toxic mother-in-law, he made sure to let his wife’s parents know that they shouldn’t bring up the dog during Christmas dinner
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Despite being warned not to upset her granddaughter, the rude grandma gleefully mentioned her dog, leaving the teen in tears
Image credits: KapowBlamBoom
The poster threatened to throw his toxic mother-in-law out over her behavior, and his confrontation was enough to keep her from coming over for holiday dinners again
The man explained that he and his family had lost their dog to pneumonia just two weeks shy of Christmas, and that his daughter was struggling to cope with the situation. Since the teen was also very empathetic and cared so much for her dog, she was in quite a fragile state and needed extra support.
According to mental health experts, the grief over a pet might be one of the first times a child experiences such strong emotions, which is why it can be very tough to deal with. That’s why it’s important for parents to take their kids’ feelings seriously, instead of brushing them off, and give them space to talk about their pet.
That’s exactly what the OP did for his daughter by respecting her feelings, giving her space to grieve, and trying to protect her from his toxic mother-in-law. He knew that the older woman would try to stir things up at their Christmas dinner just for the sake of getting attention or causing drama.
In order to protect the young girl from her malicious grandma, the man made sure that his wife called her parents ahead and warned them not to speak of the dog. Even research states that kids need to be given freedom to mourn in their own way and shouldn’t be belittled for their feelings, which is probably what the OP was afraid his mother-in-law would do.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Right when Christmas dinner rolled around, the mean grandma did exactly what the poster had warned her not to and launched into a discussion about her grandkid’s dog. She even began smirking when the teen burst into tears, which shows that she was getting enjoyment from causing pain.
It’s incredibly difficult to deal with toxic family members because their actions can often stir up a lot of strong emotions. That’s why psychologists state that it’s better to choose your battles instead of giving in to every disagreement, as this might only end up affecting your mental peace.
As the dad mentioned, his mother-in-law had pulled a lot of similar stunts before, but he finally decided to confront her because of how much pain his daughter was in. That’s why he took the bull by its horns and threatened to kick the older woman out if she kept speaking about the teen’s dog.
This sudden confrontation must have left the mother-in-law shell-shocked because she didn’t utter another word about the animal, and also never came back for any holiday dinners. That must have definitely made the man feel glad about speaking up and having his daughter’s back.
What do you think about the OP’s actions, and what would you have done differently if you were in his place? Let us know what you think about this story.
Folks were shocked by the grandma’s behavior and were proud of the poster for shutting her down
What do you think ?
Alexandra 1 week ago
It really doesn't matter that the offensive MIL was a boomer: cruelty is not limited to that age-group. Having said that, this dad deserves a medal for standing up for his daughter against his MIL because I bet 75% of other people would have wanted to 'keep the peace'. Sometimes, there is just no peace worth keeping at the expense of your self-respect.
Betsy S 1 week ago (edited)
I wish the boomer slur was not used either. Why can't people just say "retired, old, in their 70's", etc. This generational pigeonholing helps NO ONE!
Load More Replies...
Beak Hookage 1 week ago (edited)
If someone had pulled this after our dog died there would have been no question of the perpetrator being kicked out. Because my mum would have m.u.rdered them.
Crystalwitch60 1 week ago
I would have to , with no hesitation what so ever , we are in the sticks all farmland around both arable and sheep cows and PIGS 😋makes for useful places to dispose of monsters like this one x
Load More Replies...
Antoinette the Red 1 week ago
Exactly! None of this "Now my family won't talk to me" or "Now, my wife/husband is acting cold" OR '"Everyone is taking sides on how I handled it". Put s h i t t y people in their place right at the time the s h i t flies. No regrets.
Load More Replies...
Lyone Fein 1 week ago
The fact that the grandmother is a boomer is irrelevant. Why do so many negative stories feel obligated to mention this? My mother and I are both boomers and we both love dogs. Age has nothing to do with whether or not you are an a*5.
Janelle Collard 1 week ago
Absolutely. I'm a Boomer and I would never do the stuff other older people are being accused of. Don't tar all old people with the same brush.
Load More Replies...
Emilu 1 week ago
Glad even 'boomer' FIL (dang I hate that term... not referring to FIL) had OP/the daughter's back. There's attention-seeking and then there's just being an AH. Neither is particularly flattering, but I'd still take the first over the second.
Anne Roberts 1 week ago
It's not only that the MIL brought up the subject of the dog. It's also that she seemed to get a kick out of making her granddaughter upset. I am the grandmother of two and I would rather cut out my own tongue than to purposely say something that would devestate them. That women is a witch!
Mark Childers 1 week ago
My grandmother was a lot like this. She was a "good ol' republican christian." She loved to tear people down. Her favorite pastime besides gossiping.
brittany 1 week ago
i had a beautiful black and white sheltie dog (small but a purebred so he had some issues) i got him when i was 15 and other than saying which one i wanted, i didnt get a say in where we got him or anything and i wasnt fully informed about what it meant to have a purebred dog. he made it to ten years old and passed from cancer the day before my birthday. that was 12 years ago. i ve never had another dog and i dont know that i ever will. it still guts me to this day. i miss my good boi
Tabitha 1 week ago (edited)
I would say leave grandma out of family get togethers, but tell grandpa he can attend by himself. He must leave grandma at home. Remember, he stood up and had your back, so he deserves some grace here. However, be sure he understands that, if he f***s up and brings her with him, he’s banned too.
Emie N. 1 week ago
From the OP it sounds like he was usually on her side.
Load More Replies... sweet emotion 1 week ago
The MIL is and always will be TA for her behavior especially toward a grieving grandchild; but the OP is not much better for his snarky comments about boomers and "gomer pyle country ignorance". I would not want to be at either of their holiday dinners.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 week ago (edited)
So you are upset that OP used the term "Boomer", but you're calling OP an "ageist GenX" or a "Millie twit"? So... you're basically being a complete hypocrite and generalizing, the same thing that you're calling OP out for?
Load More Replies... Alexandra 1 week ago
It really doesn't matter that the offensive MIL was a boomer: cruelty is not limited to that age-group. Having said that, this dad deserves a medal for standing up for his daughter against his MIL because I bet 75% of other people would have wanted to 'keep the peace'. Sometimes, there is just no peace worth keeping at the expense of your self-respect.
Betsy S 1 week ago (edited)
I wish the boomer slur was not used either. Why can't people just say "retired, old, in their 70's", etc. This generational pigeonholing helps NO ONE!
Load More Replies... Beak Hookage 1 week ago (edited)
If someone had pulled this after our dog died there would have been no question of the perpetrator being kicked out. Because my mum would have m.u.rdered them.
Crystalwitch60 1 week ago
I would have to , with no hesitation what so ever , we are in the sticks all farmland around both arable and sheep cows and PIGS 😋makes for useful places to dispose of monsters like this one x
Load More Replies... Antoinette the Red 1 week ago
Exactly! None of this "Now my family won't talk to me" or "Now, my wife/husband is acting cold" OR '"Everyone is taking sides on how I handled it". Put s h i t t y people in their place right at the time the s h i t flies. No regrets.
Load More Replies... Lyone Fein 1 week ago
The fact that the grandmother is a boomer is irrelevant. Why do so many negative stories feel obligated to mention this? My mother and I are both boomers and we both love dogs. Age has nothing to do with whether or not you are an a*5.
Janelle Collard 1 week ago
Absolutely. I'm a Boomer and I would never do the stuff other older people are being accused of. Don't tar all old people with the same brush.
Load More Replies... Emilu 1 week ago
Glad even 'boomer' FIL (dang I hate that term... not referring to FIL) had OP/the daughter's back. There's attention-seeking and then there's just being an AH. Neither is particularly flattering, but I'd still take the first over the second.
Anne Roberts 1 week ago
It's not only that the MIL brought up the subject of the dog. It's also that she seemed to get a kick out of making her granddaughter upset. I am the grandmother of two and I would rather cut out my own tongue than to purposely say something that would devestate them. That women is a witch!
Mark Childers 1 week ago
My grandmother was a lot like this. She was a "good ol' republican christian." She loved to tear people down. Her favorite pastime besides gossiping.
brittany 1 week ago
i had a beautiful black and white sheltie dog (small but a purebred so he had some issues) i got him when i was 15 and other than saying which one i wanted, i didnt get a say in where we got him or anything and i wasnt fully informed about what it meant to have a purebred dog. he made it to ten years old and passed from cancer the day before my birthday. that was 12 years ago. i ve never had another dog and i dont know that i ever will. it still guts me to this day. i miss my good boi
Tabitha 1 week ago (edited)
I would say leave grandma out of family get togethers, but tell grandpa he can attend by himself. He must leave grandma at home. Remember, he stood up and had your back, so he deserves some grace here. However, be sure he understands that, if he f***s up and brings her with him, he’s banned too.
Emie N. 1 week ago
From the OP it sounds like he was usually on her side.
Load More Replies... sweet emotion 1 week ago
The MIL is and always will be TA for her behavior especially toward a grieving grandchild; but the OP is not much better for his snarky comments about boomers and "gomer pyle country ignorance". I would not want to be at either of their holiday dinners.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 week ago (edited)
So you are upset that OP used the term "Boomer", but you're calling OP an "ageist GenX" or a "Millie twit"? So... you're basically being a complete hypocrite and generalizing, the same thing that you're calling OP out for?
Load More Replies... You May Like MIL Tries To Outsmart Bride And Take Over The Wedding, Mother Nature Says “Not Today” Woman Lets 10 Years Of Repressed Anger Loose On MIL After A New Woman Joins The Family Woman Starts Crying After She Finds Out The Gift She Unknowingly Refused From Son’s Partner
Viktorija Ošikaitė
Mantas Kačerauskas
Viktorija Ošikaitė
Related on Bored Panda
44
37