Mom Refuses To Help MIL Who Abandoned Them When They Were Homeless, Laughs In Her Face
Even if you don’t believe in fate and karma, you can’t deny that the universe sometimes has an odd way of giving people exactly what they deserve. Try asking for help after you’ve denied it to someone else in the past. Oh, how the tables have turned!
Redditor u/Evening-Still2174 shared the ups and downs her family went through over the past few years. She explained to the AITA community how she, her husband, and her three kids became homeless in 2020. The woman’s mother-in-law refused to lend them a helping hand despite her earlier promises—something that really came to haunt her later on. Scroll down for the full story.
Bored Panda has reached out to u/Evening-Still2174 via Reddit, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from her.
A woman shared how her mother-in-law abandoned her relatives when they needed her help the most
Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)
Things started going downhill at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020
The woman, her husband, and their kids were forced out of their home. Their relatives were far from charitable
Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)
However, things soon changed drastically
Image credits: Evening-Still2174
The mother-in-law quickly realized that she got a taste of her own medicine
Image credits: Chayantorn (not the actual photo)
The author of the post, u/Evening-Still2174, proved that everything is possible, as long as you set your mind to it. Despite the fact that she and her family had to live out of a van and then a homeless shelter, they managed to bounce back in a spectacular fashion.
Not only did they build their own house from scratch (something yours truly dreams of doing someday), but they also created their own business. Now, they’re financially stable and incredibly happy. What more could you want?
Now, in 2023, the script has fully flipped. While the OP and her family are enjoying their hard-earned success, her mother-in-law is having a very hard time surviving. She’s suffered financially, she’s lost her retirement, and she might get evicted. In short, times are very tough for her.
Fearing losing her home, she turned to her son and daughter-in-law for assistance. However, the OP laughed in her MIL’s face. “I will admit that my first reaction was to outright laugh at her and her audacity. She looked immediately offended and uncomfortable, especially after I stated there wasn’t a chance of that happening,” she writes.
The woman still wasn’t sure if how she reacted to her mother-in-law’s request was right, so she turned to the internet for advice
However, some of the woman’s friends thought that she might have approached things wrong. This is what prompted her to share the post on the AITA subreddit in the first place. Most readers were on the woman’s side. They pointed out that she did nothing wrong by rejecting her mother-in-law, after how she treated them. They noted that it was a mean reaction, but something that was merited.
It’s one thing to refuse to help your family who became homeless; it’s far worse to promise them help and then go back on your word. This type of behavior meant the MIL was in no position to get help when she was the one who needed it. Unfortunately, just because someone is related to you by blood doesn’t automatically make them a good person. Not everyone’s a good parent or grandparent. Not everyone is willing to make (even minor) sacrifices for their family.
Child homelessness is a far bigger problem than many people realize
Image credits: AnnaStills (not the actual photo)
According to the Eviction Lab, which tracks the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 9 states and 32 cities, landlords have filed for nearly 1.8 million evictions from the middle of March 2020 till January 7, 2023. The most evictions were filed in Pennsylvania (206k), Virginia (180.7k), and Indiana (150k). There’s been a general uptick in the number of evictions after the moratoriums at the start of the pandemic were lifted.
Campaign for Children notes that, according to a 2021 study by the Childcare Services Association, 1 in 18 kids under the age of 6 experience homelessness every year in the United States. That’s 1.3 million infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Meanwhile, SAMHSA notes that child homelessness is often under-estimated. Based on the findings of a report done in 2013, the “typical family experiencing homelessness” in the US “consists of an African-American mother under the age of 27 with two small children; 51% of children who experience homelessness are under the age of six.”
Most readers were on the woman’s side. Here’s what they thought about the family drama
Why didn't the MIL move in with the SIL as she had a house from her father?? This story sounds a bit suss to me
I got suspicious when they said she had two extra rooms. Who has two extra rooms? And then the family built a house they now live in? Sounds like a fairy tale
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They built their own house? I don't know, man. I know this happens, one of my friends did it, but he's a licensed contractor/builder, so out of the gate he knew what he was doing. That's a huge undertaking for someone with no experience and really risky and costly if you botch it. Props to them if they actually pulled that off. Anyway, the judgemental SIL who had her house handed to her, should have taken mom in.
We don't know if they did or didn't have experience. The cost of building materials blew up and everyone with building projects stalled, or many did. Maybe husband is a contractor by trade and was laid off when everything stopped in that arena.
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File this under THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED! OP claims they are went from living in a van for 3 months in 2020 to building a new home, starting a new business in less than 2 years!! Bull. And that they MIL suddenly went on the decline in that time. Nope, nope, nope.
Maybe “starting a new business” is code for “got in on the early rounds of a new pyramid scheme that hasn’t crashed and burned yet.” But I concur that this story did not happen.
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Thank you to the people who recognized story as BS. It is not a typical BP post where you can comment, but a Redditt: Am I An A$$H@@e. I have to say this is a Jerry Springer (for this of us old enough) story. For those who want their 15 minutes of fame you have to do better than this sh%tty story.
Yeah they lost me at starting a new business and being well off after a year or two. Anyone who has actually started a business will tell you it takes a good 3-5 years before you really start making a tangible profit.
1. Depends on the business and the circumstances. 2. They only lost ONE income, not both. They never said the new business paid for the house, only that they built one. Personally, I assumed that a windfall of some sort--say, suing a landlord for a wrongful eviction?--allowed both things to happen.
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Mom should move in with SIL. They sound like they'd get along good.
Several years ago I took in a long-time friend who had become homeless. This was a friend, nota bene, not family. I believe in the Golden Rule because I believe in kindness towards my fellow human beings. On the other hand, if you treat others like s##t, you have no right complaining when they do the same to you. Karma is indeed a female canine.
... in heat. That part is necessary to arrive at the word you were attempting to impart. :-)
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MIL got what she deserved. Her nasty daughter can take care of her or let her go homeless. It’s not OPs responsibility since her MIL and SIL refused to help them in a time of need What goes around comes around. People will treat you just like you have treated them.
Nah. Taking the high road in this situation would have lead to an insufferable tumor moving in and never leaving.
She even let her Grandchildren be homeless, No Mercy is my judgement.You don't do "Family" like that!
Not sure why the judgemental opinionated SIL doesn’t take her mother in. Seems like they would make perfect roomies.
Maybe they should have offered up the van they lived in while they were homeless. After all. it was good enough for her grandchildren
Things that didn't happen. Financially well off but evicted...blah blah blah
The absolute GALL of that woman. She didn't care about her own son (which I cannot even fathom- my house is always open to my sons and their spouses and, hopefully, any grand babies they may give me!), but her grandchildren?? Even if I had ZERO extra rooms, my grandkids could sleep with me or I'd get them little beds and put it in my room or something!! She can learn from her mistakes and tough it out. Or she can life with her daughter in that free house she has
I feel this one in my bones. I won't hesitate to cut off toxic family members, no matter who they are. This MIL should be ashamed of herself, and why doesn't the SIL offer to help? If you're not willing to step up and help, don't criticize others for the same behavior you're guilty of.
MIL' s comment MIL..."the situation is different"...shows she hasn't learned anything and hasn't changed. She believes you were homeless because you screwed up and didn't plan ahead but she thinks she is a victim of circumstances. Don't be the bigger person because once in your house she will continue treating you like scum.
She's definitely NTA but I would have taken her in. Two wrongs don't make a right. I wouldn't have lowered myself to their s****y behavior. I would have shown them what true support looks like.
On the small chance that this isn't a bs story, I wouldn't be too surprised if such generosity would go unnoticed...
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"we don't have room." BS There is always a hunk of floor if need be. I refused to let a friend be homeless... let alone a family member. NTA
Um everyone here seems very sure of NTA but I am not so sure. So after going through that experience and ending up better off for it, her response is mockery and revenge? Wow if this were some sort of fable would it be that she has in fact, repeated her mothers bad behaviour and in doing so, inadvertently ruins her own good run? As what happened to her mother? And also grandkids? You know I am not very knowledgeable about bible teachings but this could almost be a modern day equivalent. Turn the other cheek and set a good example for her own children would of been the high road. Yes as noted, not necessary, just better behaviour. There is also no context to the relationship previously. These AITa things are always crummy.
Why didn't the MIL move in with the SIL as she had a house from her father?? This story sounds a bit suss to me
I got suspicious when they said she had two extra rooms. Who has two extra rooms? And then the family built a house they now live in? Sounds like a fairy tale
Load More Replies... They built their own house? I don't know, man. I know this happens, one of my friends did it, but he's a licensed contractor/builder, so out of the gate he knew what he was doing. That's a huge undertaking for someone with no experience and really risky and costly if you botch it. Props to them if they actually pulled that off. Anyway, the judgemental SIL who had her house handed to her, should have taken mom in.
We don't know if they did or didn't have experience. The cost of building materials blew up and everyone with building projects stalled, or many did. Maybe husband is a contractor by trade and was laid off when everything stopped in that arena.
Load More Replies... File this under THINGS THAT NEVER HAPPENED! OP claims they are went from living in a van for 3 months in 2020 to building a new home, starting a new business in less than 2 years!! Bull. And that they MIL suddenly went on the decline in that time. Nope, nope, nope.
Maybe “starting a new business” is code for “got in on the early rounds of a new pyramid scheme that hasn’t crashed and burned yet.” But I concur that this story did not happen.
Load More Replies... Thank you to the people who recognized story as BS. It is not a typical BP post where you can comment, but a Redditt: Am I An A$$H@@e. I have to say this is a Jerry Springer (for this of us old enough) story. For those who want their 15 minutes of fame you have to do better than this sh%tty story.
Yeah they lost me at starting a new business and being well off after a year or two. Anyone who has actually started a business will tell you it takes a good 3-5 years before you really start making a tangible profit.
1. Depends on the business and the circumstances. 2. They only lost ONE income, not both. They never said the new business paid for the house, only that they built one. Personally, I assumed that a windfall of some sort--say, suing a landlord for a wrongful eviction?--allowed both things to happen.
Load More Replies... Mom should move in with SIL. They sound like they'd get along good.
Several years ago I took in a long-time friend who had become homeless. This was a friend, nota bene, not family. I believe in the Golden Rule because I believe in kindness towards my fellow human beings. On the other hand, if you treat others like s##t, you have no right complaining when they do the same to you. Karma is indeed a female canine.
... in heat. That part is necessary to arrive at the word you were attempting to impart. :-)
Load More Replies... MIL got what she deserved. Her nasty daughter can take care of her or let her go homeless. It’s not OPs responsibility since her MIL and SIL refused to help them in a time of need What goes around comes around. People will treat you just like you have treated them.
Nah. Taking the high road in this situation would have lead to an insufferable tumor moving in and never leaving.
She even let her Grandchildren be homeless, No Mercy is my judgement.You don't do "Family" like that!
Not sure why the judgemental opinionated SIL doesn’t take her mother in. Seems like they would make perfect roomies.
Maybe they should have offered up the van they lived in while they were homeless. After all. it was good enough for her grandchildren
Things that didn't happen. Financially well off but evicted...blah blah blah
The absolute GALL of that woman. She didn't care about her own son (which I cannot even fathom- my house is always open to my sons and their spouses and, hopefully, any grand babies they may give me!), but her grandchildren?? Even if I had ZERO extra rooms, my grandkids could sleep with me or I'd get them little beds and put it in my room or something!! She can learn from her mistakes and tough it out. Or she can life with her daughter in that free house she has
I feel this one in my bones. I won't hesitate to cut off toxic family members, no matter who they are. This MIL should be ashamed of herself, and why doesn't the SIL offer to help? If you're not willing to step up and help, don't criticize others for the same behavior you're guilty of.
MIL' s comment MIL..."the situation is different"...shows she hasn't learned anything and hasn't changed. She believes you were homeless because you screwed up and didn't plan ahead but she thinks she is a victim of circumstances. Don't be the bigger person because once in your house she will continue treating you like scum.
She's definitely NTA but I would have taken her in. Two wrongs don't make a right. I wouldn't have lowered myself to their s****y behavior. I would have shown them what true support looks like.
On the small chance that this isn't a bs story, I wouldn't be too surprised if such generosity would go unnoticed...
Load More Replies... "we don't have room." BS There is always a hunk of floor if need be. I refused to let a friend be homeless... let alone a family member. NTA
Um everyone here seems very sure of NTA but I am not so sure. So after going through that experience and ending up better off for it, her response is mockery and revenge? Wow if this were some sort of fable would it be that she has in fact, repeated her mothers bad behaviour and in doing so, inadvertently ruins her own good run? As what happened to her mother? And also grandkids? You know I am not very knowledgeable about bible teachings but this could almost be a modern day equivalent. Turn the other cheek and set a good example for her own children would of been the high road. Yes as noted, not necessary, just better behaviour. There is also no context to the relationship previously. These AITa things are always crummy.
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