Disagreements with in-laws is a topic many couples, married or unmarried, are familiar with. In fact, according to a survey published in Newsweek, the average American argues with their in-laws at least once a month. And 16% say they do it a lot more often.
If you think your in-laws might be bad, you probably need to see this list. We've scoured the internet to find the wildest and most infuriating posts about in-laws driving couples crazy. For some of these in-laws, the word "boundaries" doesn't seem to exist. So, check out what these poor people had to deal with, and let us know in the comments the wildest thing your in-laws ever did!
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My Mother-In-Law Gave Us All Covid. Tested Positive And Never Told Us
Flashback To When My Mother In Law Wore This To Our Wedding. You Could Also See Her Purple Thong Underwear Through The Material. See Her Hand Reaching Out
This was during the kiss when she grabbed him so she could kiss him. She wore white to one other sister-in-law's wedding too. The third sister-in-law she approved of so she wore purple. She is no longer in our lives for many reasons.
Rude, petty, and cringey af. Can't imagine growing up with that monster for a mom...
Choosing Beggar Shames Her Daughter In Law For Using A Gift Card She Gave Her To Make A Blanket For Them
Better idea - contact a landscaping business and arrange to have that giant weed out of your a*s. The DIL made something specifically for you. Show a modicum of gratitude, as the bedspread may well be the last present you receive from her.
On the same note, here's the response from the advice columnist (edit bc I had to break it in two): Part 1. But nothing did happen. You received a thoughtful gift that cost more time than money. That’s it! If someone gives you a present you don’t like, you smile and say, “Thanks, how thoughtful,” and then stash it in the back of your closet. You don’t ask your kid to complain to the gift-giver via backchannel. It’s fine if you like to give expensive presents—and can afford to do so—but that’s not the only way to show someone that you care. Even if you don’t like knitwear, your daughter-in-law spent countless hours over the course of a half-year working on something very detailed for you, and you say yourself it was a lovely bedspread. Whether she got the yarn with the gift card you gave her or spent her own money is beside the point; you’re acting as if she re-gifted something when that clearly wasn’t the case. Your daughter-in-law’s gift was thoughtful and intricate; yours was financially generous and relatively generic.
Load More Replies...Similar thing happened to me, when we were young and poor. We couldn’t afford proper gifts for Christmas, so I made what I could - jams, apple butter, shortbread cookies, a small embroidered or needlepoint piece, etc. My MIL always made a snide remark such as ‘anyone can buy shortbread at the store.’ I ignored it for as long as I could, but have since learned to distance myself from her.
those all sound delish (except the needlepoint obviously) if you made me jams, shortbread, apple butter, or embroidery, I would cry, because those are amazing
Load More Replies...If you can find the link to the original column, Prudence lays into her about how stupid her complaint is.
I am so glad I was never associated with such crude, ungrateful people. She used the gift card to buy yarn (what else could she buy at a yarn shop) and from that point it's none of your business what she does with that yarn. You haven't mentioned any effort to return the bedspread. If it was me and you wrote me a letter explaining gift etiquette, I would never speak to you again, grandchildren or not.
I would take it back, sell it on etsy and brag about how much money I made.
Load More Replies...Honestly, I think it was sweet of her to use that gift card for yarn for them, instead for herself. The MIL is the one who should learn gift etiquette
I had a similar event- I made a (toll painting) shelf for my MIL. I was excited to give it to her (she asked for one). I put a lot of work into it. She didn’t even open it- said “oh I know what this is” and tossed it aside. People have to realize the effort it takes.
Dear MIL, Do not worry, I have learned my lesson, and you will NEVER receive another gift from me, EVER again. Also, we will no longer be visiting you with our children. Please DO NOT bother to send any gifts, they will be returned. Now please go kick rocks and pound sand.
I would be absolutely thrilled and touched by such a thoughtful gift. What a stuck up cow.
This kind of thinking is common with ill-educated barbarians who think they understand etiquette but are in fact clueless, and are just out to weaponize it
Dear stupid person, Stay out of your DIL's life so she can leave peacefully. Prudence
This is absolutely deranged if you understand anything about knitting. I can guarantee you that the cost of wool she offset with the gift voucher absolutely pales in comparison to what the labour costs would be worth if she was making the blanket for sale. My mum is a skilled and fast knitter who has been making blankets for years. The one she gifted my husband and I (a double bedspread with some nice detailing in the squares but nothing outrageously complex) took her about 5 months to knit, spending on average 2-3 hours a day knitting. You do the maths on, if she was getting even just minimum wage, how much that would be. That is, by the way, why blanket knitters don't tend to make them for sale. We're talking a few thousand dollars at the very least just to cover their time.
I want the reply to this because, LOL, I can almost guarantee you that 1: the gift card didn't fully cover the cost of an entire bedspread, and 2: wouldn't it be MORE selfish for the DIL to make something for herself and keep it instead of pouring hours of work into a sentimental item? BOOMERS, man.
Watch the boomer slam, honey. That's not boomer behavior; it's bratty, insufferable, trifling, childish, harpish, yahoo behavior.
Load More Replies...What a nasty old h*g. Seriously. Making a bed spread would have taken quite a while, especially if there were special designs. Her labor and time were an incredible gift
Prudence had a good response (second letter in the list): https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/12/dear-prudence-best-letters-2018.html
I am so glad that you are NOT my MIL. You are a very thankless person. You are not seeing that your DIL put so much love, time and effort to make you something beautiful and all you care about is that you bought the yarn. Shame on you.
She won't be getting handmade gifts anymore. I'd grab her some Walmart gift set for $5 next time lol
You are so the AH. Let's face I,t fabric for a quilt is insanely expensive. When given a very generous gift of sufficient fabric to make into a quilt, instead of keeping it for herself, your DIL spent hundreds of hours of her time to make you a gift. Her time, you know that finite commodity none of us has enough of. That makes you the MIL from Hell don't be surprised if your son and DIL go no contact. You are an unappreciative moron.
Apparently, poster was never taught “gift receiving” etiquette! DIL did exactly what society would expect—she used a gift received to honor the sender by making something from her heart to give back in return!
Excuse me but in fact you didn't gift her anything because she spent your gift on you plus countless hours of labour. Why can't you just enjoy the gift and drop it.
Most people disagree and fight sometimes; that's just the nature of human relationships. But, unlike arguing with a friend, conflicts with in-laws have more layers. It's not just about you and your piece; you can't just walk away from the relationship if you're not happy. There's your partner, for whom the in-laws might be among the most important people in their life.
All unhappy families are unhappy in their own way, as Tolstoy wrote. And the things people disagree with their in-laws about differ from person to person. Still, in the Newsweek survey, most (31%) Americans say they mostly argue with their in-laws about politics. 22% also say they fight about lifestyle choices, and 21% clash when it comes to something concerning their partners.
My Mil Tried To Open A Tuna Can With My Favorite Vegetable Knife. Tuna Won
Every time i open the drawer i get mad
In-Laws Leaving Raw Chicken In The Sun For Hours
Staying at my in-laws for the week in Northern CA where it’s 85° today. Got home from running errands at 11AM and noticed this raw chicken left out in the sun for who knows how long. It’s now 2PM and this raw chicken is STILL sitting in the sun. Luckily I’m a vegetarian so I have an excuse not to eat any but this is a regular occurrence in this family. I’m scared to eat anything they make
I know someone sort of like that. The only thing I will nibble on at their house is crackers or chips.
Mother In Law "Put Away" The Cookies We Left Out To Cool
It also depends on what kind of in-law you are dealing with. Given the anecdotal evidence from popular culture and media, you'd think that mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law are at each other's throats all the time. And research shows that DILs feel more in-law-related stress than sons-in-law.
A 2012 study showed another interesting trend. It appears that sons-in-law have it easier, as they report having way better relationships with both their MILs and their FILs. Women rate their relationships with their in-laws at the same level. Men say their relationships with their MIL are three times as good as they are for women. What's more, they claim to get along with their FILs even better.
Mother In Law Won't Get The Flu Vaccine So She Can Meet Our Newborn Son. Insists She Is An Expert On Vaccines
Help - Mil Defaced Our Guestbook Photo!
Hi! I got married this last weekend. My mother-in-law decided to write on my fiancé’s neck on our guestbook photo. It’s sharpie on printed canvas. I was told I should try rubbing alcohol to gently remove the sharpie, but when I tried a small area, it also removed the print underneath. I am at a loss of what to do. Does anyone here have any experience painting on a printed canvas? If I remove everything in the area could I try to paint to give it its color back? Or how I can fix this? I’m upset but determined to fix it so we can hang it up in our home.
Father-In-Law Just Massacred My Shrub Garden. Today, Completely Unprompted And Without Asking Me, My Father In Law Decided To "Prune" Almost All Of The Trees In My Shrub Garden
The situation with MILs and FILs gets even worse when kids come into the picture. As a Gottman Method couples therapist for over 25 years, Dr. Suzanne Burger explained to Fatherly, daughters-in-law are more likely to be the victims of their MILs, as they don't shy away from telling them how to be better mothers. And research backs this up, as over 30% of moms say they disagree with their MILs about parenting.
17 Yo Half Brother-In-Law Wants To Buy Friends With Cake
"F--k you" is code for "Please refrain from doing me any favors, as I'm an ungrateful a*****e and don't deserve them."
Just A Joyful Conversation With My Sister-In-Law
Brother-In-Law Decided To Cook Up Some Steaks On My Grill But Forgot To Pull Out The Grill
Professor Gretchen Perry, author of "In-Law Relationships in Evolutionary Perspective: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", suggests there are historical reasons why mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law generally seem to disagree so much. Back in the day, the married woman would come to live with her husband, to a house where the mother-in-law was in charge of the household.
The In-Laws Decided To "Prank" Us By Completely Rearranging Our Kitchen
My (M27) wife (F23) and I just returned from a week-long vacation to find our kitchen literally rearranged. We asked her parents just to drop by and feed our rabbits while we were away. Something they've done numerous times and are always paid to do when needed- This vacation was fairly needed as I'm in the middle of attending post-secondary and working part-time while my wife works full time and takes care of the house while I pitch in where I can. And after a 4-hour car ride we are extremely thankful for this break and look forward to preparing for another year of endless work. But lo and behold her parents left us another hour's worth of work for us to even use the kitchen, as a joke. Wife is more upset than I am but it certainly drew an annoyed snort from me which I believe qualifies as mildly infuriating. Pic is just one of several cupboards. Tldr; needed a break, got a break, immediately unconvinced upon return by people we love and are also paying.
My Mother In Law Eats One Bite Of A New Banana Every Morning And Leaves The Rest On The Counter "In Case Anyone Wants One"
Mother In Law Melted Kettle I’ve Had For 15 Years To The Stove. How Do I Get It Off!
The daughter-in-law would be in a completely new environment, separated from her family and the people who protect her. The mother-in-law, naturally, would have her son's and the household's best interest at heart, perhaps exerting more control than needed. And the criticism, of course, would be directed at the new wife. This might just be the origin of the MIL-DIL relationship trope.
This Text From My Mil To My Wife While House Sitting For Us While Our Sons In The Hospital
My Parents In Law Keep On Using Our Netflix To Watch He-Man And Christmas Movies, And Change Our Watchlists Because They "Struggle With Tech"
My husband shares both his Netflix and Prime accounts with his parents and pays for it. It first started with his parents using his Netflix instead of their own profile and even trying to charge not-included film to his credit card on Prime . He asked them to stop but they say they cannot figure it out so he added a pin and in brackets that it's not their profile. We thought the problem was solved, but then I noticed they started using mine instead. I hadn't looked at Netflix for maybe a week and noticed today they apparently had a watch marathon - my entire history & front page is just He-Man, war films and Christmas movies. The algorithm is completely messed up at this point. Needless to say I got a pin now too and a note in brackets.
You both need to cancel Netflix and reopen your accounts with unbreakable passwords. Give some people an inch and they'll take a mile. They can get their own Netflix and Prime. They'll be angry, but they've pushed too far.
Sister-In-Law Always Throws Leftover Food Directly Into The Sink
My sister-in-law always throws leftover food directly into the sink, leaving it for my brother or my mother to deal with before bed. Everyone else is too polite to say anything, so they just leave it. The edges of uneaten toast soak up grease and water. I tried to passive-aggressively put it in a bag for her to see, but she still throws it into the sink. I'm just visiting my parents.
In-laws, especially grandparents, often choose to violate the boundaries of a young family. They may come to visit unannounced, guilt-trip when the couple doesn't come for family events, share personal details about the family's life with others, criticize their values, and not respect it when they're told "no". Experts say that it's possible to avoid all these if you set firm boundaries, but how can people do that, exactly?
My Future Sister-In-Law Infuriates Me So Much
Bought A New Car Last Week. Mother-In-Law Takes It For One Drive Last Night
Most Unhinged Mother In Law
Major interference. I didn't have money, a car, or a house, but I was a damned good mother. My husband and I lived from paycheck to paycheck, but we raised a wonderful daughter. And God help anyone who tried to take my baby.
Therapist Lauren Auwood emphasizes how boundaries without consequences are merely suggestions. For example, if an in-law criticizes a parenting style, the couple needs to present a united front. That reinforces their authority as parents. If they're visiting or calling too often, decide how often you'll communicate (whether in person, on the phone, through email, or other) and stick to it. Kindly inform the in-laws that if they drop by unannounced, you will not be opening the door.
Father-In-Law Ate My Leftovers. It Was A Half A Burger, And My Leftover Cheesecake From My Friend's Birthday Party Last Night. I Was So Excited To Finish It This Morning
i would make him buy me a burger and cheesecake. you take my food? get me more
When Your Mother-In-Law Makes A Surprise Visit And Stays For A Month
My Grandmother-In-Law Used My Favorite Mug For A Grease Cup And Stuck It In The Back Of The Fridge
Boundaries with in-laws can also be very different depending on your culture. Perinatal therapist Dr. Zann explains that for people of color, the word 'boundaries' might sound like rejection and disrespect toward their community values.
"Consider not calling it a boundary'. Using psychology/therapy speak may be confusing, especially for those from immigrant backgrounds or non-western cultures," Dr. Zann points out. "Express your needs, of course, but do it in a way that your family will understand."
My In-Laws Who Use A Little Off Every Single Roll Of Toilet Paper Instead Of One At A Time
Told My In Laws They Need To Be Taking This Virus More Seriously. This Is How The Conversation Started
Well, I have read the Bible. Sodom and Gomorrah was about the lack of hospitality and charity of the locals to outsiders. Any sexual connection is related to a disagreement of the context of a single word - if meant one way it is sexual, if another then it's interrogatory, both contexts are used in the Tanakh but the former only around 1% of the time. That word has nothing whatsoever to do with homosexuality and nor does the story.
Mil Trying To Access Our Email. Not The First Time And Yes We Called To Confirm It Was Her. Yes She's Crazy
All this talk about toxic in-laws might make you think that all in-law relationships are doomed. But there's research that proves relationships with in-laws can be nice. A 2021 survey of American women revealed that 51% of daughters-in-law are happy with their relationships with the MIL. Three-quarters of mothers-in-law also say they have a very good relationship with their DIL.
My Christmas Present From My Mil. Meanwhile I Got Her ~$200 Worth Of Jewelry And Cosmetics
How My Mother-In-Law Loads The Dishwasher
Daughter In Law Tasked With Finding Job For Choosing Beggar Mil
What about your relationships with your in-laws, Pandas? Is there any drama happening in your family you think is worth sharing with other Pandas? Let us know in the comments below! And if you're up for more posts about horrible in-laws, head over here and facepalm at these infuriating pics.
Let Brother-In-Law Stay With Us While He Got Back On His Feet, And Came Home To Every Glass Piece In My House Broken
In-Laws Turned Off The Pool For A Week (God Knows Why) While I Was Away And Now I Have To Do Damage Control
My Mother-In-Law Told Me That She Had A Bottle Of Children’s Tylenol When There Was A Shortage. I Looked At The Package While At Her House Today
That s**t's probably like those expired Quaaludes in Wolf of Wall Street
Mother-In-Law Decided To Undress The Christmas Tree And Drag It 25ft Towards The Front Door By Herself
My Sister-In-Law Lives With Us And Uses Our Things. This Is How She Leaves My Peloton After Use Even After I’ve Mentioned It A Few Times
Mother-In-Law Sterilized My Daughter’s Bottles In A Pot Of Boiling Water…
That's how we always did it back in the day, even with plastic bottles. (Until we got those bottle sanitizers.) But in our defense, the plastic was a lot different than it is now. 😔
Mil’s Comment On My Instagram
Husband and I are child free by choice. No picture that I posted looked remotely like I was pregnant/holding my stomach.
My Wife And I Went On Vacation And She Asked My Brother-In-Law To Feed The Turtle. He Set The Heat Lamp On Top Of The Steam Deck In It's Case For Some Reason, And Forgot To Put It Back
My Mother-In-Law Started The Dishwasher For Us When We Were Away. She Used Dish Soap
Oh no! She probably doesn't own a dishwasher and doesn't understand how to use it. Easy clean up though. One of ,y kids did the same thing.
How My Mother In Law Cooks Chicken Dinner When We Visit
boiled chicken (no seasoning other than a pinch of salt in the water), added Campbell's cream of mushroom soup at the end... and microwaved extra chicken in case we want seconds...
The Way My Mother In Law Opened The Pack Of Tortillas
Mil Painted Mailbox
Woke up from a nap the other day to my wife telling me her mom painted our mailbox. I looked and saw yellow paint all over our porch column. Then the next day saw yellow paint on our front door. I was not happy to say the least.
Mother-In-Law Purchases More Hygiene Products When Her Current Ones Are 50 - 75% Empty. She Then Begin Using The New Product Leaving Them All In The Shower Like This
This is also just the guest downstairs bathroom which she sometimes uses. The actual main bathroom is 10 X worse. There are multiple pieces of tiny used bar soaps everywhere, 4 body wash, three loofah, and two shampoo/conditioners.
If this is the worst thing MIL does, you're a lucky person. Just take a few minutes to combine bottles -- it's not that hard.
Whenever My Mil Cooks
My MIL is visiting from Brazil and whenever she cooks, she leaves a mess all over my stove and counters, then goes shopping with my wife.
Suck it up - she cooked for you, plus she lives in Brazil most of the time.
Sister In Law Needs To Learn How To Cut A Cake
I have seen worse. You almost can understand this cut: One large piece cut right to the middle and one small piece cut in the same shape so it won't topple over, like it would if cut thin with the same volume. Only not okay if at any formal event.
A "Shelf" My Brother-In-Law Made. Complete With 4 Different Types Of Screws Holding It On Above A Toddlers Bed
In-Laws Wasted Enough Extra Brisket For A Whole Sandwich
It’s the last of the best brisket I’ve ever made.
“How Dare They Use The Same Venue As Us”
Yes, yes you are being unreasonable. You rented a venue. You don't have rights over it for the rest of your life. Why do weddings bring out the worst in people?
My Father In Law And The Remnants Of His Weekly Visit
The Op’s Mil Lets The Op Borrow Her Car For Free. Op Wants The Mil To Pay To Fix A Dent In Said Car Because Driving A Dented Car Is Embarrassing
Text Was My Ex-Fiancé Telling His Mother That We Had Lost Our Second Pregnancy. The Pregnancy Was Planned And She Was Very Excited When We Had Announced It To Her
That's cold. The sentiment or concept isn't a bad one, but that is a TERRIBLE way to deliver the opinion. How about "oh no! I'm so sorry. I hope you are doing well. I know this must hurt terribly right now, but if there is a bright side at all, this will give you time to be together and support each other through this. It will probably even bring you closer. And when the time is right, when you feel like you have everything in order in your lives, maybe you can try again."
My Sil Future Mil Decided To Redo Sil Arbor....after Sil Fixed It The Way She Wanted Yesterday
The Most Recent In-Law Repair Job
Mother-In-Law Tells My Boyfriend She Doesn’t Like Me
My Brother In Law Unironically Sharing This In The Family Chat After Everyone Shared Their Kids Halloween Photos
Entitled Dil Wants In-Laws To Sell Her Their $1,000,000 House For 0% Intrest Because "It Was Worth $40k When They Bought It During Ww2, So Anything Paid Above That Is Pure Profit"
Brother In Law Wanted A Specific Thing Made And His GF Gets The Leftovers (Neither Of These People Are Me)
Stuck In A Parking Space Because My Brother-In-Law Set His Tesla Do A Software Update At 10:30pm
You know what car doesn’t c**p out, during a software update…every other car in existence…
Mil Can Be Very Controlling, We Were Wondering How Long It Would Take Her To Start Trying To Interfere In Wedding Planning... (Our Theme Is Violet And Blue...)
The Toilet Paper My Mother In Law Insists On Stocking
Wants To Live Free With Mil And Gets This Offended Being Asked To Clean Up After Herself
My Brother-In-Law Wanted To Taste A Piece Of My Chocolate. He Opened It In The Middle And Broke Of One Piece, Not At One Of The Ends
Mother-In-Laws DIY Job
My Toxic Stepmother In Law Decided To Break 1 Year Of No Contact And This Is How She Did It
My Brother In Law Flicked His Cigarette Ash Inside The Car
This might not be intentional. I've done this by accident, flicking ash out the window and having it blow straight back in. If you're going to let people smoke in your car, this is gonna happen.
In-Laws Wanted Cheese
Mil Leaves The Edges When Cutting Cornbread
That One Time My Father In-Law Tried Searching For His Son’s Ex
Not an in-law, but when I was staying with a friend a few years back, her Mom came to visit and cut the babies off of my spider plant. I was furious! She claimed the cat ate them (she brought her cat), then finally admitted it and said she thought they were weeds. That plant was a gift from a friend and I never did get it to grow right again.
Yet again, I am SO glad that I was blessed with the in-laws I have/had. MIL and FIL (RIP) were wonderful. BILs/SILs are a bit annoying, but still very nice. And they all live far away, so I don't have to deal with them much anyway, lol!
It you won't try to stop their bad behavior, then you need to keep your mouth shut.
Who says these people arent trying? Bit of a flying leap youve made there
Load More Replies...Not an in-law, but when I was staying with a friend a few years back, her Mom came to visit and cut the babies off of my spider plant. I was furious! She claimed the cat ate them (she brought her cat), then finally admitted it and said she thought they were weeds. That plant was a gift from a friend and I never did get it to grow right again.
Yet again, I am SO glad that I was blessed with the in-laws I have/had. MIL and FIL (RIP) were wonderful. BILs/SILs are a bit annoying, but still very nice. And they all live far away, so I don't have to deal with them much anyway, lol!
It you won't try to stop their bad behavior, then you need to keep your mouth shut.
Who says these people arent trying? Bit of a flying leap youve made there
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