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Lady Dresses As Clown And T-Rex After MIL Keeps Sneaking Into Bedroom At Night, Leaves Her Screaming
Mothers-in-law get a bad rap, but let’s face it, some of them really deserve it. Whether they’re constantly reminding you their child could’ve done better, sticking their nose in where it’s not welcome, or stomping all over your boundaries, they can be a bit… extra.
One woman, whose mother-in-law is in the habit of wrecking her sleep, finally had enough and plotted the perfect revenge. She shared her story with an online community, and, frankly, it’s kinda hilarious, but her husband is still demanding an apology.
More info: Reddit
RELATED:
Mothers-in-law tend to be the butt of countless jokes, but sometimes they really do deserve it
Image credits: bokodi / Freepik (not the actual photo)
One woman’s mother-in-law was staying with her and her husband for a few weeks, but turned out to be a nightmare to live with
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
She was in the habit of wrecking the woman’s sleep, knocking on her door late at night, and playing the TV on full blast in the early hours of the morning
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Having finally had enough, the woman decided to fight fire with fire, waking the old woman up at odd hours in a series of increasingly terrifying costumes
Image credits: EstablishmentThis659
When her mother-in-law ratted her out to her husband, he demanded she apologize, so she turned to an online community to ask if she was a jerk for saving her sanity with scare tactics
When her mother-in-law moved in “between leases,” the original poster (OP) tried to be gracious. But with her surgeon husband working long, unpredictable hours and her own nail business relying on early-morning prep, the arrangement quickly turned into chaos. Sleepless nights and snide remarks left her on the brink of snapping.
You see, her mother-in-law has some odd habits. Everything from blasting the TV at midnight and knocking on the bedroom door at odd hours, to microwaving snacks at 1 AM and locking herself in the only bathroom every morning. On top of that, she criticizes the fridge, rearranges cabinets, and dismisses OP’s successful career as “just a hobby.”
After weeks of exhaustion, OP finally decided to fight fire with fire. As a skilled makeup artist, she began scaring her mother-in-law awake at all hours. One morning, it was a creepy clown. Another time, an inflatable T-Rex. Then, a grizzly bear look, complete with low growls. Each prank left the old woman terrified and, mercifully, temporarily quieter.
But the petty revenge backfired when the mother-in-law told OP’s husband about her early morning mischief. Furious, he accused OP of cruelty and demanded she apologize. OP feels the opposite, believing she’s the one who deserves an apology for her mother-in-law’s bad behavior, so she turned to netizens for a sense check.
Image credits: wavebreak media / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Ah, the sweet art of the perfect prank. There’s nothing else quite like it, especially when it comes served with a not-so-small side of absurdity. A lack of sleep can make people do funny things, sure, but can humor actually help you deal with stress? We went looking for answers.
In her article for VeryWellMind, Elizabeth Scott (Ph.D.) suggests that while you can’t exactly bubble-wrap yourself from life’s curveballs, using humor as your go-to coping mechanism? That’s actually genius-level self-care. And here’s the good news: you don’t need a comedy degree to spot life’s most ridiculous moments.
Start with a smile. The sheer act of smiling, even if you have to fake it, releases feel-good chemicals known as endorphins – it’s basically your brain’s way of giving you a hug. Taking a step back can also help; seeing your situation as an objective observer can help you find the funny side. It’s kinda like laughing in the face of whatever’s stressing you out, kinda like watching a sitcom where you’re the main character.
You can’t really blame OP for turning to the most absurd payback she could think of, considering she was so strung out on a lack of sleep. The pros say not getting enough shuteye drains your mental muscles and puts your physical health at risk – chronic insomnia can even mess with decision-making processes and creativity.
In OP’s case, her decision-making might have gone off the rails a bit, but we’d say there was no problem with her creative spark. And honestly? Sometimes a little chaos is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Who do you think is the real villain here? Are you on team mom-in-law or riding deep with OP’s scare squad? Let us know in the comments!
In the comments, readers seemed to agree that the woman was not a jerk for pulling the pranks and that her mother-in-law had to go
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What do you think ?
Robert Beveridge 2 months ago
As is often said about stories like this... you don't have a MIL problem, you have a husband problem. Address the stress in the correct venue.
Kate Johnson 2 months ago
I'd tell hubby he needs to pay for her to go to a hotel or a vacation rental until she finds something else, or I will.
K Barnes 2 months ago
He's a surgeon and she owns a successful business, it's not like they can't afford it. She should have talked with her husband sooner.
Load More Replies...
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago (edited)
Look, I don't like pranks, they're a form of bullying and I hate bullies. But this woman got PRECISELY what she deserved and the h*ll with hubby. MIL started it.
Mike F 2 months ago
Anyone who has had a MIL live with them, even for a short period, understands what the OP is dealing with. At its best it's not bad/OK, at its worst it is nightmarish. I have stories that will take your appetite away and, if you already ate, you'll lose it. If I were OP, I'd pack my 💩 and tell him HE can get up in the night and deal with Broom Hilda (IYKYK). After a while of MIL making appearances when he's trying to sleep he will see the light and HE will apologize.
Paul C 2 months ago
Can't people talk to each other about problems, without storing it all up until it all blows up? If I had to get up at 5am every day, I'd be pretty d**n clear that waking me in the night, or a loud tv was not going to be accepted. It seems like OP has a lot more to complain about than just night time interruptions though. A few boundaries would have helped matters, as would clear consequences - I would have no problem telling someone staying with me that if they keep doing X, they can't stay with me.
Trillian 2 months ago
That is an ongoing thing in all these reddit posts. People will "let it slide" until they explode. If you ask why didn't they SAY SOMETHING sooner people will cry they are so non-confrontational.
Load More Replies...
FreeTheUnicorn 2 months ago
I can only imagine the husband can stand either of these women because he's either a sociopath or used to working with them, as a surgeon.
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
Well surgeons run to strange behaviors and God complexes anyway.
Load More Replies... Kk 1 week ago
I think MIL is lonely, so lonely she is in mental decline. Selfish because she has lived alone for years. Wants attention to placate her anxiety that is usual with senility. So maybe it wasn’t personal, but a sign that she felt empowerment and agency for the first time in years. Yes you’re talented and brilliant, but knowing what is going on with her will likely help with her disruptive behaviours. Your husband is not to blame, but he is in the best position to fix it, starting with the headphones, or a book. She would probably really enjoy a beauty makeover to help you two to negotiate becoming allies, although preferably at different addresses, remembering that chances are, as years go by, she will likely need to stay over again, and need care.
Michele campfens 1 month ago
Tell him that she used to get up for him as a toddler, aand turn around is fair play. She isn’t your toddler she’s his. Let her know you can organise child care or a nanny for her if necessary. Then go on that holiday for at least a week or fortnight so that hubby can experience it for himself. If she doesn’t misbehave for him…he has bigger problems as she is doing it on purpose and you want her out. He can pay for temp housing.
MedusaWasBeautiful 2 months ago
Wife tells hubby, "Clown makeup stays on." Later on the house is filled with the haunting echoes of Honking.
BK BigFish 2 months ago
Surgeons think they are gods. She's not the a-hole, her husband is. Her MIL is horrible, too. I'd go scarier, aim for a heart attack....
Trillian 2 months ago
Instead of pulling childish pranks, sit her down, tell her she is a guest in the house and expected to act like one: No rearranging and no noise/knocking after 11 pm. If she can't stick to that tell her to find a hotel. I am sure her surgeon son earns enough money for that.
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
This won't work. MIL isn't interested in being reasonable. This was a power play. Live long enough and you get to know human patterns.
Load More Replies... Robert Beveridge 2 months ago
As is often said about stories like this... you don't have a MIL problem, you have a husband problem. Address the stress in the correct venue.
Kate Johnson 2 months ago
I'd tell hubby he needs to pay for her to go to a hotel or a vacation rental until she finds something else, or I will.
K Barnes 2 months ago
He's a surgeon and she owns a successful business, it's not like they can't afford it. She should have talked with her husband sooner.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 2 months ago (edited)
Look, I don't like pranks, they're a form of bullying and I hate bullies. But this woman got PRECISELY what she deserved and the h*ll with hubby. MIL started it.
Mike F 2 months ago
Anyone who has had a MIL live with them, even for a short period, understands what the OP is dealing with. At its best it's not bad/OK, at its worst it is nightmarish. I have stories that will take your appetite away and, if you already ate, you'll lose it. If I were OP, I'd pack my 💩 and tell him HE can get up in the night and deal with Broom Hilda (IYKYK). After a while of MIL making appearances when he's trying to sleep he will see the light and HE will apologize.
Paul C 2 months ago
Can't people talk to each other about problems, without storing it all up until it all blows up? If I had to get up at 5am every day, I'd be pretty d**n clear that waking me in the night, or a loud tv was not going to be accepted. It seems like OP has a lot more to complain about than just night time interruptions though. A few boundaries would have helped matters, as would clear consequences - I would have no problem telling someone staying with me that if they keep doing X, they can't stay with me.
Trillian 2 months ago
That is an ongoing thing in all these reddit posts. People will "let it slide" until they explode. If you ask why didn't they SAY SOMETHING sooner people will cry they are so non-confrontational.
Load More Replies... FreeTheUnicorn 2 months ago
I can only imagine the husband can stand either of these women because he's either a sociopath or used to working with them, as a surgeon.
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
Well surgeons run to strange behaviors and God complexes anyway.
Load More Replies... Kk 1 week ago
I think MIL is lonely, so lonely she is in mental decline. Selfish because she has lived alone for years. Wants attention to placate her anxiety that is usual with senility. So maybe it wasn’t personal, but a sign that she felt empowerment and agency for the first time in years. Yes you’re talented and brilliant, but knowing what is going on with her will likely help with her disruptive behaviours. Your husband is not to blame, but he is in the best position to fix it, starting with the headphones, or a book. She would probably really enjoy a beauty makeover to help you two to negotiate becoming allies, although preferably at different addresses, remembering that chances are, as years go by, she will likely need to stay over again, and need care.
Michele campfens 1 month ago
Tell him that she used to get up for him as a toddler, aand turn around is fair play. She isn’t your toddler she’s his. Let her know you can organise child care or a nanny for her if necessary. Then go on that holiday for at least a week or fortnight so that hubby can experience it for himself. If she doesn’t misbehave for him…he has bigger problems as she is doing it on purpose and you want her out. He can pay for temp housing.
MedusaWasBeautiful 2 months ago
Wife tells hubby, "Clown makeup stays on." Later on the house is filled with the haunting echoes of Honking.
BK BigFish 2 months ago
Surgeons think they are gods. She's not the a-hole, her husband is. Her MIL is horrible, too. I'd go scarier, aim for a heart attack....
Trillian 2 months ago
Instead of pulling childish pranks, sit her down, tell her she is a guest in the house and expected to act like one: No rearranging and no noise/knocking after 11 pm. If she can't stick to that tell her to find a hotel. I am sure her surgeon son earns enough money for that.
Lee Gilliland 2 months ago
This won't work. MIL isn't interested in being reasonable. This was a power play. Live long enough and you get to know human patterns.
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