The Weight of Words: When a Mother-in-Law’s Remarks Cross the Line
My Mother-in-Law Called My 14-Week-Old Son Fat & Asked Us to Take Pictures from Far away so He Looks Thinner
After her mother-in-law made a cruel remark about her son, who was just a few weeks old, a woman found herself in a flurry of feelings, including shock, wrath, and great hurt by the statement. As a result of this, she and her husband made the decision to exclude the mother-in-law from their Thanksgiving party. On the other hand, the circumstance took an unexpected turn when her spouse had a change of heart after receiving a text message one day, which left the woman feeling completely and utterly dispossessed.
The “Mother in Laws from Hell” subreddit received a contribution from a female user who remained anonymous on October 30, 2023 that detailed her experience. The woman provided a vivid picture of her difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, who was 63 years old and appeared to have a persistent problem with respecting limits and appropriateness.
The behaviour of the mother-in-law had the potential to cause considerable problems in the past, including the fact that her other son and daughter-in-law severed their relationship with her. The mother-in-law insisted on inviting a member of the family to her other son’s wedding, which ultimately led to her not being invited to the event. This was the moment that their relationship reached its breaking point.
What was the recurrent issue that the MIL was having?
In the course of one holiday season, the woman and her then-fiancé, who is now her husband of five years, were confronted with a challenging predicament when they went to see their families, who resided in different parts of the island.
On the other hand, the woman interpreted it as a form of manipulation, and she found it difficult to ignore the absence of regret stated in the message.
Due to the fact that the mother-in-law was violently opposed to the idea of dividing their time between the two families, the couple was compelled to spend the week individually in order to satisfy her. This event left a long-lasting impression on the woman, who vowed that she would never go back during the holiday season because of the emotional strain that was produced by the behaviour of her mother-in-law.
A disdain for limits continued to be displayed by the woman’s mother-in-law even while she was making preparations for the wedding. In order to guarantee that they had sufficient time to finalise the wedding arrangements, the couple had requested that she arrive on a particular day. This was especially important considering that the woman was required to take teacher licence exams up to two days before the ceremony.
On the other hand, the woman’s mother-in-law arrived early, which caused her to lose focus and added stress that was not necessary during a key time. In spite of these obstacles, the woman was able to pass her examinations; yet, the episode served as a glaring reminder of her mother-in-law’s failure to respect their preferences and boundaries.
In what manner did the mother-in-law criticise her daughter-in-law?
It was during the first few weeks of her baby’s existence that the mum found herself in a difficult circumstance. The woman was in need of help and understanding since she had recently given birth to her infant, who was now 14 weeks old. The reaction that her mother-in-law gave, on the other hand, was not at all reassuring.
She was dissatisfied with the fact that she was unable to stay with them and that the woman preferred to be in the company of her own mother instead. Taking into consideration the fact that the mother-in-law had a history of being critical and cruel, the woman made the decision to keep her at a distance and instead seek solace in the support of her own mother.
It wasn’t until a few weeks after the wife had given child through a caesarean section, during which she had lost a substantial amount of blood and developed anaemia, that the mother-in-law’s insensitivity reached new heights. Her comments were nasty, and she maliciously suggested that the woman appeared to be a “junkie.” She made these comments on the woman’s appearance. In addition, the mother-in-law made disrespectful comments about the woman’s physique after she had given birth.
A couple of weeks prior, the woman’s husband addressed his mother about her tendency of making nasty comments about the bodies and appearances of other people. In spite of his best efforts, she appeared to be offended and insisted that everything she had said had been misunderstood.
As the holiday of Thanksgiving drew near, the tension that existed between them increased. Despite the fact that the woman’s in-laws were supposed to come visit for a week with the intention of meeting their newborn grandchild, she was unable to shake the feeling of dread that she was experiencing because of the tense environment.
The Mom-in-Law’s Remarks Regarding the Appearance of Her Grandson
A day before the original poster revealed her Reddit story, the tension reached a breaking point when the mother-in-law continued to give unasked-for advice regarding her grandchild, even though she had not been asked for it. She questioned the decision that her son and his wife made regarding how they would feed their child, providing them with water and juice despite the fact that they had been warned in the past that it was too early for such things.
They carefully explained that they were following the advise of healthcare specialists, highlighting the significance of waiting until the baby was older before administering additional fluids. The woman and her husband were patient as they explained their decision.
The matter became more serious when the mother-in-law made the direct observation that the infant was “fat.” In spite of the fact that the woman and her husband had assured her that their boy was healthy, flourishing, and well within the normal weight range for his height, the mother-in-law continued to press the matter.
As a matter of fact, she advised snapping shots of the infant from a distance in order to make him appear slimmer, despite the fact that her son begged her to stop. The woman’s husband quickly interrupted the call out of frustration, and he subsequently sent a text message to his parents alerting them that their scheduled Thanksgiving visit had been cancelled. He also urged them not to come for the week-long stay.
When the Woman Reacted to It
Hearing the terrible comments spoken by the MIL caused the OP to become filled with emotion, and she broke down into tears. Who would say something like that about a child? When you take a picture from a great distance, what are you trying to conceal? The baby is very stunning, and he is in good health. In spite of the fact that he was overweight, she does not have a problem with it or something to hide. The woman in issue questioned the callous words made by her mother-in-law, asking, “What kind of sick mind would say something like this?”
The significant discrepancy in treatment was another factor that contributed to her unhappiness. Despite the fact that the mother-in-law was overweight herself, no one ventured to comment on her physique since they acknowledged that it was a subject of her own personal concern. This woman was left fuming with wrath as a result of the double standards that she found perplexing.
Being a witness to her husband, a good and deserving man, being put to this anguish was the most devastating aspect of the situation. Seeing him suffer as a result of his own mother’s insensitivity and brutality was a source of pain for her.
According to a quick update to the initial post, OP’s husband had a change of heart and expressed his readiness for the mother-in-law to join them for Thanksgiving, despite the fact that she had behaved in a manner that was upsetting to them. Being severely hurt by the conduct of her mother-in-law, the woman vehemently disagreed with this decision and felt deeply hurt by it.
As an alternative to expressing regret or addressing the insensitivity of her remarks, the mother-in-law had sent a text message that appeared to be full of love and blessings for her grandchild. On the other hand, the woman interpreted it as a form of manipulation, and she found it difficult to ignore the absence of regret stated in the message. As the woman struggled to come to terms with the complexities of the scenario and the mental anguish that it had produced, she sought assistance and direction after experiencing feelings of torment and distress.
Observations from the Audience
What are your thoughts on the narrative that was told? Is it your opinion that the spouse of the OP ought to have remained steadfast in his decision rather than changing it after getting a text message from his mother?
