LIVING WITH MOTHER IN LAW!!

So my husband and I moved into his parents downstairs floor and rent the whole area for a fairly ok price. My sister in law, her husband and two kids lived down here for 7+ years rent free. So us paying is helping them out and the good deal on rent is good for us. So we are both helping each other out.

Well, my mother in law treats my father in law like trash. Belittles him every chance she gets as if it's funny. Yells at him Ll yhe time. Even when he's not here blames stuff on him. He has worked two jobs breaking his back for YEARS! She doesn't work. She sits on her butt, watches tv all day, doesn't do anything. He comes home cleans up after her, takes care of her dog, makes her food, does her laundry, makes her bed, cleans the house, etc. Then after all is said and done and he is exhausted she says take me to the.casino bcuz she doesn't drive--by choice.

This is NOT how things worked in my family. This is not only totally backwards, but repulses me. I'm trying my best to not begin to hate my mother in law, but its gotten even harder lately.

My father in law recently started a truckers job. He had to train for about a month and so he couldn't work his other job. His health insurance kicked them off bcuz he went down to part time. My mother in law was pissed bcuz she was recently diagnosed with diabetes type 2, and has glaucoma and cataracts. So temporary insurance for her is.around $700. She controls ALL of the money. So she takes her anger out on my father in law and gives him as little money for food for while he's on the road as she can. He gets $60 to last him for three meals a day for a week.

Anyways, so here is the big problem. It has been suspected that she has been bipolar for twenty some years now. My husbands brother saw a psychiatrist who said nothing was wrong with him, but said he believed she was bipolar. She slapped the Dr and stormed out. Never sought treatment. Anyway, my husband and her.got in a huge fight about an alarm system the other day (we were robbed in January--just the downstairs, while my mother in law was home--she can't hear worth a.dang). So having a baby in September I didn't feel comfortable with our little girls safety. Anyways, hubby and mother in law got in a huge fight and my mother in law freaked out emotionally! Crying, screaming, yelling, tore out of the house and drove off. I explained her side of things to my husband and he apologized to her a little later, but she is still livid. Doesn't even want to see him. Everyone in the family says that he is the "favorite" child so "he could do no wrong" but... She's crazy. I'm worried about her just throwing us out. What do I do?!? Stay out of it?? Tell my hubby I think he should suck up like crazy?? It's so stressful here all the time anyway, and now its just tripled... :-(

Comments

  • @2ndbutfirst oh man, if we had her committed, it would be world war 3 here... As far as I know she hasn't done anything suicidal and she hasn't threatened anyone else's life since my husband was a teenager. He thinks that menopause mellowed her out some. I asked my sister in law for some advice since she used to live here. She said if it has to do with money there is really nothing you can do... She said she will gamble all the money to pay the mortgage payment and then freaks out on you bcuz she doesn't have the money to pay for it. To he fair we.missed last months rent bcuz I have been in and out of the ER and visiting specialists trying to fix the problems. So maybe that's why she freaked out?? But she only freaked out over $50... Is that normal or more like bipolar? Sometimes she completely zones out and is like OCD about things to the very last detail that don't matter at all... But tonight.... I've never seen her like this. She seemed lethargic. Started crying again when I asked if she was ok. She has been sleeping for the last 5 hrs when ordinarily shes up doing something or watching a movie... Idk...

    @OregonMama my sister in law also said that she doesn't give 30 days. She just decides one day you have to get out of her house. We didn't formally sign a lease or anything either, being that its family. I guess when my sister in law was 6 months pregnant her mom picked a fight with her and sent her into premature contractions and she had to have a shot to slow the labor or something? So I'm guessing my being pregnant doesn't count for anything. :-(
  • My mom is bipolar and its definitely hard to deal with. I always just gave her what she wanted or said what she wanted just so she wouldn't have an out burst on me. It was HELL living with her. I wasn't allowed to do laundry during the day ( apparently it made the house hotter inside) I couldn't take a shower if she was home (still not sure why) I'm sorry you have to deal with it.
  • @awhaley28540 so giving ur mom what she wanted is the only way u could keep the peace? Was ur mom on meds?? Or was she also in denial about her condition?

    See the thing is, my husband and I were planning on being here for 3-5 years bcuz we have 4 small dogs and no one will rent to u with that many dogs... Plus we are trying to build more/better credit so we can buy our own house... I know it's probably premature of me to think this, but it puts a damper on our plans...

    Plus, I work a Mon-Fri 7a-6p job and my husband works a Wed-Sun 4p-12a/2a night job... So there is a 1-3hr time when we were hoping my mother in law could watch the baby so we wouldn't have to pay for childcare... But her behavior lately makes me wonder whether the.baby would be safe or not??
  • she cant just throw you out. esp because youre paying them. she would have to go through courts and evict you then you would have 30 days to get out. so she can't if she wanted to just throw you out that day/week, whatever.
    i dont know how long you plan on staying there, but if you have other kids or when your baby gets older i would either have plans to move out by the time shes a year old or simply tell mil she needs to change the way she acts or youre out too. the least thing you want is the kid/s to pick up on that!!!
  • @OregonMama It's good to know legally we are considered residents... My sister in law said she tried kicking them out on several occasions. Said she would write up a list of random things saying they owed her the money for (I.e. 2in of tape, if her dad borrowed her car and filled the gas tank, if her kids ate ice cream, etc) She is a money hungry person. She is perfectly capable of working, but chooses to do nothing forcing my father in law to work himself like crazy. He is going to die of exhaustion!

    @suvivormommie3 That is a very good point. We had planned on being here 3-5 years... But I don't think that'll work if this is how things will be... You are so right. I don't want our baby girl to pick up on that. My nieces are 8 & 4 and the 8 year old I can tell notices it a lot. Which aren't grand kids supposed to think the world of their grandparents?? My husband and I discussed if we had to get rid of two of our four dogs so we could move out and rent somewhere... I cried bcuz the idea kills me--I'm even crying now just thinking about it--but we want a healthy environment for our baby.

    @2ndButFirst I know!! It's like she is unpredictable. I'd like to think she wouldn't take anything out on an innocent little baby... But I feel like I wouldn't put it past her... Omg, does that make me a horrible daughter in law for thinking that?? Aaahhh.... Why are families so STRESSFUL!?!?
  • She doesn't need to get help. Everyone does what she wants. If she has a tantrum everyone jumps. So What reason does she have to get help. Until there are consequences to her actions her behavior won't change.
  • @Mom60511 That is a good point also. But as I understand it, this is how it has been in this house for over twenty years. She flips out and the family either let's her throw her tantrums and avoids her until she's done or just gives in. She is actually like a 62 year old child. Everything is about her and her wants. If she doesn't get what she wants she throws an over dramatic fit. How would u suggest to make her pay the consequences?
  • It is not going to be you. First it is going to have to be her husband. Example him telling her he needs more money, expecting her to treat him with the respect he deserves. Your husband and the rest of the family can make it clear that as long as she continues to act this way you will not be part of her life. Your fil probably needs to talk to someone to help him change the way he lets her treat him. My mil has problems to but thinks she's better since she's had grandchildren. I just do not deal with it at all. She got out of hand once so I found another babysitter. She's like now I cant see my grandkids. I never said that but if it was a concern maybe you should keep yourself on check. I don't care what other people do with her actions I can't change that but I can control how I react to her.
  • Oh and you are right about her acting like a child. So if you try to sit back and look at it from that perspective You will see everything. Just think of her as a 6 year old and how she is getting everything she wants.
  • @Mom60511 Wow, that takes some brass balls! You are one strong woman! Now all I have to do is convince everyone else of what u just suggested. My husband, the first time I mentioned how she treats my father in law, said that no one notices it bcuz that's how its always been. So it doesn't phase anyone... :-( I feel like that's just sad...
  • I'm old so that's probably why LOL.
  • i think i would stay out of it and if i talk to her to calm her down i would imply that i am on her side. compliment her , be extra nice. works for some people. is this first fight in this degree between hubby and mother in law? did you ask your hubby if this a normal pattern for her and she will be able to calm down later? i dont think she will try to kick you out and if she does you can agree with her and ask her for some time to find a place . meanwhile she will calm down and you could tell her that you are staying. kinda being tricky but you are dealing with a bipolar.

    living with mother in law is very hard. when me and my husband first got married. my husbands business was on its last leg. there was no money and than i moved here from ny and we had nothing and nowhere to stay. so we stayed in his moms house until we could find a place. my husbands mom is just as crazy. we were planning in staying maybe two months maximum. btw my husband was paying for her mortgage , her car , her everything because she didnt work. I was just trying my best to be out of her way. so i will leave for work with my husband in the morning even thou i didnt have job, i would go sit in the car lol

    I would use the bathroom and make sure none of my hair or mess was lefft behind. i was doing my own laundry and cooking our own food which we tried not to cuz she will freak out. we were just having fast food. she will come to me whenever i was around and tell me all thesde crazy stories about my husband like '' you know he has anger issues , make sure he never hurts you '' and she even said to me i can just leave him . Knowing my husband he is the sweetest little bear. She was trying to put all these doubts in my head because we were newly married. Than she started talking bad about me , create fights with my husband but to my face she will be like ohhh my goodness i love you so much. we finally found a place and it was like 4 weeks after we were there. we were keeping some of my items in the garage in boxes piled up (like 4 boxes ) i was living off a suitcase in his room. she also made a huge deal how her garage was overtaken. it was sooooooo diffucult for us. God helped us and we found a place we can afford. it brings me tears to my eyes to remember all this. i was praying so much that we will be able to get out of there. when i read your post i went thru it again. I am sorry that you have to go thru this now but Have faith in God and everything will be okay. I can clearly tell you we had no money , no job, noone to help and we were saved by just by prayers. also you have a new soul coming and i believe all new souls are angels and protected by God. Be very stong :)
  • edited July 2011
    She was on meds but they didn't work. N trying to get my mom to watch her grandson was hell. I would work a 3 hr shift at Wendys. THREE FREAKING HRS. She would throw a fit. So I quit my job. We ended up moving to nc, my husband is military n well she is here visiting. She has changed. Or maybe on different meds. Idk. But everything is good now.
  • @ashthurs wow... My mother in law is somewhat like that, being manipulative and stuff trying to make her opinion of other family members yours by telling blatant lies like that... But Idk about telling lies about me... And she hasn't told any to me about my husband... You and ur husband are very strong for getting past her obvious craziness. I've only heard stories.about my mother in laws previous bad behavior. She locked my husbands step brother in the trunk of the car for a few hours. On a thanksgiving when she knew the.family was going to their.grandma's for dinner, as always, she had cooked a turkey and flipped out and threw it on the floor and grabbed a knife and was flailing her arms around screaming they were wasting the.food. she dropped my husbands step sister off in the middle of nowhere when she was 7 years old for several hours because she was mad at her... She isn't as nuts now. But I worry she could easily slip into that again... :-(

    @awhaley28540 three hours? That's it? That's terrible. It's good to.hear that after the move she is better now... My sister in law doesn't let ky mother in law around her grand daughters very much anymore. I think 1-bcuz she knows my mother in law is crazy 2-I end up being the one watching the girls and entertaining them the whole time bcuz she sits upstairs on her butt watching stupid lifetime movies or something that isn't kid oriented and 3-her mom always makes her feel bad for asking. I figured when they moved out their relationship would get better, but te only soured more... :-( and my mother in law talks crap about my sister in law and her husband in front of their kids!! One is 8 years old! She understands what her grandmother says! It's... Despicable!!
  • My father in law is home for the weekend from his truckers job and my mother in law is in full selfish mode. I spent five minutes showing him how to use a touch screen cell phone and she whined, complained and belittled him the whole time. Then rushed him out the door with a sour look on her face like I'd committed some huge crime. But it has Google maps on it and that's all he wants is to have that for when he's on the road.

    Also, my husband and I had an alarm system installed in the home bcuz we worry about the safety of the baby--we were robbed in January--and finally we had enough money to spend on it. She complained the whole time about money (even tho we were paying for it) and how we didn't need this or that (even tho that's what WE wanted bcuz we cant trust that she would hear someone breaking in downstairs--when we got robbed, they walked upstairs and out the front door while she was sitting just down the hallway on the computer, didn't hear a rammed thing!). Then, after all was installed she looks at us and says she doesn't think she can use it its too complicated for her and walks off. What is so complicated?? Enter key code and choose away (if no one will be home) stay (if u will be home but turn on all outside warnings) or off (if u will be going in amd out of the house constantly, like if u have a party or the family is doing yardwork and needs to use the restroom). WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT THAT?? JUST TRRRRRRYYYYY TO LEARN IT!!
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