Spotted this last letter in Annie's Mailbox this morning! I've encountered ding-bats like this who are as bat-shit crazy as this Momster-in-Law! Sheesh!!!!!!
Dear Annie: This is the other side of "Numb in Nevada," whose daughter-in-law cut them off from seeing the grandchild.
My husband and his mother were very close. To honor that bond, I allowed her into the delivery room for the birth of our son. She repaid me for that kindness by taking photos without permission, and now there are digital pictures of me in labor floating around the Internet.
When I came home from the hospital, she proceeded to criticize my housekeeping, insisted that my older children stay with a relative for another week and, despite the fact that I was breastfeeding, repeatedly tried to bottle feed the baby. I agreed to a baptism to make her happy, and she got into a fight with my mother and told her to leave.
Since she lived six hours away, we allowed my mother-in-law to stay with us frequently. I ignored her criticisms of my appearance, my children's clothes, their behavior and my views on childrearing. I continued to be polite and respectful. I had to take antianxiety medication to make it through those weekends.
Now, I'm divorced, and the most enduring benefit is that I never, ever have to deal with her again. — It's Not Always the Daughter-in-Law's Fault
Dear Not Always: You sound like you made every effort to be kind and respectful toward a real barracuda. We salute you.
