MIL issue (part 2)
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Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Folks,

A few weeks ago I was on the verge of divorcing my wife. I had enough of being put 2nd in the marriage to her family and other bits and bobs. Anyway when I told her that I want a divorce she called her mother around. The MIL came round and by that point I had already said we can work it out. The MIL started going on about how divorce is a good idea and that as the marriage did not have my mothers blessings it was cursed from day one.

I said that such a comment was nonsense and such ‘curse’ comments are mainly used by witches. I then went on the explain that the MIL was the main reason for my unhappiness and listed out 3-4 points highlighting how her interference and overbearing behaviour has suffocated my privacy.

She then began to insult me as follows;

1. Their family don’t like me at all and think I am an ass
2. no wonder you turned out like you did when your mother is like so
3. You live like people did 200 years ago.
4. you should have married a Pakistani girl rather then my daughter (the wife is a British born lass with Indian roots)
5. you have no friends and have issues keeping relationships
6. She went on to say that she is not the problem and the problem is with me.

After the string of insults I told her to keep her worthless opinions to herself and also to close the door on the way out. When I look at the insults I don’t care about family opinions and I disagree with the rest of ther points.

The wife is really upset that I spoke to her mother the way I did; I had explain to the MIL that she was a big issue as my wife did not tell her herself even though I had told the wife so many times.

The wife wants me to apologise to the MIL and I tbh I really don’t think I want to after the insult 2 and 4 and generally the level of interactions and interfereance I have had with the family over the past 4 years. It has really got to me. I am being careful here. My mother is now back in my life after 4 years absence and I do not want to create issues between my wife and my mother, they met for the first time 4 weeks ago.

What would you folks do? Any serious advice?

randlemarcus

13,646 posts

261 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
What's your considered response to each of the points she raised?

As regards your wife not having a pop at her mother at your behest, do bear in mind that you have the problem with her, and your wife may well not have a problem with her mother. You never know, she may even like her.


Colonial

13,553 posts

235 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
oxo tower/bash her back doors in/got pics etc etc

This is something you need to work out by yourself. If you are not happy and it's simply not going to work, move on.

southendpier

6,214 posts

259 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
If you love your wife this would not be a problem.

If you cannot live with your wife/MIL/mother relationship - then leave, you will not please them all but you will try and at considerable loss to yourself.

sday12

5,068 posts

241 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Lostprophet said:
Anyway when I told her that I want a divorce she called her mother around.
Lostprophet said:
What would you folks do? Any serious advice?
Got it all there in the first line really, in a nutshell.

You wife needs to choose between you, and her interfering, opinionated, rude, selfish bh of a mother.


HTH.

anonymous-user

84 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Me and my mum aren't the closest of people, but she is my mother, for that she will always have my respect and love

She has been very very wrong about exes in the past saying they were no good, came from poor stock etc etc

Then funnily enough over the passage of time she has been proved right

Mothers know and with the utmost respect are you saying she is completely wrong on all these points? Honestly? Or if you look deep down can you see a small bit of reason in what she is saying and that's what rankles?

ofcorsa

3,546 posts

273 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
What an odd state of affairs, Your MIL seems to have more clout in your marriage than the feelings between your and your wife

911motorsport

7,251 posts

263 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
I can't help but feel that your intitial threat of divorce might have triggered the MIL's parental instincts hehe I mean, what would you expect her to do? back you up and give her daughter a good shoeing? Her insults are like most of those presented by a woman in a row (I know from experience smile); they rarely stand up to logical scrutiny but are fired out like a machine gun, hoping that some will hit; a bit like verbal strafing. Totaly disregard her input and do what's right for you and your partner.

Edited by 911motorsport on Friday 30th April 12:35

The Riddler

6,565 posts

227 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Just getting a bit of a hunch here.. Have you thought about emailing her with your concerns?

Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Well I got her brother in to help discuss things between my wife and I as we tend not to make progress; the wife and I are both stubborn. The wife generally as she has no sense of responsibility to me or the household and I am stubborn because I want things to be done a certai way; i.e the house should be clean and there is no reason to have it in a tip and then run off to your family.


The solutions are as such:

1. Within the year we are moving away from where we live (the mil is very close) and moving nearer to my mother. Will atleast 3 miles away from her (the wife does not want to move to the same part of town as my mother, i do as my mother is my responsibility).
2. The wife realises she puts me 2nd and will change; no sorry for her behaviour though.
3. The Mil will step away and give us space (according to the brother in law).

Edited by Lostprophet on Friday 30th April 12:37

JonRB

80,092 posts

302 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Lostprophet said:
The wife wants me to apologise to the MIL
Presumably, if you did, the MIL would likewise apologise for the grave insults she levelled at you and your mother?

Thought not.

ali_kat

32,155 posts

251 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
I would hope that you DO come 2nd in your wife's prorities!

Her first priority should be you your son - as should yours!

You don't seem to have considered him at all in your threats to leave/complaints about your MIL

Dupont666

22,938 posts

222 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
what happens when you and your wife discuss the MIL?

Do you come to an agreement or is it always an arguement?

What does she say when you say the MIL is round too much?

What was her answer to the question 'why did you invite your mother round when we are discussing our relationship?'

It does sound like she has never made a decision by herself, also why did you not spot this before you married her?

Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
randlemarcus said:
What's your considered response to each of the points she raised?

As regards your wife not having a pop at her mother at your behest, do bear in mind that you have the problem with her, and your wife may well not have a problem with her mother. You never know, she may even like her.
1. Their family don’t like me at all and think I am an ass

The inlaws have been overstepping their limits from day one! Frankly who cares what they think!

LP:I do get on with my wifes sister/brothers. its the extended family who cause the issues and the MIL too!

2. no wonder you turned out like you did when your mother is like so

LP: The mil has turned my point on me! I said the wife swears and does not realise her responsibilty as the mother has not taught her daughter much!

3. You live like people did 200 years ago.

LP: If keeping the house clean and not allowing MTV to be allowed into the house is living 200 years ago then so be it. I do not like semi-naked ladies to be dancing around on my TV; it will sends wrong messages to my son!

4. you should have married a Pakistani girl rather then my daughter (the wife is a British born lass with Indian roots)

LP: I feel the MIL thinks as she is Indian, she is above Pakistanis. My view; bh.

5. you have no friends and have issues keeping relationships

LP: I cut ties with certain members of my wifes family due to their rudeness.

6. She went on to say that she is not the problem and the problem is with me.

LP: Yes the problem is with me; the problem is the MIL.



As pointed out by a fellow PHer above, the logic is poor and is just really random insults!

Animal

5,669 posts

298 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
[quote=Lostprophet]Well I got her brother in to help discuss things between my wife and I as we tend not to make progress; the wife and I are both stubborn. The wife generally as she has no sense of responsibility to me or the household and I am stubborn because I want things to be done a certai way; i.e the house should be clean and there is no reason to have it in a tip and then run off to your family.


The solutions are as such:

1. Within the year we are moving away from where we live (the mil is very close) and moving nearer to my mother. Will atleast 3 miles away from her (the wife does not want to move to the same part of town as my mother, i do as my mother is my responsibility).
2. The wife realises she puts me 2nd and will change; no sorry for her behaviour though.
3. The Mil will step away and give us space (according to the brother in law).[quote]

The best piece of relationship advice I was ever given was (from my mother, funnily enough!) never, ever, let someone come between my wife/girlfriend and I - not even mothers. You're talking about outside influences upon a relationship between just two people. It is up to the two of you to determine how much disruption these influences have upon you as a couple. If you can't exercise the discipline to regulate those outside influences then you're in for trouble.

In a nutshell, your wife should tell her mother to respect her choice of husband or shut her face. Likewise, she should expect you to assert yourself with your family in a likewise manner if the need should arise.

Hope you manage to work things out.

Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
ali_kat said:
I would hope that you DO come 2nd in your wife's prorities!

Her first priority should be you your son - as should yours!

You don't seem to have considered him at all in your threats to leave/complaints about your MIL
The son is a new arrival and thanks for pointing it out. Indeed his needs come first!

My point being is her family come before me and have done for 4 years now!

Muzzer

3,814 posts

251 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
If you love your wife and want to remain with her, apologise to your MIL.

Your apology should be worded in such a way that you're not admitting you were wrong, more apologising for speaking to her in a derogatory way.

You seem on a bit of a mission to prove that your MIL is an interfering witch and getting her family (including your wife) to agree with you. You will fail - she's their family - they'll never agree with you.

Lose this battle but win the war over time. Be patient, move to a neutral location (equidistant from her family and yours) and set up ground rules from there.

If you persist in the feud with your MIL you'll eventually lose your wife.

Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Animal said:
Lostprophet said:
Well I got her brother in to help discuss things between my wife and I as we tend not to make progress; the wife and I are both stubborn. The wife generally as she has no sense of responsibility to me or the household and I am stubborn because I want things to be done a certai way; i.e the house should be clean and there is no reason to have it in a tip and then run off to your family.


The solutions are as such:

1. Within the year we are moving away from where we live (the mil is very close) and moving nearer to my mother. Will atleast 3 miles away from her (the wife does not want to move to the same part of town as my mother, i do as my mother is my responsibility).
2. The wife realises she puts me 2nd and will change; no sorry for her behaviour though.
3. The Mil will step away and give us space (according to the brother in law).[quote]

The best piece of relationship advice I was ever given was (from my mother, funnily enough!) never, ever, let someone come between my wife/girlfriend and I - not even mothers. You're talking about outside influences upon a relationship between just two people. It is up to the two of you to determine how much disruption these influences have upon you as a couple. If you can't exercise the discipline to regulate those outside influences then you're in for trouble.

In a nutshell, your wife should tell her mother to respect her choice of husband or shut her face. Likewise, she should expect you to assert yourself with your family in a likewise manner if the need should arise.

Hope you manage to work things out.
Animal; good advise.



I need to speak to my MIL again; I need to be firm but still say sorries which are due. Lol. That should be quite hard to do!

Lostprophet

Original Poster:

2,549 posts

199 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
Muzzer said:
If you love your wife and want to remain with her, apologise to your MIL.

Your apology should be worded in such a way that you're not admitting you were wrong, more apologising for speaking to her in a derogatory way.

You seem on a bit of a mission to prove that your MIL is an interfering witch and getting her family (including your wife) to agree with you. You will fail - she's their family - they'll never agree with you.

Lose this battle but win the war over time. Be patient, move to a neutral location (equidistant from her family and yours) and set up ground rules from there.

If you persist in the feud with your MIL you'll eventually lose your wife.
That is sound advice my friends. thank you. Lose the battle but win the war.

Thanks for pointing out how to deal with the MIL. That is what I was after! Cheers.

ukwill

10,262 posts

237 months

Friday 30th April 2010
quotequote all
sday12 said:
Lostprophet said:
Anyway when I told her that I want a divorce she called her mother around.
Lostprophet said:
What would you folks do? Any serious advice?
Got it all there in the first line really, in a nutshell.

You wife needs to choose between you, and her interfering, opinionated, rude, selfish bh of a mother.


HTH.
^^^^ This. Why did she call her mother round? WTF has your marriage got to do with her mother? Fix that and you've fixed your problem.