How to Get Along with Your Mother-In-Law

Mother-in-laws have been the source of many good jokes for probably thousands upon thousands of years. If you turn around your attitude about your mother-in-law you too will be laughing!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Patience
• Sense of Humor

1. The wicked witch...OK first of all, lets get something straight. She can't possibly be a wicked witch if she raised your amazing husband. Right? After all, who do you think turned him into such a prince?
   
   Try and find the good things that your mother-in-law and husband have in common and focus on them, not so much the bad please. None of us are saints and we should try very hard to forgive and forget.
2. Birth Right. Oh this is a good one. When your mother-in-law gave birth to your beloved hubby and spent hours of painful labor delivering him, she became entitled. Entiled to share Christmas, Hannuakka, Kwanza, Chinese New Year or whatever they celebrate for the rest of her life. Not every holiday has to be shared with the inlaws but at least 50% of them. How would you feel if an "outlaw" came in and took your brother, sister away from the family for every holiday? I'm guessing, not too happy.
3. Play Dates. Give Grandma play time with her grandchildren without you once in a while. I don't mean have her babysit at your every wish, I mean real one on one time with grandma at her house on her terms with her cookies and icecream. Grandmas need their grandchildren and you will be doing a serious disservice to your children if you think your children don't need their Grandma. No matter what you think of your mother-in-law, she is your child's Grandmother and that is a special bond that should be alowed to happen.
4. Send cards. Remembering birthdays, anniversaries, holidays etc. with a card in the mail is always appreciated and EXPECTED. Not sending a card is a definite message to her that you just really could careless about her. Is that what you want her to think about her son's wife?
5. Go home mad. That's right, if your mother-in-law gets you good and mad about whatever, just grin and bear it. Take it in the car home with you and then you and your husband can laugh all the way home at what a nutjob she is for saying or doing what ever it was. Try really hard not to internalize it and feel bad. Some women really do stick their foots in their mouths a lot and don't know how to appologize or are just not going to for one reason or another. Just because she may not be polite, doesn't mean you don't have to be.
6. Your husband has feelings too! Yes, he does. No matter if he guts his own deer, eats live bugs or lives in a cave he does have feelings for you AND his mother. Try your best to behave and not insult his mother at every chance you get. He knows exactly what's going on between the two of you. Be the better person and say nothing.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful of what you say in person and in writing about your in-laws. It will come back and bite you where it hurts.
• Tension between you and your mother-in-law will cause issues with you and your spouse if you don't keep a lid on your emotions.