Woman's Mother-in-Law Moves in During Her Pregnancy, Says She Is 'Not Making My Pregnancy Pleasant'
A woman who will soon give birth says she was initially excited for the extra help when her mother-in-law moved in — but now, her husband's mom is making life awful
In a post on Reddit, she details how the woman is being overbearing throughout her pregnancy
Now, she's worried she made the wrong decision by agreeing to allow the woman to live with her and her husbandA woman who will soon give birth says she was initially excited for the extra help when her mother-in-law moved in — but now, her husband's mom is making life awful.
In a post shared to Reddit, the woman details how she had only met her mother-in-law five times before the woman moved in, due to her living in China.
From her post: "I have become advanced in spoken Chinese and I have spent years studying both the language and the culture. I am pregnant and will be giving my son a Chinese middle name and raising him in the culture. My MIL will be watching him when I go back to work. In return she lives with us and we cover all of her expenses."
But the experience is not going as planned, with the woman noting that her mother-in-law is "not making my pregnancy pleasant."
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
"She is constantly giving me comments about how I shouldn't be drinking cold water or eating cold food because I will kill my baby," she writes. "She thinks he will die if I am too happy, or too anything. I have gently told her that constant feedback of this type makes me anxious but it has not stopped. I am triggered by it as I have had a prior miscarriage and she knows it."
She continues: "I do my best speaking Chinese with her, but she often enters the room and interrupts a conversation my husband and I are having to speak to him in a dialect I don't speak. I know she's talking about me because I recognize my name in this dialect."
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
She adds that her mother-in-law invites herself on her dates with her husband, and the two are now struggling to have alone time.
"My husband doesn't want to be the middle guy, which I respect, but I do wish he would stand up for me or set boundaries," she adds.
She continues: "I am [empathetic] to her situation, I truly am, and I feel terrible that I'm so upset. But I am grieving the pregnancy I wanted to have. This is very bad for my mental health and for my marriage. I don't know what to do. It feels like nothing I want matters."
Other Reddit users are urging the woman to stand up for herself, with one writing: "I suggest you let yourself be the bad guy. Step into your own power. Do not be polite when she makes weird comments. Tell her that you would prefer to go on your date alone. You will feel a lot better once you stand up for yourself - better even than if your husband did it (which he should do anyways..)."
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Teen Decides to Eat at His Favorite Restaurant for His Birthday. His Parents Say He Should've Catered to His Brother
A teen finally gets his dream birthday dinner, but it leads to fights, blame, and a battle over family favoritismNEED TO KNOW A 16-year-old chooses his favorite restaurant for his birthday dinner after years of being denied it His younger brother, who usually gets his way, sulks and insults the restaurant, causing a family fight The teen is blamed by his parents, leading him to ask Reddit if he was wrong for finally picking a place he enjoysA teen seeks support from the Reddit community following a birthday dinner that sparked family tension and exposed deeper issues of favoritism. In a post, the 16-year-old explains how what should have been a joyful celebration turned into yet another reminder of how his family dynamics leave him feeling second best. 'My parents never let me eat at my favorite restaurant when we celebrate my birthday or other stuff,' he writes. 'My brother doesn't like the food there and they say any celebration needs to include stuff we all like.' But he points out a double standard that's hard to ignore. 'We always eat at his favorite place,' he says, even though it's a 'really small pizza shop' where the food is, in his words, 'awful.' 'I should like some of the stuff but it tastes so gross,' he continues. 'I'm not the only person who thinks so either but since my brother loves it they don't care if I hate the food there.' There have been times when he's had nothing but water during meals there. On other occasions, he's forced himself to eat and ended up feeling sick afterward. His dad even gets stomach issues from the food, but still goes along with it to please his younger son. Meanwhile, none of the 16-year-old's top choices are ever seriously considered — even on his birthday. 'They always go with choices I'm just okay with because my brother likes them,' he shares. 'I have tried telling them I don't like those restaurants anymore and they say I can find something but none of my top five places work for my brother.' Meals out only happen for special occasions like birthdays, graduations or really good report cards. Still, even on those rare outings, the family always defaults to places that cater to his brother's preferences. So when his grandparents came to visit in June, right around his birthday, he saw a rare opportunity to actually celebrate his way. They asked him privately where he wanted to go, and he didn't hesitate. 'I told them about the Thai place that's my favorite ever,' he writes. His grandparents, well aware of how overlooked he usually is, told him his parents "couldn't dictate to them.' When the big day came, the grandparents surprised the rest of the family by announcing they'd be eating at the Thai restaurant, taking full credit for the choice. 'They said they heard us talk about that place before and knew it was my favorite and how they wanted to surprise me,' he says. The teen was thrilled and described the night as a rare moment of joy. 'It was the best meal out I had with my family in forever,' he adds. But his 14-year-old brother sulked the entire time. 'He insulted the food, the restaurant and the staff the whole night,' he says. The grandparents stood up for him and scolded his parents for allowing the behavior. That only escalated things into a fight between the adults at the table. Despite the chaos, he says he was just happy to enjoy a meal he genuinely loved. But the joy was short-lived. Later, his parents confronted him and said they knew he was the one who chose the restaurant, even though his grandparents had claimed responsibility. 'They told me I knew my brother didn't like it,' he recalls. He pushed back, reminding them that he's expected to go along with his brother's favorites all the time. 'He knows I don't like his favorite but [I have] to go there,' he told them. That didn't sit well with his parents. 'They told me not to turn it back on him, that I'm 16 and that's old enough to know better,' he says. They claimed part of being a good host is catering to your guests. But OP told them, 'He wasn't really my guest though,' which only made them more upset. Since then, the issue hasn't been dropped. His parents have brought it up several times and have even had more arguments with the grandparents because of it. Meanwhile, his brother has been lashing out in petty and childish ways. 'He threw water all over me and tried to make me eat mushrooms (ick),' he writes. The parents didn't discipline his brother for those actions. Instead, they blamed him, saying, 'It was my fault for the stunt with the restaurant.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He ends the post wondering if he was wrong for choosing his favorite place after so many years of being denied that simple joy. The reaction from readers makes it clear they don't think so. 'Good for your grandparents,' one commenter writes. 'Also, sounds like your parents are grooming a monster AH Golden Child.' He responds that it's not the first time his brother's behavior has caused tension with the rest of the family. 'They pissed off dad's side a couple of years ago when we all went to this really nice restaurant and he was loudly insulting the restaurant and the food.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Owner DNA Tests Dog for Health Clues—It's the Breed That Shocks Her
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A pet parent who adopted a dog about two months ago used a DNA test to hopefully find clues about the canine's health history. What she learned from the results left her stunned. Raquel, known on Reddit as u/BrushGlittering2337, told Newsweek that she adopted her dog, Belinda, from the Herding Dog Rescue of Central Oregon. The animal shelter said that the dog came in as a stray after a person found her in the middle of nowhere and searched for the dog's owners. "There is also a possibility that she fell out of the back of a truck," Raquel said. When Raquel first saw Belinda, the rescue listed her as a border collie. However, Raquel became skeptical. The short hair threw her off, leading her to believe Belinda might have been a border collie mix. But the details didn't matter. She knew Belinda would fit right at home with her. Curiosity got the best of Raquel, and she ordered a DNA test for the dog, mainly to be aware of potential health issues within her breed and personality traits. But to her shock, she learned Belinda was indeed a purebred border collie. Photos of a purebred border collie named Belinda that came to a rescue organization as a stray. Photos of a purebred border collie named Belinda that came to a rescue organization as a stray. BrushGlittering2337/Reddit The result left her questioning the reliability of these doggy DNA tests. She posted the story and pictures of Belinda to Reddit under the subreddit channel r/BorderCollie, hoping other pet parents could provide insight. "Part of my skepticism about Belinda being a pure border collie was due to her calm and quiet temperament," Raquel said. "She does not have the typical high-energy personality of a border collie, so I assumed she might be mixed with a calmer breed." Bred for herding sheep, border collies are energetic dogs and workaholics, according to the American Kennel Club. They're agile, athletic and known to be the smartest dog breeds. As far as personalities go, Belinda, on the other hand, is "so quiet." Raquel said she does not bark. She's patient with other dogs and people. And although the short fur confused Raquel, border collies have two types of coats: rough and smooth. The rough coat is medium-length and feathered, while the smooth coat, which Belinda has, is shorter and more coarse. Despite the surprise DNA result, she couldn't imagine her life without Belinda. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
CNET
4 hours ago
- CNET
Declutter Your Kitchen: Pro Chefs Detail the Most Useless Kitchen Tools
Our kitchens are filled with tools and gadgets that are supposed to make whipping up dinner easier. While essential kitchen utensils can speed up the process, not every option available is worth stuffing into your cabinets. A quality knife or kitchen shears are more versatile options that won't end up sitting in a drawer taking up space and collecting dust. Instead of chasing every buzzy new appliance, it pays to stick with gear that's functional, reliable and actually makes your life easier. To help you sort the essentials from the excess, we asked chefs and kitchen pros which gadgets are worth the hype -- and which ones are better left behind. Because when decluttering your kitchen, knowing what not to buy is just as important as knowing what to keep. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to do. Masaharu Morimoto Celebrity chef, restaurateur Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool.1. Mandolin Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe." What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife. Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a gimmicky kitchen tool when he sees one. Institute of Culinary Education 2. Onion holders Why: "These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it's meant to help you hold a whole onion and "chop" it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won't roll away. If you're trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork." What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way. 3. Onion goggles Save your money -- and some dignity -- and skip the onion goggles. Rubberball/Why: "A waste of money, as they don't form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead." What to try instead: CNET's Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying. 4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards Glass, stone and metal boards are OK for serving but when slicing and dicing, wood is the way to go. David Watsky/CNET Why: "Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly." What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options. 5. Chicken shredder Why: "I can't think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant and even restaurants don't use it. This item only has one purpose so I'd skip it." What to try instead: Two forks. 6. Herb stripper Why: "I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young I got suckered into believing this tool would help me … It's been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now." What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow. 7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer Instant read meat probes work fast and don't require a fussy Bluetooth connection. Chris Wedel/CNET Why: "These are a great tool but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals." What to try instead: ThermoPro's Lightning Instant Read Thermometer Cookbook author and lifestyle expert Cookbook author Peter Som didn't hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools. Peter Som 8. Electric can opener A manual can opener is cheaper, works great and is less likely to break. Nelson Aguilar/CNET Why: "Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they're more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual." What to try instead: Oxo's soft-handled can opener. Richard Ingraham Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebs like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union.9. Avocado slicer Why: "A knife and spoon do the job just as easily and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It's a one-trick pony that clutters drawers." What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof 10. Egg separator Separating an egg by hand isn't so difficult that it requires hardware. Yipengge/Getty Images Why: "A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks." The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks. What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well. 11. Garlic peeler tube Why: "Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget." What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable. 12. Pizza scissors Chef Ingraham says skip the scissors on pizza night. Zoranm/Getty Images Why: "A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they're worth." What to try instead: KitchenAid's stainless-steel pizza wheel. 13. Herb scissors Why: "They're hard to clean and don't offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef's knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them." What to try instead: Made In's 8-inch Chef Knife. 14. Electric egg cooker Why: "Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove." What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave. 15. Butter cutter and dispenser A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance. Williams Sonoma Why: "It slices sticks of butter into pats … but why? A knife works instantly and you don't have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it." What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade. 16. Pasta measurer Why: "It's a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It's not worth the drawer space." What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements. 17. Oil mister Why: "Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration." What to try instead: World Market's olive oil cruet. 18. Electric potato peeler A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to skin a batch of potatoes. Capelle.r/Getty Images Why: "Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it's overkill unless you're peeling dozens of potatoes at once." What to try instead: Oxo's Swivel peeler. 19. Bagel guillotine Why: "Sold as a safer way to slice bagels but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine." What to try instead: Opinel's 8-inch bread knife. Jackie Carnesi Executive chef, Kellogg's Diner Jackie Carnesi StarChefs 20. Oven mitts There's a reason pro chefs don't use oven mitts. Webstaurant Why: "Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen. A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it's more likely to be washed regularly. I don't know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough ... it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn't warrant regular cleaning. It does." What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.
