Letters to the Editor
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Some MILs must be the center of attention
I was amazed when I read the letter about the Mother-in-law. She could have been my late MIL. Except that mine was highly educated, a successful businesswoman, etc. Mine was a complete queen bee who expected the world to revolve around her, and woe to the person who did not do as s/he was commanded.
My kids' birthdays were not even about them, they were about her. I never got to sing Happy Birthday to my kids because as soon as I went into the kitchen to get the cake/matches/coffee/whatever, she would start the song.
Christmas meant her gifts had to be opened when she arrived, rather than when the family was all together.
As she got older she became more and more self-centered until finally when her health began failing, she was put in a nursing home. Her antics there were so bad that she got kicked out.
At the end of her life she paid huge amounts of money for caretakers who would put up with her eccentricities, even though she could have done much to actually care for herself.
Her grandkids were glad to see her go. The command performances were tedious. She expected visits from them (an hour's drive each way) but after they had been there 10 minutes, she was bored with them and she just wanted to talk about her.
I could go on and on. There were times I enjoyed her but most of the time she drove me up the wall.
LW is tied to this woman for the rest of her life because of the child. LW needs her husband's support, a sense of humor, and someone she can vent to about her MIL. LW is not crazy. Cary does not really understand this situation.