MIL is visiting at the moment - we live in different countries so we see her maybe 4-5 times a year face to face.
She's always been quite mean to me over the years about my job. She is very traditional and thinks women should be sahm. She seems incredulous that I have had (what I consider) a professional career after graduating 10 years ago. I work in Marketing and she is quite snooty about it, and says she she thinks it's not difficult. Yesterday she seemed very surprised that I manage people and was asking what my job title was, and said "gosh I can't believe you are in a senior job, I bet you didn't expect that!"
Now we have DC she makes it clear that she disapproves of me going back to work part time and she has said things like "poor you, having to work" and "do you not feel terribly guilty leaving DC with strangers?"
She tells stories about her friends children or other family members who've had tearaway teens or tricky periods and says things like "I think it's because the mother works and isn't there for her children" or "he/she would be a more normal child if the mother didn't work".
I usually bite my tongue, smile and ignore but it makes me feel sad. Perhaps it's playing on my feeling sorry of guilt - of course I feel a touch guilty about putting DC in childcare but I have to work out of financial necessity. I also find it rewarding and makes me feel useful.
DH says just to ignore the comments but I find them quite waring, and I suppose they play on my self confidence. What's the best way to deal with it? Anyone have any good responses?