My MIL has always been weirdly jealous and competitive about our children, they have to look like their side of the family and would insist they look like her great aunt Gertrude instead of acknowledging they look like their own Mother
Anyway we have spent Christmas with both sets of parents this year, hosted at my parents (we do this every year as we all get on and like to have Christmas Day with both sets of parents) Every time my Mum mentioned my daughter my MIL had to interrupt and say “Well when Lily was at my house last week…” or “Lily reminds me so much of my son when he was a child, Ginagogo didn’t get a look in with these 2 did she” and it’s absolutely constant to the point my mum feels like she can’t mention anything as my MIL acts like it’s a competition and gets argumentative. If my mum says something about my daughter, my MIL will disagree and say the opposite. It ended today with my MIL giving everyone the silent treatment when she found out we are having my parents over for lunch tomorrow, even though my PIL have plans to visit my SIL and her children 2 hours away
Shes always been a bit like this but it’s really ramped up recently. We do see my parents more as my kids aren’t at school yet and they are retired, where as my in-laws still work full time. MIL seems miffed if I mention time spent with my parents. We see PIL every other weekend at least so it’s not like we don’t see them.
Does anyone have any advice how I can squash this? My husband wants to bring it up but I’ve said no as I don’t want to cause any hostility