Perhaps it's the holidays; But does anyone have in-laws, especially MILs who are NOT a total PITA?

[FargoFGS]

That's basically it. Does anyone have normal in-laws? Does anyone have a great mother-in-law? Do women change when they become a MIL?

Why all the angst and anger toward them? Surely no family is perfect. I can't understand why MILs get such a bad rep on here.

[wannaBe]

I am always at the comments from people accusing others of being smug. It's as if only misery is allowed on here and positive posts aren't because we must consider those who are miserable. Really there is nothing good about having that kind of attitude.

Some years ago I started a nice thread about my then dh and was told that starting positive threads about husbands wasn't on because some people were going through a hard time. wtf?

I like my ex mil. We are no longer in contact but she is generally a lovely person who I would still do anything for if that need arose. Me and ds used to go and stay there for a week in the summer holidays while xh was at work.

Tbh I do wonder about the mil stories on here and I suspect that a lot of them are somewhat embellished for maximum impact/sympathy. I have no doubt that there are some bitches out there, but I am always very about the types of posts which talk about e.g. the mil weeing on the dil's toothbrush or the ones talking about serving huge plates of food for all the family except the dil. yeah right.

[Hassled]

My MIL is a nice, generous, kind-hearted woman. Her only failing is that she's one of those people who says whatever is on her mind - usually that's something nice, because she is nice, but now and again she's blunt to the point of offence-causing.

I'm also a MIL and I jump through hoops of fire to not tick any of the Evil-MIL-As-Decided-By-MN boxes. I think DIL likes me.

[ThomasRichard]

Me. My MIL is lovely.

[OftheTwilighttheDarkness]

My PIL are pretty good. I am not particularly close to them, but they are great with the kids and are very generous.

[SaulGood]

I adore my MIL. She is a funny, kind-hearted and generous soul.

I am quite appreciative, like Trying, of how much she does that others moan about. She talks about 'our' babies when she means my dc and I love it. Her own baby produced them and she has such a visceral, instinctive love for them. They are part of her, absolutely. I love that she is so moved by their relationship. She also 'helps' and cooks and cleans and makes suggestions.

The thing is with IL threads is that one, you only see the bad and two, you only hear half the story.

[No1warnedme]

My MIL is fab but she and dh have an odd relationship (not very mother -son like) and she lives in a different country. In fact, I wouldn't mind if she was a bit closer!

[VeryEarlyDays]

my Mil is overbearing and interfering. we are going on holiday with them tomorrow and I'm so happy - she will whisk Ds off for breakfast when he wakes at 0600 and delight in choosing his clothes and playing with him while we have a lie in! bliss!
there is lots I could moan about but it's all well intentioned so I won't!

[Welshmaenad]

It's honestly one of the great sadnesses of my life that my ILs are berks, because i'd have loved a nice relationship with them. I've recent gone NC (DH and DC still see them, twice a year) and it's entirely of their own doing.

My ex boyfriend's parents, OTOH, are fucking fabulous, I'm still friends with them, and they are adorable with my DC (not their grandchildren).

[WoTmania]

My MIL not so much (but she lives 180 miles away so we rarely see her) but my aunts, uncles and cousins in law are fantastic.
My DH would also tell you his ILs are great - they've welcomed him into the family and bend over backwards to support both of us.

[Ludways]

She isn't perfect but she's great and I really like her.

[GrumpyOldBiddy2]

My MIL was a very grumpy woman, who sat in her chair and tutted at people if they were late or interrupted Richard and Judy - I was terrified of her. But she adored her grandkids and it was the only time I ever saw her smile.

OTOH, I'm a MIL and I'm fucking ace or deluded, one or the other

[Flutterbutterfly]

Mine is dull. She has nothing to say, literally nothing, she's bloody socially inept, she can't even manage a conversation with the children. She calls them and just says.....have you not got anything to say... Even when they were three.

[BretzeliBabas]

I fantasise about my MIL walking home from the pub drunk and falling in a ditch and knocking herself unconscious. Bitch. Apparently good MILs do exist though. My DSis has an amazing MIL; helps with the DCs, babysits whilst she does her christmas shopping, buys DSis lovely birthday presents, tells her she loves her and that her DS is so lucky to have her. Rather than being an abusive, money leech who questions why people bother having kids as they are all shits, including her own and mine.

[HerRoyalNotness]

My MIL is also lovely. In 10yrs Ive only seen her snap once and she puts up with a lot of BS tbh. From all of us. She is ever patient, thoughtful, kind and generous.

When we lived down the road, she wouldnt come in uninvited, she picked up the dog each day for company and would do yhe dishes while she was there.

Sadly we live abroad so dont see her often. Maybe thats key.

[morelikeguidelines]

Yes I do!

They have just had my dcs for five days because I had to work. They are really kind and lovely.

[misskatamari]

My mil is awesome. We share a love of crafting and are both obsessed with wool. It makes me really sad sometimes that we live so far from DhS family sometimes. They're a good 4 hours away so we don't see them often and I wish they were closer to share more of the day to day life stuff with (I mean seeing each other for a brew/meal etc, days out together etc, not childcare) I definitely lucked out with my pil and feel very lucky to have them

[contractor6]

My DH has fabulous in laws

[chickenfuckingpox]

i knew a wonderful lady i was engaged to her son for years she would have made a wonderful MIL unfortunately her son was a twat so i didn't marry him noooo i had to marry the one whose mother is a fruit cake and step mom is a psychopath who is also emotionally abusive himself so i really know how to pick them don't i

[redexpat]

Mine is wonderful. Loves us, loves her gc, will babysit while we go for date night, always sees the best in peopke.

[Leviticus]

I adore my MIL too and love being in her company. If something of note happens to me she's the first person I tell after DH.

[DustBunnyFarmer]

My MIL is ace. I asked her to be my 2nd birth partner (DH is a squeamish wuss) with DS1. When things got sticky we exchanged a look & I could see she completely got how frightened I was by the midwife's actions and was set to intervene/speak up for me, if needed. She was a very reassuring presence in labour. Has been respectful of our parenting approach and very supportive of me throughout my LTR with now DH.

[MrsNuckyThompson]

Lost my MIL last year to cancer in a brutally short battle. I miss her. I miss her on behalf of my son who will never get to know her and all her knowledge and ways! A lovely lady (mad as a box of frogs, obvs, but really I didn't fare too badly).

[PuntasticUsername]

My MIL is great. Occasionally we wind each other up over something completely trivial, but mostly we get on really well, see eye to eye on most things and I trust her (and FIL, who is also cool) entirely to look after our children regularly.

One of the many reasons I love mn is because it's told me how lucky I am with this - as a result, I value them and our relationship even more.

[elQuintoConyo]

Mil was wonderful, sadly died before dc were born.
Fil a very kindhearted, sweet, generous man who never butts in to anything that isn't his business.

DH's Fil is great fun, they have a lot in common. His Mil is a cold heartless cow (sorry to all moo cows out there). Luckily, she's northern Europe, we're southern

None of our parents cook or clean for us, babysit, lend us money etc. Dc is 3yo, so a long while yet before I have to discover a thread about me as a Mil!

[DonnaKebab66]

My mil is nice. She's not an evil witch, but nor is she amazing & like a second mum to me. She's a normal person with flaws and foibles like any other. Sometimes she irritates me; most of the time she doesn't. She'll be a part of my life as long as I'm with DH so it's in my best interests to get on with her!

^ this.

From me as well.