It’s official- four out of ten women have an ‘uneasy’ relationship with their mother-in-law. Research revealed millions of women find themselves in daily battles with their other half’s mom over everything from style and fashion to how to bring up the kids.
The report also found as many as one in ten women are currently not speaking to their mother-in-law following a particularly bitter bust-up.
Sharing their opinions on how to raise the children was the most common bone of contention, followed by acting as if they know what’s best for the kids.
Constantly stating ‘In my day, we did it like this ..’ also ranked highly, as did taking credit for all her son’s good points because ‘he takes after her’.
References to weight and fashion sense also cause friction, the report revealed.
The issues emerged following a study carried out among 2,000 adults by OnePoll- their spokesman commented:
”There are many good things about mother-in-laws, such as them always being around to lend a hand with the babysitting.
”But the report seems to suggest they also know exactly how to push the buttons of their daughter in law, if they want to make a point.
”Raising children is always going to be a contentious issue, but this emerged as the most common cause for arguments.
”Perhaps age-old jokes about the mother-in-law still have a place in our society for the time being.”
The study also found 41% of women have asked their partner to have a word with their mother because of something their mother-in-law has said or done.
A similar number have fallen out with their mother-in-law because of something they have said or done, with almost one in ten (8%) saying this is a regular occurrence.
18% refused to speak to their mother-in-law following something they said or did which upset them.
Around half of women have argued with their partner about the mother-in-law, with 38% even admitting their partner’s mother has put a strain on their relationship.
Shockingly, more than one in twenty have even broken up with someone because of their mother-in-law, while another 15% have come close to a split over it (that’s a total of one in five who’ve had a relationship suffer because of the mother in law).
MOTHER-IN-LAWS’ WORST TRAITS
1. Sharing their opinions on how to raise your children
2. Acting like they know what’s best
3. Declaring ‘In my day, we did it like this … ‘
4. Criticising your mothering skills
5. Giving your children too much junk food
6. Acting as if she knows what your children like and don’t like
7. Not listening
8. Making out they know their child better than you
9. Tidying up on arriving at your house
10. Interfering in financial matters
11. Taking credit for her son’s good points because he ‘takes after her’
12. Asking her son ‘are you eating well enough, you look thin’
13. Telling mom ‘You could do with losing a bit of weight’
14. Insisting on talking on a landline rather than a mobile
15. Declaring ‘You need to get started on my grandchildren, you aren’t getting any younger.’
16. Asking your partner to keep a secret from you
17. Criticising your outfit
18. Refusing to listen to your tips when she is babysitting because ‘she’s had her own children’
19. Criticising meals you serve because you ‘don’t cook enough from scratch’
20. Buying a plug-in air freshener when she is staying with you
WORST MOTHER-IN-LAWS
1. Margaret
2. Marjorie
3. Brenda
4. Linda
5. Maureen
6. Peggy
7. Angela
8. Barbara
9. Patricia
10. Cynthia