Is my MIL highly intuitive or listening in somehow?

[Anonymous]

I’ve always wondered but thought myself insane for thinking my MIL was somehow listening in to DD and my household conversations. I’ve never mentioned it to anyone and instead made it this quite game I played with myself because, it’s insane, right?

But my tween DD came up to me today and out of nowhere said mom, I think grandma is secretly listening to our conversations. I guess she had her own experience! We were in her room and she randomly mentioned something off the wall and obscure to me. When she later visited her grandma, grandma mentioned the random and obscure thing. (Along the lines of ‘I just saw a TikTok of black Nike socks with a green Swoosh. I’d like those.’) She said she had noticed before that her grandma always seems to know things we discuss, almost like she was listening.

I don’t know how to respond but now I’m sort of freaking out. Could she have bugged something? Is there an app she could have installed on her iPad? I sound totally insane but this doesn’t make sense otherwise, does it?

[Anonymous]

And she spends her whole day just listening to your families conversations?

[Anonymous]

Say something she can't resist responding to.

Like - I think we should run to Mexico. We can't tell dad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Say something she can't resist responding to.

Like - I think we should run to Mexico. We can't tell dad.

Yes. Do this. It would not be that hard for her to have bugged your house.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever tried to trick your phone into showing you ads- like you start talking about dinosaurs constantly in the house to see if Dino ads will start popping up. Do that. Start talking about a family trip to a nice but unique location and see if she mentions it.

[Anonymous]

Is MIL an otherwise difficult person who has issues with boundaries? I think you need to test her as others have suggested. What is DH's relationship like with MIL and the rest of his family?

[Anonymous]

You should test it on something more provocative.

Plan a secret move to Canada with your daughter with frequent reminders to “not tell dad.”

[Anonymous]

She may be an intuitive.

[Anonymous]

Is there a way for people to see what you view on tik tok?

[Anonymous]

It is possible. With technology like phone bugs and nanny cams, it is absolutely possible.

I wouldn’t do the “let’s go to Mexico” thing, because that’s outlandish. Think of something else, like “Don’t tell grandma, but we won’t be doing Christmas with her anymore because she was rude to me.”

It’s harmless if she’s not listening, and it’s helpful if she is. Set a trap. Write an email to yourself and DD and send it ahead of time so there is a time stamp: “On August 1, Carla and Larla decided to play a prank on Mary to see if she’s listening to our conversations.” Describe in detail what you will do and send the email to yourselves so there is a time stamp.

[Anonymous]

Could one of your kids signed in or used your MIL tablet or phone for something? Their login could be influencing what shows up on her device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And she spends her whole day just listening to your families conversations?

I’m not suggesting that, but some of the things she knows are awfully convenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is possible. With technology like phone bugs and nanny cams, it is absolutely possible.

I wouldn’t do the “let’s go to Mexico” thing, because that’s outlandish. Think of something else, like “Don’t tell grandma, but we won’t be doing Christmas with her anymore because she was rude to me.”

It’s harmless if she’s not listening, and it’s helpful if she is. Set a trap. Write an email to yourself and DD and send it ahead of time so there is a time stamp: “On August 1, Carla and Larla decided to play a prank on Mary to see if she’s listening to our conversations.” Describe in detail what you will do and send the email to yourselves so there is a time stamp.

What? And cause unnecessary family drama? Poor advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is MIL an otherwise difficult person who has issues with boundaries? I think you need to test her as others have suggested. What is DH's relationship like with MIL and the rest of his family?

Yes and no. She has her moments where she’s difficult, but other times she is so pleasant. DH isn’t particularly close with her, and not close with extended family at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way for people to see what you view on tik tok?

That was just a similar example.