MIL and I can't get along

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a MIL who resents me and tries to manipulate me into doing what she wants. She's tried every trick in the book, kissing up to me, attempting to shame, scare and threaten me, tried replacing me, tried railroading me. I am always polite and pleasant to her, but I keep my mouth shut around her, stay on guard, and never back down. A bad MIL is like a bad coworker who's related to the boss. Just treat her like that. Give no ammo, be on guard, and avoid.

My MIL goes around pretending to others that she lurves me and thinks I'm soooo sweet, because she needs to put on a good face at all costs. When she gets me alone, though, it's bad.

OP here. I am so sorry to hear! She sounds awful. Maybe she knows my MIL - I bet they sit around at golf or bridge and tell DIL stories about how supposedly "awful" we are - when we don't do anything at all

Your analogy struck me, as DH has given his family members really great jobs - careers, actually. Talk about thankless. No more mixing business and family, that is for sure!

[Anonymous]

OP again. I have a feeling MIL was always difficult - and getting worse with age; so I should feel that this is less "on me", so to speak.