MIL nonstop chortle

[Anonymous]

We do not see MIL a lot, for a host of reasons. But when we do, there is nothing we can do about what I am about to describe, right?

She does this nonstop-laughter-chortle thing. I guess it is a nervous habit or something. She laughs nonstop, even at benign things.

Worse, she laughs when something goes wrong for someone, "to lighten the mood." For example, we are talking in the kitchen while I unload the dishwasher. I accidentally drop all of the silverware. She laughs/chortles/grunts nonstop. It is so weird and annoying. Somebody mentions that they received a traffic ticket.... chortle... laugh....grunt. Again, she seems to be doing this to "lighten the mood," but mostly it is just inappropriate. Not to mention annoying.

This is the not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but if we are together for 4 hours, she "chortles" for 4 hours. Make it stop!

[Anonymous]

This sounds so irritating but also you need to play "in appropriate laughter BINGO". If you get a full board, you get a donut on the way home.

[Anonymous]

Lol! That sounds so annoying!

[Anonymous]

If this were an episode of Grey's Anatomy, she would've been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

[Anonymous]

DD’s preschool teacher does this when she speaks with adults. Curriculum night was painful; she went over time probably because every other sentence was punctuated with a chortle. I can’t imagine being related to someone with this habit.

[Anonymous]

It's something anxious/nervous/kinda "wrong" with her. If you look at it from that perspective, hopefully you can find some compassion.

Might as well get over it, because it's not like she's suddenly going to stop doing that at 70+.

In a few years you might be kicking herself that that was your big complaint about her, as she ages and her health possibly deteriorates. Perspective.

[Anonymous]

My MIL has a tic where she scrunches her nose and raises her upper lip when she’s grossed out about something in the conversation. She does it often. I wish I had a mirror I could hold up when she does it. I feel like if she could see what she looks like, she would make an effort to stop. I bet that’s how you feel about the chortling!

[Anonymous]

I can see how that would be super annoying.

At the same time, when I was a child, I'd get a shit-eating grin on my face when I was nervous. At age 18, I laughed uncontrollably, like a case of the giggles, through my beloved grandmother's funeral. So although I've basically grown out of it, I also understand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do not see MIL a lot, for a host of reasons. But when we do, there is nothing we can do about what I am about to describe, right?

She does this nonstop-laughter-chortle thing. I guess it is a nervous habit or something. She laughs nonstop, even at benign things.

Worse, she laughs when something goes wrong for someone, "to lighten the mood." For example, we are talking in the kitchen while I unload the dishwasher. I accidentally drop all of the silverware. She laughs/chortles/grunts nonstop. It is so weird and annoying. Somebody mentions that they received a traffic ticket.... chortle... laugh....grunt. Again, she seems to be doing this to "lighten the mood," but mostly it is just inappropriate. Not to mention annoying.

This is the not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but if we are together for 4 hours, she "chortles" for 4 hours. Make it stop!

DP I wonder what our DIL's will complain about us when we are MIL. Makes you not so critical, of your MIL? ( or maybe not because some people believe they will be perfect)

[Anonymous]

My Mom used to SNIFF as a nervous habit. Sniff is a mild word for it, as it was a loud deep snot gurgling sound that would have you loosing your appetite at meal times.

[Anonymous]

Does your DH say if she's always done this? Does she know she's doing it?

[Anonymous]

I wish I could see this in person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this were an episode of Grey's Anatomy, she would've been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your DH say if she's always done this? Does she know she's doing it?

Honestly? What does it matter? She's likely in her 60s, 70s or beyond. Even if she is aware of it or is made aware of it, it's probably not changing. So all OP can change is her own expectation and level of acceptance.

[Anonymous]

Do you have kids? Nieces and nephews? Can you take a video of a family event or her with kids and send it to her? Maybe she can’t hear it because she is so used to it.