Why does MIL make fun of everything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she is cognitively rigid, kind of boring, doesn't have very good social skills and is unsure how else to interact.

Paper towels vs napkins is not a thing worth mentioning. It's the kind of thing boring people talk about. Same with making the same "cartoon room" joke over and over.

I would just ignore and maybe try to steer the conversation toward things she can talk about. I'm going to guess she doesn't have a lot going on in her life if these are the conversation contributions she is making. Maybe ask her to reminisce about when she was a little girl?

Also, when all else fails I get my MIL to stop bringing up something by pretending I think she is developing dementia. "Yes, Larla, these are paper towels. Do you remember that's what we had a lunch time as well? You commented on it then, too. Do you remember that? Are you ok?" I only break that out when necessary, though.

This is the correct answer here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks really have cloth napkins for everyday dinners? That’s just odd to me.

We do. Everyone has a napkin ring and we switch the cloth napkins out every few days.

I hate paper napkins.

You don't wash them every time??

Not unless they need it.

Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using paper towels instead of napkins when you have guests over is tacky.

Mothers aren’t guests, they are family.

If you aren't living there full time then they are in a different category. Maybe go big and give someone a paper napkin over a paper towel, even if they are family.

+1. There may be differences in formality depending on who the guests are (my mom vs. the mayor), but all guests get a place setting with an actual napkin (paper/cloth, depending) instead of the half-sheet of paper towel that I use when eating snacks over the sink.

[Anonymous]

So, I am one of the, Whaa, you use paper towels as napkins? people. In honor of this discussion, I just used a paper towel, same one as OP uses, as a napkin. They are all kinds of rough on the mouth. But, I was willing to give it a try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I am one of the, Whaa, you use paper towels as napkins? people. In honor of this discussion, I just used a paper towel, same one as OP uses, as a napkin. They are all kinds of rough on the mouth. But, I was willing to give it a try.

I grew up in a paper towel as napkins house and I actually really don't like the ultra smooth heavy paper napkins! It doesn't feel like it's doing the job.

[Anonymous]

She sounds just kind of boring and petty. Was she like that when your husband was growing up? Or did she just lose her social filter in older age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:What’s so weird about wiping the food from a dinner plate into the trash using a paper towel? It’s not perhaps the most common practice but why is objectionable?

I'll set aside that OP isn't composting and is just tossing everything in the trash, but why not just use silverware to scrape off the plates?

Why not just use the paper towels?

It can be unsanitary. There is plenty of food that's going to seep through the paper towel and get on your fingers. Would you wipe the plate with your fingers?

This wins for most ridiculous comment in this thread.

+ 1000 OH THE HORROR I got food on my fingers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks really have cloth napkins for everyday dinners? That’s just odd to me.

We do. Everyone has a napkin ring and we switch the cloth napkins out every few days.

I hate paper napkins.

Ewww. I think it's gross that you reuse cloth napkins. I try to be environmentally friendly but I will not go there.

I think it’s gross that you are such a sloppy eater that you regularly dirty your napkin. Generally, ours stay perfectly clean, though we switch them out with some regularity and as needed.

[Anonymous]

Guys! Leave the napkins/paper towel thing alone! We get it, some of y’all are too fancy for the comfort napkin, aka jumbo paper towel roll plopped down in the middle of the table.

You are probably the kind of people who have fancy Santa napkins that they put out for company but g-d forbid anyone actually use one of those napkins.

Can we stay on topic to continue to discuss the jejune MIL?

[Anonymous]

Oh goodness. One last comment. I'm a frugal person here but with kids. So it totally makes sense to pluck a Tupperware of overdue leftovers from the fridge and use a "used" paper towel from the lunch to scoop out anything into the trash in one whole unit rather than use a sponge or a cloth and getting it in my drain. Same with wiping out a greasy pan. Using a "used" paper towel makes so much more sense than a new one, and I'm wrecking the earth at half the pace as y'all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do folks really have cloth napkins for everyday dinners? That’s just odd to me.

Yes. We have used cloth napkins for every meal for 10+ years. We have fancy cloth napkins we iron for holidays and every day cloth napkins. We have a drawer in our buffet filled with folded napkins and a different drawer that has a basket for dirty napkins. When the dirty napkin basket is full, the kids take it to the laundry room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks really have cloth napkins for everyday dinners? That’s just odd to me.

Yes. We have used cloth napkins for every meal for 10+ years. We have fancy cloth napkins we iron for holidays and every day cloth napkins. We have a drawer in our buffet filled with folded napkins and a different drawer that has a basket for dirty napkins. When the dirty napkin basket is full, the kids take it to the laundry room.

And unlike the other poster, we all use a clean napkin for every meal. It’s not even a full load at the end of the week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do folks really have cloth napkins for everyday dinners? That’s just odd to me.

Yes. We have used cloth napkins for every meal for 10+ years. We have fancy cloth napkins we iron for holidays and every day cloth napkins. We have a drawer in our buffet filled with folded napkins and a different drawer that has a basket for dirty napkins. When the dirty napkin basket is full, the kids take it to the laundry room.

Wait, there's a drawer of crusty dirty napkins? I feel like that's something I'll find when I clean out an old relatives house after they pass.

[Anonymous]

It’s raging insecurity, and it’s annoying as hell to listen to.

[Anonymous]

The paper towel topic seems to be covered to death here, but the comment about the Lego seems crazy. Her SON is engaged with her GRANDSON in a creative ongoing project they're bonding over! They're not playing video games, the dad is not ignoring his son to go hide in the bedroom with his phone.

She's crazy to harp on this.