5 Ways to Enjoy a Better Relationship with Your Mother-in-law
Does the word mother-in-law remind you of the movie ‘Monster-in-Law’, where Jennifer Lopez survives an ‘epic’ battle against her would be mother-in-law? This particular relationship is often viewed as inherently bitter one, but it need not be so if you take care of certain simple things. You need to accept the fact that as long as you love your husband, you can’t avoid your mother-in-law. She is there to stay in your life, so why not try having a better bonding with her? Enlisted here are 5 simple ways to enjoy a better relationship with your mother-in-law.
1. Don’t compete with her
The root cause of the bitterness stems from the fact that there’s an endless competition going on between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to prove who is better. Whether it’s cooking, or taking care of the family, or raising kids or choosing a dress – everything seems to become a battle where both women try to outdo each other. Take a break from all this. Just learn to co-exist rather than compete all the time.
2. Plan an exclusive time-out with her
Every once in a while, plan something just for you and her. It can be as simple as going shopping together, or just going to the park, or may be having a quick lunch together. No matter how many differences you two may have, gradually your mother-in-law will surely appreciate your efforts and will reciprocate accordingly.
3. Let her feel important sometimes
We all know how much you may dislike when your hubby chimes in, “Oh my mom makes delicious cookies or her apple pies are to die for”. But use all this positively. The next time you meet your mom-in-law, tell her how her son misses her cookies/pies. She’ll feel happy and the next thing you know you’ll have free snacks coming your way from her kitchen! Just sit back and enjoy them!