A mom shared how her MIL has suddenly started giving her the cold shoulder, being passive-aggressive seemingly out of nowhere. Of course, MIL probably has some “reason” in her head, but it’s left the mom feeling drained and irritated.
It started with MIL coming over to wrap gifts that had been delivered to the house. She’d recently moved (again, apparently a whole other saga) and had all her packages sent to their home. The mom and her family had been sick all weekend, including their two-year-old, so they had to reschedule MIL’s visit to wrap gifts. When MIL finally came over, she didn’t say a word to the mom. No hello, no small talk just silence. She only spoke to the mom’s husband, completely icing her out.
What made it worse was the history. Last week, after MIL finished babysitting, the mom asked her if she was going to take her packages home, but MIL decided to leave them there, saying it’d be easier since Christmas was happening at their house. Fine, but still frustrating. Now, with MIL’s cold behavior, it feels like there’s always something with her.
To top it off, MIL’s coming back tomorrow for Christmas, and the mom is already dreading it. They’ve decided not to have her over first thing in the morning (like they did last year), which could be what’s bothering her now. Who knows? But her behavior has left the mom feeling “icky” and tired of tiptoeing around her moods.
“Smile at her. Talk to your husband in the same conversation and enjoy annoying her. Lol!”
“Ask her, ‘Are you okay? I’ve noticed you’re not talking to me.’”
“Mirror her behavior. Ignore her completely and act like she’s not even there.”
This story is all too relatable for anyone dealing with passive-aggressive family dynamics. Whether you choose humor, direct confrontation, or simply mirroring the behavior, the key takeaway is this: you don’t need to absorb someone else’s negativity. Focus on your family, your boundaries, and your peace. If MIL wants to sulk, that’s on her.