My name is Sarah (37F), and I have been with my boyfriend, David (34M), for four years. In July, I moved across multiple states to live with him and his daughter, whom he has majority custody of. At the time, David’s parents were struggling financially and since his mom is disabled and speaks no English, we thought it would be a good idea to have them move in with us. David had already been covering most of their expenses before I arrived, including all the rent.
At first, things went well but then everything unraveled. David’s daughter has ADHD and other behavioral challenges. so, we sought professional help therapy, medication and specialized programs which helped her improve significantly. However, this change triggered hostility from David’s mom. She accused me of stealing the child from her and even threatened to harm both David and me.
Despite being kicked out multiple times, his parents refused to leave, citing tenants’ rights. They even manipulated the daughter, telling her she could live with her biological mother and making other harmful remarks. The breaking point came when they told the child I was ugly and that they hoped I would die soon.
We tried setting boundaries. We limited their contact with the child to supervised visits only, but they continued to overstep. David’s mom would berate me whenever David wasn’t home, telling me I’d never be a real mom because I can’t have biological children. She claimed David would eventually beat me and they’d call the cops for me.
Despite offering to cover two weeks of hotel expenses, they refused to move out. We even discovered David’s dad snooping through our bedroom on camera. His parents don’t have relationships with their other children or even their other grandchild, which speaks volumes.
Due to tenant laws in our state and a “peace” clause in our lease, we can’t just force them out without risking eviction ourselves. We’re stuck until January when their dependent status expires.
This entire situation has been a nightmare beyond anything I could have imagined.
Top Comments:
Comment: “Why all are terrible parents because why are why all repeatedly giving her access to the child?”
Reply: “The daughter is only allowed to say hi to the grandparents when her dad is present. She was given access previously because we didn’t know what was going on. Thanks for the very judgmental comment.”
Comment: “Stop answering the door, especially if you are busy. Your husband can deal with the fallout.”
Reply: “We can’t, unfortunately. David’s dad was supposed to move back to their home country when I moved in but didn’t. There’s also a ‘peace’ clause in our lease that would get all of us evicted if there’s conflict and dependents have rights in our state.”
Final Thoughts:
This story highlights a deeply complex family dynamic strained by cultural, legal, and emotional challenges. The significant issues involve manipulation, tenant laws, and strained familial relationships. The couple seems trapped by legal constraints and past decisions rooted in good intentions.
Source: r/motherinlawsfromhell