When you marry someone, you often marry their family too—who can either provide tremendous support or create additional challenges. For this new mom, pregnancy should have drawn the family closer, but instead, she faced a barrage of rude comments from her in-laws.
A Canadian woman living in Germany opened up about her feelings of being judged and criticized by her husband’s family, who made hurtful remarks in German, believing she wouldn’t understand. After enduring their negativity for some time, she finally confronted them in their own language, leaving the family in shock. Keep reading to discover how the situation unfolded.
Family members can sometimes be unkind to your partner
Image credits: Candice Picard (not the actual photo)
A Canadian woman confronted her in-laws in German after enduring hurtful comments during her pregnancy
Image credits: August de Richelieu (not the actual photo)
Image credits: katemangostar (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Tara Raye (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Liza Summer (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Sea-Rip-9749
Partners should genuinely put effort into understanding their in-laws
When it comes to love, barriers like caste, background, or language often become unimportant. When you truly connect with someone, these factors seem secondary. Many couples bridge language gaps by learning each other’s mother tongues, or simply communicate in a language they both know well.
However, marrying someone often means forming bonds with their family too. Building a connection with in-laws can make a big difference in family harmony, and it helps to engage with their culture and traditions.
Spending time with your in-laws on holidays or special family occasions is one way to show you care. These shared moments create memories and can help build a foundation of trust and understanding.
Another thoughtful gesture is trying to learn their language. Even picking up a few common phrases can go a long way in showing respect for their background and making them feel valued.
Trying to understand your in-laws’ values, traditions, and perspectives can help foster mutual respect
With in-laws, honesty often works best. Openly sharing your likes, dislikes, and expectations allows them to get to know you better. Being upfront about what bothers you can clear up misunderstandings early on, and it’s equally important to listen to their perspectives.
Try to avoid taking things too personally. At times, you may feel the need to step back and see things from their perspective. Understanding their intentions and values can help avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Sometimes, it takes a little extra effort to build empathy for your in-laws. This can mean stepping into their shoes for a moment to appreciate their viewpoints, even if they don’t align with yours.
In this particular story, the in-laws were clearly in the wrong for speaking negatively about the author behind her back. But it raises an interesting question—was it right for the author to keep secrets from them? Have you ever had a challenging experience with in-laws? How did you handle it? Share your thoughts and stories with us.
The majority of readers took the author’s side, assuring her that she did nothing wrong
English (US) ·