Navigating Communication with Your Mother-in-Law

In a healthy family relationship, members can come together to compromise and discuss things despite differences in opinion. But if you find yourself being told that you are not allowed to speak to your mother-in-law or her family, you may be wondering what the best course of action is.

When it comes to dealing with your mother-in-law, it is important to remember that family law places a large amount of power in the hands of your spouse's parents. No matter how emotionally harmful it may be to you, they are essentially allowed to control who their child interacts with, even if that person is already married into their family.

That being said, if you find yourself in a difficult situation such as this, it is important to remain calm and avoid escalating the situation. If you get angry, it could make your mother-in-law believe she was right about her decision. In order for a solution to be reached, both parties must talk to each other in a respectful manner.

The first step you should take is to speak with your spouse. Ask your spouse how they feel about their parents' decision and how you can resolve it. Explain that while you understand everyone has different expectations of their family interactions, you would still like to maintain some sort of communication with them. Make sure to listen to what your spouse says and be understanding.

The next step would be to reach out to your mother-in-law. Keep in mind that it is likely that your mother-in-law is feeling hurt or angry which could be why she is not allowing direct contact between you and her family. Make sure to keep your communication with her respectful and clear. Offer to work on building a better relationship with her and her family if that is something that she would be interested in doing.

If your mother-in-law is still unconvinced, you can try to compromise with her and her family. This might include promising to send family updates through your spouse or agreeing to meet up in groups if that is more comfortable to your mother-in-law.

If all attempts to balance both perspectives fail, you may need to look into taking legal action. Speak with a lawyer to gain more insight into how you can get your mother-in-law to reconsider her decision.

It is also important for you to remember that, no matter what your mother-in-law does or says, you are in charge of deciding how you will respond. You may decide to continue to be courteous to your mother-in-law, but it is also important to have boundaries and take care of yourself by avoiding verbal attacks or physical confrontations.

Getting along with your mother-in-law can be incredibly tough but it is possible. Try to remain calm and respect your mother-in-law for the choices she is making for her family. By doing this, you will be able to create the kind of connection you want with your mother-in-law and her family, if it can be achieved at all.