When will people here understand that you can’t barge into someone else’s house with your own rules? Even if it’s your son’s house, it’s not your mother-in-law’s!
Long before the birth, my mother-in-law said she’d come over every weekend to help with the baby. I felt awkward refusing her help, so I told my husband. But he was surprised, saying I couldn’t count on him, he was working, and that my mother should help. Especially since I’d asked for it.
I wasn’t counting on my husband; after three years of marriage, I’ve already learned that he’s not accustomed to housework. God forbid I bother him on the weekends to help with the cleaning; it’s easier to do it myself.
And now my mother-in-law is here every Saturday and Sunday. She fusses, doing things that aren’t even necessary. She asked me to just watch the baby and take him for a walk if she came. In that time, I’d clean, cook, and get some sleep. Although my mother-in-law brings her own food (thanks to her for that). But I’ve told her a million times that I only iron my husband’s shirts and summer clothes, and not even all of them. She starts ironing the bed linens, which I never iron.
So I stopped my mother-in-law from ironing with one simple phrase. I told her I’d let her pay the electricity bill. That was it, she calmed down. But I could see she didn’t like it. I replied that she’d already neglected her house, and I’m still unhappy.
Now I want to refuse such help altogether, but I know my mother-in-law will be offended.