When my mother-in-law announced that she planned to visit us, my wife and I were happy. We lived quite far away, and her visits were rare, so this time we couldn’t object.
When our children grew up, they became too busy with their own lives to visit their grandmother except during holidays. However, my wife grew a bit anxious, recalling a previous situation when my mother-in-law visited her younger daughter, Emily.
A few days after that visit, Emily unexpectedly sent her mother home, which caused a brief argument between them. As expected, my mother-in-law arrived with plenty of food and gifts.
At first, the atmosphere was pleasant and friendly, but it quickly changed when my mother-in-law started acting like the head of the house. From complaining about my morning coffee to rearranging our home – nothing seemed to suit her.
The constant criticism wore on our nerves, and my wife and I found ourselves in the same situation as Emily.
We decided to send her back home. As expected, it sparked some outrage. After her departure, the house became quieter. A week later, while we were still not speaking with my mother-in-law, Emily called to express her dissatisfaction with our behavior.
That evening, my wife and I reflected on why our parents become increasingly demanding as they age. We can only hope that we won’t become like that ourselves.
