Dealing with inlaws and still being sane and happy

[quote="coccoo"]

dont mean 2 be insensitive ,sounds to me like they r different frm u, thats it . its probably a cultural n class difference.
what i dont understand is ....................... your parents n you never went to their place before u got married. surely u must have noticed that they r way too diifferent frm ur family. then y did u get married? and now u expect them esp ur husband to change???
do u believe its ok to expect or demand that?/QUOTE

They came to our place as well... hubby knew everything upfront... so why am I expected to change... why does he demand I change... if he wanted someone like his family heck he had multiple girls like that in their own family. why not choose someone who fits........

Re: Dealing with inlaws and still being sane and happy

it wasn't ur hubby's fault to pick u. it was urs to pick him. u had a better lifestyle then him so y he should feel bad. then a dil is alwayz acpected to change n become like her susral. they might hav thought that as well. if u didn't want to change u shouldn't hav married him. its u living with them not they living with u. so u hav to make compromises.

one thing u can do is stop going there often. let hubby go alone. don't say y u don't wanna go. just make up excuses that he galdly accepts too. but other times go. or invite them if u feel more comfy @ ur place. everytime they taunt just smile and say "yes i know i'm from mars" or ' khudaya u r soo funny" even laugh so loud like its the funniest thing u ever heard..that might shock them n they might stop eventually.

my point is a gal is expected to change as she s supposed to move in with the in laws.... even if livin away frm them .. she s expected to blend in with them . unless ofcourse .... the guy is movin in with the gals family .. in that case the guy is supposed to blend in . thats how things work here.

Re: Dealing with inlaws and still being sane and happy

automne... If you havent got the support of ur hubby and u want to make ur marriage work, the only thing i can suggest is dont say anything bad to him about his family. As Mystic said up there silence is the key to most probably over come the problem. Sooner or later hubby will realise that ur putting up with crap and will probably feel embarrassed about it. Patience is a virtue, u should continue as u are in your own house but they say when in rome do as the romans (or something like that). When ur at ur inlaws stay quiet, speak when spoken to, busy urself with children, forget about the adults if they are useless. All i can suggest is be patient for the sake of allah, if they force u beyond your tolerance to do something then take a stand. If they touch their feet and eat let them, they're eating from their own plates anyway, unless u dont trust the food thats cooked then thats just ew!

Everything I wanted to say to you is the summary of the above. I've been thru a similar situation.. not to that extent. I've learnt my lesson the hard way. Don't let all these issues get to ur head and ruin ur relationship with ur hubby. If u KNOW that ur hubby wont speak up for you (don't worry, most men wont in front of their moms/ elders) stop expecting that from him. Handle ur own issues urself. If u like being all clean and neat, just worry abt all that in ur own room. Decorate ur room.. outside of it, don't bother with anything. Also, goin to ur husband and complaining abt his family (be it his bhabi or whoever) will only make him see that YOU'RE the one who's constantly complaining. The others don't really care. So, please don't do that. It's no use...

Like cocoo said, we're the new additions in our husband's family. so it will take a long long time for them to stand for us. My bil always made my blood boil.. like he wud cut a tomato in half, and leave that face down on the rack in the fridge to spill all over... or warm the pizza slice in the oven on the grill so that the cheese melts all over the oven door/ at the bottom... spit (whatever he's chewing) directly into the kitchen garbage can not caring whether it fell inside or not... little things like that which grossed me out and bothered me INSANELY... and when I went to my hsuband.. he'd just say oh u watch his every move too much.... so my lesson learnt, just let them be. Stick to your own room.. clean up as much as u want in your own room, ur kids stuff.. ur husband's stuff.. DON'T take it up as ur duty to clean up ur inlaws mess like u would like to see it. Just do what's ur job, nothing more. Cuz at the end of the day, it wont matter to them. And instead of being vocal, be QUIET. Why do u need to give suggestions to everyone? Why can't u just hold a low profile and talk when spoken to??? Don't be such a mother teresa here.. stick to ur own business.

And try to pay them back in their own coins. If they make a certain mess a certain way, let it be. DON'T clean it up for them, or show them that ure being bothered. Pray to Allah to give u ur own independent household and for nothing to come in b/w ur husband and you. Instead of speaking up and complaining each time, let ur husband SEE for himself what you're putting up with!

i agree with straight up.

Sometimes people act rude because they sense that the person is looking down at them. I mean just look at your post and see how many negatives there are "bathameez" "jaahil" "their kids are being wasted", and "i can't hang out with my friends cuz im embarrased of them"WHEN you don't even LIVE with them!!!

Personally, I would never want to be like someone who could say all these horrible things even to their worst enemy.

Everyone has good and bad, and you see absolotely NO GOOD in them. Just the bad. Maybe if you spoke to them and about them with respect, acknowleged their good, they would like you more and maybe try to change. You don't change people by saying they're dirty, unkept people- you change people without saying a word, giving respect, acknowledging the good that they have, and setting an example- in short being a likeable person!

thank you all for all your suggestions, tips and ideas. Some of what you said was very helpful and other even though critical and offensive made a point or two.
Gulab jamun, when someone snaps or is at the end of their wits ...they are unlikely to see the positive in another.... and sadly I was at that position.... I am trying hard either to keep quiet, mind my own business or just wait this thing out patiently....

If I was looking down upon them I can easily say that my inlaws would not come to me when they need some help or guidance in terms of doing things... so enough incidents have shown me that they value my opinion. My initial mistake was trying to change them... I know now that I can't change anyone. and my point in writing this post was a venting venue.... I needed to let off some steam without going crazy... like i said earlier.. I don't play mindgames and when someone else plays mindgames it bugs me to no end.... and in his home he is the one who can put an end to it not me....

Thank you for taking the time out and pointing it out to someone you don't even know that they are a likeable person or not.... at least I say what I say after being around someone and seeing them upclose...you say that without even knowing someone...

Re: Dealing with inlaws and still being sane and happy

Automne, vent away my dear, vent away!

I would like to echo what some of the others have been saying, don't work on trying to change his family, leave them to their own devices and keep quiet for a while until you are accepted in a positive manner.

Focus on your own happiness within your own environment, but be friendly to the in-laws when you are in their environment. If you want to eat with a fork while they eat with their hands, it doesn't have to be a tension filled issue, just laugh it off and say you are not used to it or make a mess or something. Do something often enough and they will get used to it.

Another thing (again!) DO NOT COMPLAIN TO YOUR HUSBAND ABOUT HIS FAMILY - if you complain regularly, it won't mean anything. Be positive about them, and let him get used to your positivity. Then one day when you genuinely complain about something, he will sit up and pay attention.

LAST THING - About your jhaitaani - sounds like she is trying to maintain her place as head girl in the household. TAKE YOUR HUSBANDS advice - keep away from her, never be alone with her, IGNORE what she says. She sounds insecure and like a stirrer of trouble. These kind of venomous snakes whisper things in your ears and then whisper words of trouble in MIL / FIL's ears.

The thing that will wind up your jhaitaani up the most is to ignore what she says and NOT make a issue out of it.

All the best.

thank rh....

Yes I had a talk with hubby said positive things abt his family .... and told him he needs to stand up in his home.. I will not speak up against my jhaitani in my inlaws home and lose my respect by mil or fil....

I just used gs as a venting venue.... for some an unmade bed is their peeve point...for others it maybe something else.... for me its an unclean disorganized home.... (it doesn't have to be a mahal....any small or big apt can be maintained in a clean organized manner...thats my point)..... have I said that to them no never... where they have told me to sit.. I have sat...... no complaints to them ever.... and complaining to hubby or my family just sours what I have around me... on gs ...venting doesn't really sour my environment....

and my jhaitaani.... she is what she is...but past couple of months the games have changed and I just wanted to get it out over here while I was hot rather than with hubby....