Do In-Laws Get a Bad Rap?
In-law relationships are close by design, not by choice. No wonder conflicts can arise. But a good in-law relationship, if it’s possible, is worth investing in. Here’s how to have difficult conversations- and more importantly, when to let things go.
In-law relationships are close by design, not by choice. No wonder they're complicated. We heard from listeners who have fantastic in-laws, and others for whom no contact at all is the only option.
In this episode, we discuss
- whether mothers-in-law, in particular, get a bad rap
- how many sit-downs you're allowed to have ever (spoiler alert: three)
- how to operate from a standpoint of maximum available generosity
- how to "watch your ratios" to improve your relationship with your spouse's parents
Here are links to research and other writing on the topic that we discuss in this episode:
Madeleine A. Fugère Ph.D. for Psychology Today: Why You and Your Mother-in-Law May Not Get Along
Karen L. Fingerman, Megan Gilligan, Laura VanderDrift, and Lindsay Pitzer: In-law Relationships Before and After Marriage
Margarita Tartakovsky for Psych Central: How Healthy Couples Deal with Their In-Laws
The Naked Marriage Podcast: Healthy Boundaries with In-Laws
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