Woman Demands Husband’s Parents Move Out or She’ll File for Divorce

A woman seeks advice from the Reddit community following an emotional conflict with her in-laws that has left her marriage on the line. She wonders if she is in the wrong for telling her husband that his parents must move out of their home, or she will file for divorce.

She explains that her husband’s parents, ages 78 and 80, have been living with them for four years. “I was completely on board with this arrangement since they really do love the opportunity to be close to my daughter,” she writes.

The problem, she says, centers on her mother-in-law, who often makes hurtful remarks. “She constantly makes disrespectful comments about my shopping habits, my clothes, like wearing shorts around my house or a swimsuit in our swimming pool,” she shares.

At first, she tried to ignore the comments, but over time, they became unbearable. She recalls one incident in particular when her mother-in-law “questioned why my name is on the house deed since my husband earns more.”

The woman notes that her husband did step in to defend her at that moment. “My husband overhears this conversation and told her she was being inappropriate,” she explains, adding that her mother-in-law was also “visibly angry when we bought a Mercedes to replace my old car.”

Finances are another area of tension, though she has made it clear she does not intend to discuss them with her husband’s mother. “I don’t discuss our finances with her because it’s none of her business,” she says.

Despite the ongoing friction, she and her husband have provided significant support for his parents. “We don’t charge them rent, we pay all the bills and their cell phones; they only help with some groceries,” she explains.

Still, her patience finally ran out during a recent interaction. “She asked if I had fed our dog and cat, which I hadn’t because they are on a strict diet and feeding schedule,” the woman writes, noting that her cat is 17 and her dog is 7.

According to her, the situation escalated when her mother-in-law twisted her words. “She then started talking to her husband right in front of me, putting words in my mouth and making it sound like I put her and her husband on schedule to feed our dog and cat which isn’t true,” she explains.

At that moment, she says she “finally snapped.” She recalls telling her mother-in-law that “if they continued living with us, I would separate from my husband because living with her is driving me insane.”

When her husband came home, she told him directly that his parents could no longer live under the same roof. “I told him his parents need to find another place to live, or we would divorce and sell the house,” she explains. “He agreed with me that they need to go.”

Even though her husband supports her, she admits she feels conflicted about the decision. “They can’t afford to rent anywhere near us since the cheapest rent in our town is around $3K,” she says.

She worries about the impact a move could have on his elderly parents. “If they move to a cheaper area, they’d be over an hour and a half away. They both have hearing and eyesight issues, making that drive difficult, and moving would limit their proximity to their only grandchild,” she explains.

The guilt weighs on her, even as she emphasizes she cannot continue living under these conditions. “I feel terrible about that, but I can’t live like this anymore,” she admits. “So, AITAH?”

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In an edit to her post, she clarifies the extent of financial support they provide. “In laws [do] not pay for anything, they’re included in my cellphone plan too. They buy groceries and pay for their car,” she notes.

She also highlights the strength of her marriage, which makes the ultimatum especially difficult. “My husband and I have been married for 20 years,” she writes.

One commenter tries to reassure her, writing, “NTA. There can’t be two queens in a hive. Perhaps they can get into some low income senior housing close to your house if you [give] them a little time.”

The woman responds, revealing that this conflict has come up before. “There was an issue before too which I suggested they move out, and then they said they will once their car is paid off,” she explains.

That car, she notes, “is 3 years old now.” She adds, “I’m not sure how I put up with it but I’m not waiting for another 6 months. I’m hoping they’ll find a place to live in 3 months.”