In-laws

In-laws. This word can inspire happiness or dread in a married person, and sometimes just a neutral reaction. There are a lot of stereotypical representations of in-laws being irritating, rude, contentious, or just a nuisance. The most recent example of this sterotype that I saw in the media was from the show “Cobra Kai” . To briefly explain, Cobra Kai is a TV show that is based off of the Karate Kid movies. The wife of Danny LaRusso does not get along with her mother-in-law, who criticizes her constantly on the way that she cooks, and the way that she conducts herself as a working mother. There is another type of in-laws that is not usually represented in the media. This is the type of in-law that acts as an adopted family for the daughter or son-in-law. They could get along really well, or be the family that the spouse never had. I know of a young woman in my ward that has a very toxic family, and has cut off all contact with her family, and absolutely adores her in-laws. Whether your experience with in-laws is one or other, or a mix of both, almost every married couple has to deal with in-laws.

Building a relationship with your in-laws is very important. You never know what could happen, and there may be a time where you need to rely heavily on your in-laws. If you do not have a good relationship with your in-laws, they will not be too willing to help you. If you do have a good relationship, thy can be a saving grace. It is also important to have a good relationship with in-laws so that your children will not have to deal with contention between you and your in-laws. You could also give your children a biased view of their relatives, making them miss out on what could be a great relationship.

I had a lot of issues with my in-laws at first. They were (and are) almost the exact opposite of my family, in terms of finance, the way they conducted themselves, the way they treated others, their way of living, manners, and many other things. I did not understand them at all, and had a very difficult time with my mother-in-law when I was engaged and planning my wedding. It got to a point where I didn’t want any contact with them at all. In the past few months, however, I have been able to gain a better relationship with them, and have been trying really hard to be kind and polite. I have found that if I do that, they do the same as well. I hope to continue to build a relationship with them, to be able to understand them better, and so that my future children can have a good relationship with them as well.