I don’t even know where to start, but I need to get this off my chest before I lose it completely.
So, I’m divorcing my husband, Alex, and I moved out with my kids, Harper (8) and Milo (5). Things were finally starting to feel normal, like I could breathe again, when my MIL, Joan, showed up at my door.
At first, she acted… normal. Smiled, asked about the kids, even brought cookies. I let her in, thinking maybe we could be civil for the kids’ sake.
The first hour was fine. We chatted politely, she complimented the house, asked about school. But then the subtle hints started, comments about how I “shouldn’t give up on Alex” and how he “was miserable without me.”
I tried to brush it off, told myself it was harmless. But inside, I felt uneasy.
A few days later, she came back. This time, it wasn’t just comments. I started finding little notes in my mailbox. The first ones were vague, things like “think about your family” or “Alex misses you.” But then she escalated.
Last week, she showed up and started banging on the door. I just decided to ignore her. But no, big mistake. Flyers started showing up in neighbors’ mailboxes. She was telling everyone I had been cheating on Alex, which is completely false.
At first, I tried to ignore it, thinking, okay, just small-town gossip, it’ll blow over. But it didn’t. She began taping signs around the neighborhood with my name and insinuations that I was a bad mom. My neighbors started looking at me strangely and whispering behind my back.
My kids started coming home upset. Even parents at school started giving me these weird, suspicious looks. Harper asked me why people at school were whispering about me, and Milo said some kids were calling me a “bad mommy.” I felt like I was losing control of my own life.
I don’t know what to do. Move again? Call the cops? Talk to the neighbors? I feel guilty even thinking about it because I don’t want to argue, but at the same time… I can’t let this continue.
Has anyone else dealt with a MIL this manipulative? Am I crazy for feeling like my life is being ruined by someone who’s supposed to be family?
Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.
