Most of us have a family member who gets under our skin. That’s family, right? You love and accept them, but sometimes you have to bite your tongue or leave the room when they’re around. In this episode of the iMOM Podcast, we talk about the different “difficult relative” personas and share strategies for how to enjoy gatherings and everyday moments with those we sometimes struggle to like.
What’s the tricky relationship in your life? Is it the mother-in-law who tries to undermine your parenting? The relative who has no boundaries? The person who talks politics and gets overheated? Or the person who is a bad example to your kids? For each of these types, Abby, Susan, Megan, and Chloe offer thoughts and ideas for responding and being a good example in front of the kids.
We also toss around the question: Is there ever a case when you should stop inviting a person or stop going to a person’s house? Maybe for you and the difficult relative in your life, the answer is yes. But for some, the choice to remove a relative from a holiday celebration or everyday life is done too quickly. Susan compares it to cancel culture and argues that relatives who are bad examples can still be welcomed and included. You have to talk to your kids about the behavior and help them learn from what they see and hear.
If you’re looking for some practical advice (Aren’t we all?), we’ve got some great ideas from some colleagues who have difficult relatives. You can try one at your next get-together or holiday and hopefully find peace. You may even discover a new appreciation for the person who’s tough to love.
Articles We Mentioned
5 Healthy Ways to Handle a Manipulative Mother-in-Law
5 Things to Help You Understand Your Mother-in-Law Problems
3 Ways You’re Creating Barriers Instead of Setting Boundaries
