"This should help with those wrinkles you're getting": 27-year-old snaps at mother-in-law after she continually gives her gifts with an insult, husband takes mother's side

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Jul 7, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Welcome back people of the internet. Not everyone is gifted a mother-in-law that they like. In fact, MIL's have a stereotype of being controlling, domineering, and maybe a little too in love with their son. Mama's boys are everywhere, and if you find yourself married to one, just make sure he likes your cooking more than his mother's. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, as they say. 
 

Do you know where this stereotype about MIL's originated? It's actually ancient and esoteric, entangled in "mother" stereotypes in general. It all started in ancient Greece, with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, fertility, and beauty, and her handsome son Eros, or Cupid in Roman mythology. Although in Greek mythology he wasn't a baby, he retained the iconic magical arrow that withholds powers of meretricious love. 


He accidently pokes himself with one of his arrows, and falls in love with non other than a mortal woman, the exact woman that Aphrodite wanted punished for her beauty, Psyche. Although the story below doesn't entail Greek mythology, it's a story for the ages. Read the full situation below.

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  • 01

    AITAH for telling my mother in law I don’t want her gifts anymore?

    "Every gift has a message of 'you're not good enough""
    via JackF from Getty Images / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    So here's the thing. Every time she gives me something anything there's always a hidden jab. Like one time, she gave me this expensive face cream. Cool, right?
    via u/No_Principle_984

  • I can't believe the woman's husband takes his mother's side. It's extremely disrespectful to give someone a gift and then point out their flaws. Wrinkles, weight, and cooking skills? It's all really really disrespectful and not okay. The husband should be telling his mom to back off, not encouraging her. 

  • 03
    Except she goes, "This should help with those little wrinkles you're getting." I'm 27. I don't even have wrinkles. Another time,
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 04
    she got me a cookbook. Sounds sweet until she says, "Maybe this will help your cooking taste a little more like real food." I swear I felt my soul leave my body. And she
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 05
    said it right in front of her son my husband and he just laughed like she made a funny little joke. But it's not funny. It's every single
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 06
    time. Every "gift" has a message you're not good enough, you're not doing enough, you'll never be enough. I've tried to let it go. I
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10526384896
    via Yuganov Konstantin / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    tried smiling through it. I tried being polite. I even told myself, "At least she's giving you something." But last weekend, she handed me this super fancy dress.
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 09
    I was stunned, until she said, "Finally, something flattering. You really shouldn't wear those tight tops you know your shape can't handle it.” I just... snapped.
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 10
    I looked her straight in the eye and said, "You know what? I don't need gifts that come with insults. Keep them." She gasped like I
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 11
    slapped her. My husband got mad and said I embarrassed his mom. Now she's playing victim, saying I threw her kindness back in her face. But like... is it really
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 12
    kindness if it makes me feel like crop every time? He thinks I overreacted. I think I finally stood up for myself. But now
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 13
    everything's tense. Like, walking on eggshells level tense. So now I'm stuck questioning myself. Was Ir de? Did I go too far? AITA?
    via u/No_Principle_984
  • 14
    Cute-Profession9983 7h ago You have a husband problem. He has allowed this and laughed along with his mean girl mom. Have oil considered you married an @$$hat and like mother like so?
    via u/Cute-Profession9983
  • 15
    universalrefuse ⚫ 7h ago Here, MIL, I got you this perfume - It should help with the old lady smell. Here, MIL, I got this lotion I
    via u/universalrefuse
  • 16
    thought you might like - it's supposed to help with liver spots! Here, MIL, I got you some flowers, they should help cheer your house up a bit.
    via u/universalrefuse
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10526386432
    via 89Stocker / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 18
    Scarlette MayWest ⚫ 7h ago NTA My late MIL was like that, but usually did it when my husband was not around.
    via u/ScarletteMayWest
  • 19
    However, even if I told him, he would not say anything. It harmed our marriage. However, her gifts were not always tied to insults. There were too many insults for that.
    via u/ScarletteMayWest
  • 20
    Long story short, she did it in front of him when we were not in a good place and we both let her have it. I decided to enforce boundaries that began with barely seeing her.
    via u/ScarletteMayWest
  • 21
    She just could not understand why I was no longer around, bless her heart.
    via u/ScarletteMayWest
  • 22
    almddm1231 • 7h ago Your husband's reaction is a huge problem here. He's laughing at your expense and prioritizing his mom's fragile ego over your feelings and respect in your own marriage.
    via u/almddm1231

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