Mother-in-law asks son-in-law to drop everything to help her move furniture at 7:30pm on Memorial Day

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 27, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

Would you drop everything to help someone with an unexpected chore?

Sometimes it's nice to help out the people in your life, but other times you have to protect your peace. That's what happened in this story, where a family member asked for some help in a pretty unexpected way. Her son-in-law then brought the story to the AITAH subreddit, where commenters weighed in on the family drama. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the people you love. It's part of being human, and it's part of existing in a community. We have to do things for each other, in the hopes that the favors will be returned and that we will all live in harmony. But that doesn't mean we should be saying yes to everything. We have to prioritize our own happiness, and we get to draw the line around things that don't make sense to us. If you're celebrating a holiday that you've looked forward to, and you're spending it with family who you love, and you're making memories, you're allowed to protect that time. Those are precious moments, and you get to safeguard them against the rest of the world. If you don't do that, you might end up in a situation where everyone is taking advantage of you, and you don't know how to get them to stop. But sometimes setting boundaries can be painful, and it can bring up bad feelings in others. That's what happened here. 

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  • Cheezburger Image 10633772544
    via freestocks

    A picture representing a man who holds a phone to his ear on a holiday weekend

  • Am I in the wrong for refusing to help my MIL move furniture on a Memorial Day evening?

    My wife agrees that her mom, my MIL, was being insane. My MIL now thinks I'm being r de. She called me tonight, on Memorial Day, at 7:30 pm. Our 5 year old has been sick all morning, and she finally felt better so we had our annual bbq just us 3, and had a bonfire as my daughter and
    via ConfidenceSilver2215
  • wife love smores. She called me asking if I would come over and help her husband move furniture. I asked if she meant this week and she said no now. I didn't want to be r de so I said yes but my wife then became mad at her
    via ConfidenceSilver2215
  • mom for even asking me this as we were in the middle of family time. I then told my MIL I couldn't tonight as I also work tomorrow at 6am, but I'd be happy to help this week. She started saying she needs it done now and how r de I was being. AITAH?
    via ConfidenceSilver2215

  • Making peace with the in-laws is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes you just get off on the wrong foot with them, and there is nothing you can do about it. You're just in an adversarial relationship, and that's how it's going to be. But there are things you can do to help, usually, even if they make some people upset. That's what was happening here. Keep reading to find out what happened, and let us know what you think about this family drama in the comments below.

  • Commenters gave their opinions.

    Tinmanwpk Lack of planning on her part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
    via Tinmanwpk
  • Fatkitty22 She is being ridiculous. Her ask is not reasonable at all. She is expecting you to drop everything and be at her beck and call. This is just not a reasonable ask. The one being ride is MIL. NTA
    via Fatkitty22
  • Glitter_Girl100 NTA. Perfectly within acceptable behavior to ask to schedule for during the week as opposed to - immediately!
    via Glitter_Girl100
  • 1happynewyorker Then I guess your MIL needs to put some elbow grease and start helping her husband move furniture. Your wife is right and she should have called her mom and told her you weren't coming over, it's family time and it will be done sometime this week.
    via 1happynewyorker
  • 00
    via Hassan OUAJBIR

    A man holds a smartphone to his head near a body of water

  • leftfootshorter NTA - she's making paid- professional level demands. with family-favor level pay.
    via leftfootshorter
  • veryjudgely Your MIL is being the AH here. Without any warning, she wants you to come at a moments notice to help move furniture? You should have told that tonight was not possible instead of agreeing right off the bat.
    via veryjudgely
  • Prior-Tip-9713 NTA No is a complete sentence.
    via Prior-Tip-9713
  • Serenity93401 The sense of entitlement is strong in your MIL! You are definitely NTAH.
    via Serenity93401
  • ShelyChelle Why would you even be willing to end family time to go move furniture, what was/is more important, Id be so annoyed with you if I were your wife
    via ShelyChelle
  • Hazel2468 NTA You are under NO obligation to go and help her. It's a holiday, you are spending time with your family. And she calls for help... Moving furniture???
    via Hazel2468
  • OP. Does she often do this? Call and ask you to come and help her with something stupid when she knows you will be spending time with. your family?
    via Hazel2468
  • Worth-Season3645 NTA...I would have replied right back, "and it is not r de to make this request of someone this late on a holiday weekend the night before work? You had all weekend. Why the sudden urgency?"
    via Worth-Season3645
  • Exotic-Day-1082 I'm a MiL and I'd never ask this. Or call someone r de when they decline. My son in law is a gem.
    via Exotic-Day-1082
  • fresh-dork I didn't want to be rode so I said yes YTA. your kid just now got better, and you have work at 6, so bed at 9. you're selling. your family short for your MIL's zero notice demand
    via fresh-dork
  • Gatodeluna As long as her own daughter thinks she's being ridiculous, why do you even care? Tell them you need 12- 18 hrs notice for anything that isn't life or death, and that FIL 'could/might have a heart attack from doing it alone' is not an emergency either.
    via Gatodeluna

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family drama AITAH reddit story mother in law reddit thread twitter discourse holidays
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