x mas inlaws dont dig my gals!

[peeboo]

Quote:
lol wonderful!

 

[peeboo]

lol you guys are great. i can't control my tongue. i dont feel passionate about much anymore, so when it comes to my chickens i guess i turn anyone around me brain to mush! chicken forums this chicken forums that. lol i wouldn't change a thing, except for maybe their poop smelling like honey suckle, i can deal with that!

 

[TanksHill]

You know there may me more to it.....

I have a friend who's in laws had chickens growing up. Their story is they worked very hard for very long, to rise above the whole raising your own food thing. They are proud of NOT having to raise hens any longer. So her in laws did not understand why she wanted to deal with the whole bird thing. They said the same thing, messy dirty, smelly etc...

Maybe it's more of a social economic generation gap thing. Just my .02

 

[Wifezilla]

MIL sounds like a horrible person. Just remember, every day she wakes up she still has to be her. That's got to suck. I pity her.

 

[ksacres]

I call it the twelve step program, the abridged version:

Step One:

Print list of local hotels

Step Two:

Tell her to pick one


See, you're cured!

 

[horsejody]

There are only 2 ways to get this woman off your back:

1. Throw her out and don't look back, or

2. Tell your husband that you are hurt and humiliated by her and have HIM talk to her. When the son finally stands up for his wife, mama will shut up.

In my case I opted for #2. I told DH to actually listen to his mother and tell her to stop when she got out of line. I made it clear that if he didn't, we were going for option #1. He actually never paid attention to the mean things she said and did until I insisted that he stand up for me and the kids. The day I gave the ultimatum, we met her at a restaurant to celebrate one of the kid's birthdays. She said something that insinuated the kids were stupid. I looked at DH and said, "I think it's time to go." I stood up to leave and he actually shocked his mother by telling her she shouldn't say rude things and left with me and the kids. He later apologized to me and said he never noticed the awful things she said. She actually improved after that. She has her moments but it's not as easy for her since DH will stand with me. If your DH doesn't say anything to her, your MIL will assume that his silence means he agrees with her.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Having come from a 'farm' background, I've always felt a little left out. I was raising chickens for eggs 20 years ago, along with a 1/2 acre garden, two hogs, and sewing my kids clothes on a treadle sewing machine (should NEVER have parted with tht thing!)

My MIL thought I was NUTS! They NEVER visited our house back then, we always had to go to their place, which was super clean and totally color coordinated. I always felt like I still 'smelled' from my farm.

I showed dogs for years and nobody ever understood why (except my husband, who was always supportive), so there was never any conversation to be shared with my in-laws. It upset them that I did that and my kids didn't wear the newest cutest clothes available. (They played on our little homestead, getting dirty and having fun. Not worrying about whether they got their new clothes ruined.)

Now, many years later, we finally have a small farm of our own, 10 horses, 100 chickens, plus ducks, geese, goats, and whatever else we decide to add. We are raising free range chicken eggs, planning a production garden and toying with adding hogs again this year. They actually have visited the farm several times and it's like a 'field day' for them. They are so enthralled with it all.

My in-laws have gotten older and finally 'get it' that this is the lifestyle we love. They still don't understand all of it, but see how contented we are (and our kids grew up to be good people) and it is accepted. I don't worry that they still won't eat our eggs (my husband's sisters LOVE them), but they enjoy hearing about the farm now and ask all kinds of crazy questions.

Do what makes you happy. Friends, neighbors, and relatives won't all understand or embrace it. Actually, our society isn't much geared that way. 'Manure' smells bad to most people. Much of the population doesn't think about where food comes from or how it is processed. Be glad you are a bit better connected than most. And with all the new technology, you now have a whole forum of like-minded folks to share with !

 

[peeboo]

all of this is so true. i will also bring it up to my DH. i'm sure he'll understand, he just likes it because his mother dotes on him like mad. that's the reason at age 21 i picked up and moved from IL to TN bought a house on our own and got jobs to pay the bills once we got down here because his mother's mothering was hindering his development SO BADLY! he had no responsibilty or anything like that. it was nuts. but since moving here and HAVING to make it, he's grown up a bit. grrrr lol

 

[peeboo]

and yes, it is a great lifestyle i think. i think as people in general w/ are a bit more ....i dont know the word for it. but i hope you all know what i mean

taking care of my animals and doing some hard work makes me feel good. i kind of live through them, when they are safe and happy i am happy.

 

[djackjr]

I am sorry you have a mean mother In-Law. Wish all could have a mother in-law like I have and my wife has.... Now if we could trade our sisters and brothers away!!!!