Managing a difficult mother-in-law can be a real struggle, yet discovering her engaging in toxic behavior adds an extra layer of frustration.

A lot of people have observed their mothers-in-law overstepping boundaries, whether by intruding into personal matters or concocting covert schemes. In this article, we collected true stories from individuals who caught their mothers-in-law in the act, revealing their behavior for all to see.

Story 1

I went to visit my in-laws last weekend, hoping for a peaceful family dinner. While my husband was chatting with his dad in the living room, I headed to the kitchen for a snack. As I rummaged through the fridge, I heard a soft thud coming from the pantry. Out of curiosity, I quietly tiptoed over to peek inside.

What I saw made my heart race: my MIL, armed with a can of my husband’s favorite cookies, stuffing them into her purse! I was frozen in shock when she turned and saw me. For a split second, her face went pale. Then, she smirked and said, “You think this is bad? You should see what else I have planned for dinner.”

I didn’t know whether to laugh or call her out. But as I backed away, I caught sight of a family photo on the wall and realized that she had replaced all our pictures with ones of my husband’s ex!

Story 2

After we went no contact, MIL left a voicemail saying ‘something terrible had happened,’ followed by FIL in the background asking why she said that. She then backtracked, saying it wasn’t serious but asked us to call.

My husband, suspicious but concerned, texted her, but she refused to give details via text and insisted he call.

When he did, there was no urgency — she just wanted to see our child. Turns out, she exaggerated a routine medical exam just to get him to reach out. When asked, she admitted nothing was wrong, confirming it was all a ploy. She even had the audacity to ask for a FaceTime with our child.

We now get regular updates about their medical issues, though they used to be secretive. Clearly, they’ve missed the point of why we went no contact, and I’m sure we’re being painted as the villains to the rest of the family. © axolotloofah / Reddit

Story 3

My MIL insisted on throwing a massive baby shower and inviting tons of extended family while we were in town for a wedding. Her antics made us late to the wedding, and later she threw a fit about how much work it was and how ungrateful we were. No one even asked for the big event — we could’ve done something smaller and avoided the awkwardness of parading my very pregnant self around strangers. I still don’t know most of the people from that day, but she had her big party, so whatever. © Rose717 / Reddit

Story 4

The moment we announced my pregnancy, my mother-in-law suddenly started complaining of stomach pains and claimed she couldn’t eat. Three years later, she’s still ’suffering’ from these pains and constantly mentions how she can’t eat (though she hasn’t lost any weight, by the way).

Thankfully, we live far enough away that we only hear about it occasionally, but the drama is exhausting. © lumos_noxa / Reddit

Story 5

One year, when the kids were very little, my MIL invited my husband and the kids to Christmas at her boyfriend’s house and told him, ’I think it’s best if OP doesn’t come.’ My husband actually went without me, and her boyfriend was horrified. I had no family or friends nearby, having moved halfway across the country, and she wanted me to spend the holiday alone. Unbelievable. © shicacadoodoo / Reddit

Story 6

Story 7

So, I went to visit my husband’s family for the weekend. Everything seemed normal until I noticed my MIL acting weirdly — sneaking around the house and glancing at my phone when I left it unattended. My gut told me something was off. Late one night, I decided to investigate. I quietly followed her into the guest room. She was at my suitcase, pulling out my wedding dress! I gasped, and she spun around, looking guilty. “Just making sure it’s clean for the big day!” she stammered. But here’s the kicker: my husband and I are already married. I had worn that dress years ago! When I confronted her, she blushed and confessed she was planning to surprise us with a vow renewal ceremony — without telling me!

Story 8

We were on vacation with my MIL. Before the trip, she and my husband planned to do an excursion together, which was totally fine with me. I’d been to this destination before and was happy to spend the afternoon by the pool with the kids. They said they’d only be gone a few hours but ended up being gone all day.
On the way back, MIL convinced herself that I was going to be upset (I wasn’t) and suggested they stop in town to buy me chocolates to ‘make me feel better.’ My husband was like, ‘Nah, let’s just head back.’ Then my MIL said — and I’m quoting her — ‘When someone’s feeling something you don’t want them to feel, you need to buy them something to make them feel the way you want.’
Thankfully, my husband called her out, saying that was manipulative, and it wouldn’t work on me. © SuspiciousSorbet1129 / Reddit

Story 9

My mother-in-law organized a naming ceremony for my first child with 150 guests, but neither I nor my family were invited. We live far apart, but if she had waited just one week, I would’ve been able to attend. © AbbreviationsFun8614 / Reddit

Story 10

My MIL once lied about paying for a trip to my college graduation. She said she’d cover our flights, so we agreed to pay for the Airbnb and rental car. Later, at dinner, her parents gave DH a card saying they’d paid for the flights and Airbnb as his birthday gift. When DH told MIL, she lost it, yelling about paying them back.
The real reason she came on the trip was to visit the city she was born in, 7 hours away but didn’t end up going because we were busy with my graduation. She also tried to get DH to pay for her nails, which we refused. The trip was about my graduation, birthday, and Father’s Day—not her nails. © lilelbows / Reddit

Story 11

Once, I stumbled upon an old box in the attic while cleaning. Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened it. Among casual family photos, I found a few that made my heart drop: pictures of my husband and me during our early dating days, only… they were taken from a distance, like someone was spying on us. Feeling uneasy, I confronted my MIL. When I showed her the photos, her face turned pale. She started to stammer, saying she had no idea how they got there, but I could tell she was lying.

I pressed further, and she finally broke down, confessing that she’d been watching us for years, convinced I wasn’t good enough for her son. But here’s the twist: she admitted she even planted false rumors in our family to drive us apart. I didn’t know whether to scream or laugh. I walked out, leaving her in shock, knowing I had to tell my husband the truth. And as for my MIL? Let’s just say family dinners are about to get very awkward.