Mother In Law Expects Dinner Despite Living Rent-Free

This is a textbook case of gendered expectations within family dynamics. A woman’s mother in law expects dinner from her despite living rent-free in their home. However, she never makes the same demands of her own son.

Mother In Law Expects Dinner: The Backstory

The family structure reveals classic dependency patterns. A disabled mother-in-law lives with her son’s family because she cannot afford independent housing. She receives free room and board from the couple.

Meanwhile, the daughter-in-law maintains the household cooking schedule. She prepares dinner four to five nights weekly for the family. On remaining nights, they eat out or visit friends.

The Mother In Law Expects Dinner Incident

The conflict emerged during a rare solo outing. The daughter-in-law picked up her son from work and stopped for dinner together. Her husband was out with friends at the time.

Upon returning home, she overheard a revealing phone conversation. The mother-in-law was complaining to her daughter about not receiving takeout. Furthermore, she called the daughter-in-law an “asshole” for not ensuring she was fed.

The double standard became immediately apparent. She never criticized her son for the same behavior. In fact, he excludes her from outings ninety-eight percent of the time without complaint.

What Reddit Said

Most people recognized the gendered nature of the criticism. They pointed out how daughters-in-law typically bear blame while sons escape accountability. The pattern reflects deeply ingrained family expectations.

Some users suggested establishing clear household communication protocols. They recommended discussing takeout inclusion policies among all adults. However, they emphasized the mother-in-law’s capability to feed herself.

A few commenters questioned the living arrangement’s sustainability. They noted the mother-in-law’s unappreciative attitude despite receiving substantial support. Consequently, they suggested alternative housing arrangements if complaints continued.

The Verdict

Overall verdict: The daughter-in-law is NTA (Not the Asshole). This case demonstrates how family dynamics often unfairly burden women with caregiving expectations while excusing men from identical responsibilities. For more similar situations, check out our family drama and AITA stories collections.

From r/AmItheAsshole (1,472 upvotes)