In-laws at odds is a scenario you’ve likely heard of before. There could be several reasons for the conflict, which oftentimes leads to a complicated family dynamic, at best. 

But some disputes worsen to a point where lives may be ruined. This is what happened to a woman and her mother-in-law, whom she exposed for kidnapping a dog and stealing jewelry. 

The older woman ended up without a place to stay and may have lost her significant other in the process. You will find the short yet loaded narrative as you scroll through.

Some in-law relationships are messy

Image credits: Davide Pietralunga / unsplash (not the actual photo)

A woman caught her mother-in-law kidnapping a dog and stealing jewelry, then proceeded to expose her

Image credits: ŞULE MAKAROĞLU / unsplash (not the actual photo)

She now wonders whether she was too harsh with her actions

Image credits: makeupaddict337

In-law relationships can be naturally complicated due to several factors

Mother-in-law jokes exist because these relationships can be innately complex. It’s typically a sink-or-swim situation, and there are several reasons for this. 

According to psychology professor Dr. Madeleine Fugère, direct competition for resources and attention could be one of them. This may be more common among women where the mother-in-law may feel the threat of possible exclusion by their child and their spouse. 

“Some research suggests that older women are more likely to experience neglect due to poor relationships with their daughters-in-law,” Dr. Fugère wrote in an article for Psychology Today. 

Conflicts with in-laws are also more challenging because of the lack of shared beliefs and mutual understanding. In an interview with the BBC, author and social work professor Dr. Gretchen Perry points out that there is “less of an overlap in common agreement” with the spouse’s family. 

It’s unlike dealing with friction among family members, where there is a greater likelihood of eventually finding common ground. 

Dr. Fugère urges couples to support each other in contentious relationships. This advice is especially relevant to this story, where the mother-in-law’s inexcusable thieving behavior has ruined the family dynamic. 

The woman and her wife stood united in refusing to condone the MIL’s actions, which was the right thing to do.

Image credits: Brock Wegner / unsplash (not the actual photo)

Most readers backed the author for what she did, mostly criticizing the mother-in-law’s “unhinged” behavior

But there were a few who thought she was in the wrong

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