How I met his mother
Not every woman is brought home to mama for Sunday dinner; some have met their mothers-in-law in less than ideal settings.
Dealing with a dragon of a mother-in-law is one thing; having to draw her ire when the first meeting doesn’t go well is another. Below, women share their first-time experiences.
Audrey, 38:
I met her at church. The pastor made an announcement that my partner was at church with his lady friend. Our intention was to introduce me to his mother before church but we got there late. Right after church his mother walked over to us and gave us the eye. She was angry that she was finding out about me when the rest of the church was. So much for getting off to a great start.
Lilian, 32:
I met her over the phone, actually. She called his phone one day and I answered. Before even having the opportunity to introduce myself to her, she interrogated me about who I was and how I was attached to her son. That’s what I call getting off on the wrong foot.
Rebecca, 35:
My husband’s mother lives overseas and so we didn’t meet before we got married. One day I was at his house while he was having one of his weekly Skype chats with his mother. She saw me milling around in the background and told her son to call me over so that she could meet me. Before I could even approach the computer, I heard her say, ‘A who that in the background Ryan? A di helper? But how come her clothes so short?’ Talk about an awkward introduction.
Rose Marie, 37:
She came to visit his apartment one day. She has a key to his apartment because she would come and clean the place for him when she got the chance. We were busy in bed and even though I knew she could hear us from the time she opened the door, I still believe to this day that she is a mischief-maker. I just think of her as brazen and out of order.
Joan, 34:
We met at one of his family gatherings. We were dating for about three months and he decided that it was time for me to meet the rest of his family. A short time after he had introduced me, like a polite person, she outstretched her hand for a handshake. Before letting go of my hand, she said to the both of us, ‘What about Tina from last month, are you still with her or is this the new one?’ My boyfriend couldn’t look at me, he just continued looking at his mother, shaking his head.
Diane, 31:
We were shopping together at the supermarket and just by chance we saw his mother, as she lived close by. He saw her first and insisted that we leave before she saw us. But I was persistent and we walked over to her. We exchanged pleasantries and she queried, ‘Are these her groceries? Who is paying for them? You? What about mine?’
