There’s something very interesting when it comes to mothers-in-law. Stereotypically, your spouse’s mom is a pain in the neck. She might try to insert yourself into your private life or make personal comments. Or maybe she just doesn’t like her child’s choice of spouse and isn’t afraid to say so.
If you watch sitcoms, the mother-in-law is always intrusive and obnoxious. Just take Marie Barone from “Everybody Loves Raymond.” She lived right across the street and was always over at her son’s house. What’s more, she wasn’t shy about expressing her opinion about everything her daughter-in-law Debra did.
Relationships with mothers-in-law can be much more complicated. If you’re lucky, you might have an amazing friendship with your mother-in-law. They can become a second mother who loves and supports you.
We all hope to have a solid friendship with the mother of the person we marry. But whether we do or don’t, you can’t deny that it’s a complex, nuanced, and often hilarious relationship. It’s bound to happen when you share a family and loved ones. Here are 75 mothers-in-law who made life much more interesting for their families.
1. The sun’s shining…in her face
When she complained about the sun being in her eyes, one man turned to find his mother-in-law sitting like this. The sun must’ve really had it out for her. Unfortunately, she didn’t seem to realize she could scoot three inches to either side to avoid it.
Source:
ecsig05
2. So how’s that Photoshop class going?
When your mother-in-law takes a Photoshop class, you might just end up with pictures like this. It appears as though she went to visit the royal family and had an absolutely amazing time.
Source:
Imgur/SalmonAskOh
3. When you’re suffering from empty nest syndrome
Parents often struggle when their children grow up and move out. To cope, sometimes they take up hobbies and other times, pets. This mother-in-law got a goat and named him Cedric.
Source:
Imgur/DarkHorse
4. She’s a Bruce Willis fan
When you’re stumped for presents and you’re running late, you can always take a page out of this mother-in-law’s book. After all, Die Hard is a Christmas movie — but let’s not start that debate.
Source:
Imgur/sarahisfergie
5. It’s one more than Ass 18
One person got a good laugh when their mother-in-law texted them with a very important question. She was wondering what “Ass 19” means. It’s probably a slang the kids are using, right?
Source:
Imgur/downvotecollector
6. It’s an old-school meme
This mother-in-law wasn’t up-to-date on technology or the popularity of memes. But she still had the right idea with this amazing homemade cross-stitch. That takes some real talent and a great sense of humor.
Source:
Imgur/loxnessmonster
7. It’s a potholder
When cooking Thanksgiving dinner together, one person was amused to see this in their mother-in-law’s kitchen. Clearly, she has all her bases covered. But it does make you wonder if you don’t know her as well as you think you do.
Source:
Imgur/kungfuguapo
8. This is my kind of mug
What kind of gifts does your mother-in-law give you? You might be surprised to find she has a dark sense of humor. Thankfully, the rest of us do, too.
Source:
Twitter/@Honey_BadgetNZ
9. Well, that’s succinct
Every parent loves their children, but they sure do drive them crazy. But when the kids have children on their own, it’s every grandparent’s dream to enjoy all the fun without any of the responsibility.
Source:
Twitter/@bitburner
10. He’s the squirrel whisperer
After he saved one baby squirrel, this man’s mother-in-law decided he had a special connection to animals. She quickly supplied him with all kinds of gifts of the squirrel variety.
Source:
Instagram/ryannegri
11. It might work, but you might die
When she heard that her son and daughter-in-law were going camping in bear country, a woman sent them this prank. At least they’ll die laughing at how silly the bear looks, right?
Source:
Reddit/stacybw
12. She has interesting taste in Christmas ornaments
When they visited for Christmas, a man wondered why his religious mother-in-law had an ornament shaped like a severed toe. It was only on closer inspection that he realized it was Baby Jesus.
Source:
Reddit/JoshuaHubert
13. She might have too many cats
One mother-in-law sent a Snapchat that said: “This is where I keep my spare cats.” If she needs an entire box to store them, she might have just a few too many.
Source:
Reddit/no_notthistime
14. I’d treasure it forever
One mother-in-law snapped some pictures of her granddaughter crying and decided to frame them as a birthday gift. Listening to a baby crying is stressful, but they’ll treasure those pictures for the rest of their lives.
Source:
Reddit/DanKaay
15. Are you jealous yet?
Whenever her son-in-law couldn’t make it to a family event, one woman wasn’t offended. She just made sure to send him lots of photos — with some subtle editing, of course.
Source:
Reddit/madbao
16. In their 70s and cooler than you
Meet the mother- and father-in-law, both in their 70s, who went on a cruise. I don’t know what’s funnier — their amazing T-shirts or the less-than-thrilled expressions on their faces.
Source:
Reddit/06EXTN
17. “Howdy, neighbor”
This picture above the toilet at the mother-in-law’s house is enough to make anyone uncomfortable. Who wouldn’t want to go to the bathroom under the unflinching gaze of a giraffe?
Source:
Reddit/golfnerdshow
18. She looks so cozy
Not every mother-in-law would take kindly to a pet snake. But this one was happy to put her knitting skills to work by making a nice cozy snake sweater.
Source:
Reddit/Mikey11
19. Objective: unsuccessful
Not everyone has a great relationship with their mother-in-law, but this guy’s taking it all in stride. His mother-in-law bought this onesie to embarrass him. Instead, he rocked it proudly.
Source:
Reddit/t0pd4wg
20. …not quite
When a mother-in-law bought this painting at Goodwill, they asked her if she knew what it was. She said she thought it was a meteor with a long tail crashing into the sun.
Source:
Reddit/justgrant2009
21. When your mother-in-law is a gamer
When Pokémon Go came out, it attracted gamers of all ages. When this guy’s mother-in-law reached Level 30, she celebrated with this festive display. Now dig in, everybody.
Source:
Reddit/Langlock
22. How to make all the women scream
Cards Against Humanity is a fun game, but not every mother-in-law has the sense of humor required to play it. But this one did, and she knocked the round out of the park.
Source:
Imgur/hollymarie123
23. Best gift ever
Parents don’t always have the hang of gifts for their kids or their in-laws. But this mother-in-law knew exactly what kind of gift to get — and frankly, it’s amazing.
Source:
Imgur/getitgirl8
24. Thanks, I’ll just throw this away
When a woman showed her daughter-in-law the Chip-and-Dip her son made in elementary school, it elicited snickers. She was too innocent to understand why everyone found it so funny.
Source:
Imgur/Butteseriously
25. Have you been drinking?
One mother-in-law found this silly poem more than 30 years ago, but she’s since put it to good use. Whenever she suspects someone’s had too much to drink, she whips it out and makes them read it.
Source:
Reddit/Rhyndzu
26. She has her priorities straight
Every mother-in-law has a different priority when she’s helping to plan the wedding. Some want to help the bride choose her dress. Others are deeply enmeshed in the guest list. This one had a different priority.
Source:
Reddit/LogicalTingle
27. She was determined to be there
Moms and mothers-in-law take it seriously when they can’t see their family for Thanksgiving. This lady was determined to see everyone on the holiday — even if it meant video calling in to their dinner.
Source:
Reddit/mwproductions
28. She thinks she’s so funny
Their mother-in-law slapped this on their car without ever telling them, and it was a while before they noticed it. Clearly, she’s a lady with a great sense of humor and an amazing relationship with her kids.
Source:
Reddit/apoeticturtle
29. Note to self: don’t reuse boxes for Christmas
Recycling and reusing boxes is great, but you should always check the labels before you do. Otherwise, you might get a gift from your mother-in-law packed in a box like this.
Source:
Reddit/earthgirlbarbarella
30. I wonder how they finally convinced her
Most parents want their kids to get married, but some give up hope after waiting for a long time.. One man’s future mother-in-law flat-out didn’t believe the news when she heard it.
Source:
Imgur/Updude
31. “I brought you a little pot from Colorado”
After she took a trip to Colorado, a mother-in-law came back with this hysterical gift. You know she waited eagerly to give that present and laughed once she did.
Source:
Imgur/spaceballstheusername12345
32. When they’re not listening to your hints
After waiting too long to become a grandmother, this mother-in-law decided to throw in the towel. Now her car sports a bumper sticker professing her love for her dogs.
Source:
Imgur/goldensforDayz
33. They look amazing
When Grandma gets the kids matching elf pajamas, it’s adorable. When she includes one for Dad, it’s not quite as cute. Unless he has a sense of humor and rolls with it, of course.
Source:
Imgur/Th3lurk3r
34. This is a perfect spot
When his mother-in-law mounted his portrait above her toilet, this man was more than a little concerned. He took it to mean that he was no longer her favorite son-in-law. I wonder what he did.
Source:
Twitter/@swimcoachtj
35. She found a perfect gift
Buying presents for people can be difficult, especially if they have a lot of interests. But one lady knew exactly what to get her music-loving, gaming son-in-law.
Source:
Reddit/funkold
36. She stocked up
Ah, Tim-Tams, the delicious dessert that’s hard to find outside of Australia. After a nice visit with her married child, this mother-in-law stuffed her suitcase to the brim with tasty cookies. Sure, she’ll pay more for the extra weight.
Source:
Reddit/Empdizz
37. Well, that didn’t work
Most moms love to cook for their kids, but not all of them are gifted in the kitchen. Just take this mother-in-law who had the brilliant idea of trying to preheat her plastic cutting board.
Source:
Reddit/RonanTheBarbarian
38. This is definitely potty humor
Mothers-in-law can sometimes surprise you with their dirty sense of humor. Sure, they pretend like they’re sweet, innocent middle-aged ladies — then they bring you some fudge from Uranus.
Source:
Reddit/constantreader55
39. I think someone’s ready for grandkids
How do you buy a present for your daughter-in-law while also subtly requesting some grandchildren? An excellent solution to both problems is a dollar store ovulation test, of course.
Source:
Reddit/MeganOfAsgard
40. Oh no
Like most cards in Cards Against Humanity, this submission is as horrifying as it is hilarious. Naturally, it was also submitted by someone’s mother-in-law, who promptly won the game.
Source:
Reddit/Bill_Nyes_Minion
41. Oh, she’s a keeper
After seeing how everyone ate his chocolate every time he came over, one lady jumped to the defense of her son-in-law. She bought him a personal jar of Nutella and marked it with a warning.
Source:
Twitter/@RufusOnTheRadio
42. Is this “Florida Woman”?
Hurricane Irma wrought enormous devastation when it struck, but this mother-in-law wasn’t worried. She prepared for the storm in true Florida Woman fashion, with a beer in each hand.
Source:
Twitter/@KayliMarie17
43. I’ll refrain from drznking
Holy water is a common sight in the homes and cars of Catholics. But what makes the discovery in this mother-in-law’s car so hilarious is the sheer size of the bottle. What kind of demons is she exorcising?
Source:
Twitter/@nicollhunt
44. Do you want me to stay with your son or not?
It’s nice that this mother-in-law feels comfortable enough to talk to her daughter-in-law like this. But you have to wonder…is she trying to break up their marriage?
Source:
Twitter/@11nnovak
45. Welcome home, newlyweds
When two newlyweds arrived home from their honeymoon, they were amused to see a thoughtful little gift from the mother-in-law. That’s a pretty nice touch if you ask me.
Source:
Twitter/Phoenixk2x
46. Call and ask me 25 years ago
While cleaning out her house, a woman found this ancient artifact and called to ask her son-in-law if he wanted them. I can’t imagine what you could use these for in this day and age.
Source:
Imgur/cinemasuicide
47. Uh, Mom?
When one mother-in-law happened across this “figurine,” she was charmed by it and just had to add it to her collection. Now, which one of you is going to tell her it’s a weed pipe?
Source:
Imgur/SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE
48. MAYDAY, MAYDAY
When one mother-in-law tried to buy a Disney princess poster for her granddaughter, she accidentally grabbed the wrong one off the display. The look of horror on her face says it all.
Source:
eBay
49. She might be trying to kill you
When they asked for eye drops, this person’s mother-in-law handed them these. It’s a good thing they glanced at the label first or they might have been on their way to the hospital.
Source:
Reddit/flashbang1985
50. Oh, thank goodness
When this guy received a strange gift from his mother-in-law, he was briefly horrified. Then he was incredibly relieved to realize that it was a top for a whiskey decanter, not a sex toy.
Source:
Reddit/bourbonboots
51. Well, that’s adorable
Everyone hopes their parents and spouses will get along and even love each other. Clearly, this woman has nothing to worry about. Just take a look at the way her mom labeled the son-in-law’s Christmas present.
Source:
Reddit/Dillykittn
52. Well, you’re not getting invited on our next vacation
When your mother-in-law posts a picture like this on social media, it’s already disturbing. But when she also says she’s bought one for herself, you know not to invite her to the beach anymore.
Source:
Imgur/Whoneedsalifeihaveimgur
53. I don’t think she thought this through
Mothers-in-law can be so naive that they get into trouble. Just take a look at this T-shirt his mother-in-law made him…unfortunately, it implies something sexual.
Source:
Reddit/littlefillyfoofoo
54. Um…delicious
When your mother-in-law tells you she’s setting out some hors d’oeuvres, you probably expect something nice. What you don’t expect is two bell peppers, cheese, and some olives.
Source:
Imgur/Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
55. She knows how to combat bees
Some people wage a full-on war with bees that get inside the house. This mother-in-law preferred the method of slow suffocation. You gotta do what you gotta do.
Source:
Imgur/IseeSmartphones
56. No, that’s not what that is
When her mother-in-law saw this, it prompted an awkward discussion about whether she was doing drugs. Something tells me the mother-in-law is a fan of going gray naturally.
Source:
Imgur/CameHereForOneThingAndOneThingOnlyLNI
57. Christmas is ruined
There are cute Christmas decorations and then there’s this disembodied, leering Santa Clause head. But when your mother-in-law hangs it up in your house, you can’t say no.
Source:
Imgur/GlitteryMocha
58. The party started without you
When they were looking for the mother-in-law at a concert, they were amused to get this text from her. Clearly, she’d started the party early with some strangers.
Source:
Twitter/@AnnieMcCarren
59. There’ll be no overstaying
When they saw these sheets on the guest bed at their mother-in-law’s house, they couldn’t help but feel like it was a message. Just make sure you leave when you said you were going to leave.
Source:
Reddit/mellygirl123
60. Nice try
What do mothers-in-law do when they have too many drinks late at night at their house? If this one’s any indication, they try to make circular cookies and fail spectacularly.
Source:
Reddit/Arkinats
61. Don’t have Facebook
Like many middle-aged women, this mother-in-law hasn’t quite gotten the hang of social media. Sorry to break it to you, but the only way to avoid memes is to avoid the internet.
Source:
Reddit/LordBigglesWorth
62. Someone hasn’t heard of The Onion
Ah, The Onion, confusing old people every day. Someone desperately needs to teach them how to vet a source…but like this mother-in-law, they’re just too funny to stop.
Source:
Reddit/mockitt
63. Do I want to know why?
Mothers-in-law can have some unusual decorations in their houses. But none is as confusing as this framed photo of Tom Selleck, which…might be better left unexplained.
Source:
Reddit/SmushyFaceQuoopies
64. Oh no, not Budweiser
When someone’s super-conservative mother-in-law accidentally “liked” an ad for Budweiser on Facebook, she was horrified. She quickly made sure everyone knew that SHE DID NOT LIKE BEER.
Source:
Reddit/attsci
65. Well, that didn’t turn out well
When your mother-in-law orders a cookie cake with a “popping champagne bottle,” you’d better hope it actually looks like a champagne bottle. Because this, unfortunately, looks like…something completely different.
Source:
Reddit/CreedBratton82
66. Time for a diet
It’s nice when your mother-in-law stops by to feed the dog for you. It’s not so nice when she leaves the food bag open, ensuring the dog will have a feast for the ages.
Source:
Reddit/foxwglocks
67. Calm down, it’s a beer chiller
When your mother-in-law sends you this without any context, you might feel understandably alarmed. Imagine their relief when they learned it was a beer chiller.
Source:
Reddit/copperfig
68. …no it’s not
Older people are notoriously gullible when it comes to social media posts. You’d think this mother-in-law would’ve become skeptical when she saw the words “pure sin,” but apparently not.
Source:
Reddit/Trixii
69. That’s a major no-no
Amy Pennza went viral for her tweet about her mother-in-law wearing a wedding dress to her wedding. But amazingly, it wasn’t to be nasty. She got a great deal on a white dress and it never occurred to her that it was an inappropriate choice.
Source:
Twitter/@AmyPenza
70. Isn’t that what everyone wants for their baby girl?
When one happy couple was preparing the nursery for their baby girl, they were amused to get this gift from the grandmother-to-be. Clearly, she has high hopes for her granddaughter.
Source:
Etsy
71. Way to make things less awkward
When you’re in the hospital, you’re dependent on family members to help you with the extra little amenities. But if you ask your mother-in-law to get you some straws, you might end up with these.
Source:
Twitter/@g4merslu7
72. Well, you obviously loved it
Remember, when you make an idle compliment about something in her house, your mother-in-law’s apt to see it as a declaration of true love. Be careful with your compliments.
Source:
Twitter/@hungrycinderell
73. She was happy to help
When your daughter-in-law’s a professional photographer and looking for a model, you just have to volunteer. That is if you’re gunning for the Coolest Mother-in-Law award.
Source:
Twitter/@mdentonphotog
74. It’s the thought that counts
When your boyfriend’s mom learns you’re Jewish and it’s the first night of Hanukkah, she might try to improvise. It’s a very sweet, if not bizarre, way of reaching out.
Source:
Reddit/anora_borealis
75. Is that the face she makes at you?
If your mother-in-law doesn’t like you, you’ll probably wonder if all of her actions have a double meaning. For example, when she brings a pie that looks like this to your party.
Source:
Imgur/jntokarsky
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