[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/what-does-your-relationship-with-your-in-laws-mean-for-your-marriage\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/what-does-your-relationship-with-your-in-laws-mean-for-your-marriage\/","headline":"What Does Your Relationship With Your in-laws Mean for Your Marriage?","name":"What Does Your Relationship With Your in-laws Mean for Your Marriage?","description":"The saga of a UK woman who installed a gate on the side of her house to keep back an over-intrusive mother-in-law highlights the complicated role of relationships between spouses and each other\u2019s parents. The anonymous woman recently won the backing of the internet masses after describing the situation on the popular forum Mumsnet. The […]","datePublished":"2022-08-15","dateModified":"2025-09-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/james-kraayeveld\/#Person","name":"James Kraayeveld","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/author\/james-kraayeveld\/","identifier":29,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f327c36375f93cacc1f5818cbd6ca5f9c1c362ddf86682a8d1f0adac2b1f6198?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f327c36375f93cacc1f5818cbd6ca5f9c1c362ddf86682a8d1f0adac2b1f6198?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Kraayeveld Family Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Kraayeveld-Logo.svg","width":0,"height":0}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/cta-image-attorneys.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/cta-image-attorneys.jpg","width":454,"height":599},"url":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/what-does-your-relationship-with-your-in-laws-mean-for-your-marriage\/","about":["General"],"wordCount":543,"articleBody":"The saga of a UK woman who installed a gate on the side of her house to keep back an over-intrusive mother-in-law highlights the complicated role of relationships between spouses and each other\u2019s parents.The anonymous woman recently won the backing of the internet masses after describing the situation on the popular forum Mumsnet. The self-described introvert said she took the step after her mother-in-law continuously popped up uninvited and took to simply walking around back and into the home rather than using the front door.\u201cI\u2019m a very private person and quite introverted, so I need time to prepare myself mentally for any extended visits or socializing,\u201d the woman\u00a0said in the post. \u201c[My husband] has told his mum to call or text us before just showing up, and she scoffs and says \u2018I don\u2019t need to ask, I\u2019m your mum!\u2019 and it\u2019s just not sinking in.\u201dPlenty of people here in the US can share the woman\u2019s frustration and understand that in-law relationships can be quite complex. Still, research on how those relationships impact marriages paint a mixed picture.The closer a husband feels to his in-laws, the less likely he is to get\u00a0divorced, according to an\u00a0ongoing study\u00a0by Dr. Terri Orbuch, a psychologist and research professor at the University of Michigan\u2019s Institute for Social Research. The closer a wife feels to her in-laws, the more likely she is to eventually split with her spouse, Orbuch found.\u201cClose in-law ties between a husband and his wife\u2019s parents are reinforcing to women and connect him to her,\u201d Orbuch\u00a0told CNN. \u201cWhen a husband gets close to his wife\u2019s parents, this says to her: \u2018Your family is important to me because I care about you. I want to feel closer to them because it makes me feel closer to you.\u2019 And of course, that makes us as women feel really good.\u201dSo, What is With the Reversal for Women With a Relationship With in-laws?\u201cIf women are close to their in-laws, especially early in marriage, this interferes with or prevents them from forming a unified and strong bond with their husband,\u201d Orbuch said in the same interview. \u201cAlso, since women are constantly analyzing and trying to improve their relationships, they often take what their in-laws say as personal and can\u2019t set clear boundaries.\u201dHence, the problem for the anonymous poster with the new gate on the side of her house.\u201cI honestly can\u2019t remember a time when she has asked me how I am or what\u2019s going on in my life,\u201d the woman wrote of her mother-in-law. \u201cI feel like she just breezes into my home and starts rambling and I can\u2019t even follow what she\u2019s talking about half the time.\u201dSpeak With a\u00a0Grand Rapids Family LawyerAt Kraayeveld Family Law, we help people and families resolve a full slate of legal issues, from child custody,\u00a0visitation, and\u00a0support, to alimony and asset division after a divorce. A\u00a0Grand Rapids family lawyer\u00a0at our firm will help you fully understand your rights and options.Call 616-285-0808 or contact us\u00a0online to make an appointment to speak with a\u00a0Grand Rapids family lawyer\u00a0about your situation."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Does Your Relationship With Your in-laws Mean for Your Marriage?","item":"https:\/\/www.kraayeveld.com\/blog\/what-does-your-relationship-with-your-in-laws-mean-for-your-marriage\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]