A woman recently shared her struggles with her overbearing mother-in-law (MIL) and how it was affecting her marriage. The woman explained that her MIL’s behavior had become intolerable and was causing her husband to go back on their shared decisions.

The couple had been preparing for the arrival of their daughter, and they had saved $26,000 to support the wife staying at home for a year while nursing. However, the MIL’s actions were threatening their well-thought-out plans.

Before the woman got pregnant, her MIL and husband barely had any communication. But as soon as the MIL learned about the pregnancy, she became uncomfortably close to her son. Throughout the woman’s pregnancy, the MIL’s intrusive behavior escalated to the point of suffocation.

The MIL started calling herself a “boy mom” to justify her newfound closeness with her son. She would bring him food a few times a week, claiming he missed her cooking, but only enough for him. She also bought him mother-son jewelry, even though the wife had told her he never wears it. The woman felt like her MIL was treating her husband like her own spouse.

To make matters worse, the MIL would call her son at any hour to help her around the house, often suggesting they go on a mom-and-son date. She would even barge into their home uninvited and dictate how she likes her coffee, expecting the wife to make it for her.

On top of all this, the MIL had been pressuring her son for three months to quit his job and work with her, so they could spend more time together. The husband eventually gave in and applied for a job at his mom’s workplace without an interview, thanks to her vouching for him.

Feeling betrayed, the woman confronted her husband, expressing her dissatisfaction with his decision. She realized that she couldn’t let her MIL continue to tear their lives apart. The woman gave her husband an ultimatum, making it clear that she wouldn’t allow her MIL to overrule their decisions.

She decided that if her husband chose to prioritize his mother over their marriage, she would take the money she had saved ($23,000) and figure things out on her own. She asked him to leave and go live with his mom. Despite his disbelief and labeling her as unreasonable, the woman stood her ground.

The woman explained that being a single mom didn’t scare her. In fact, it would bring financial relief, as she had been shouldering her husband’s student loan debt for years. With the $23,000 she saved, she could provide stability and security for herself and their child.

The woman reassured Redditors that her legality was solid, as she had a prenup and had withdrawn the money into her personal account. She received support from fellow Redditors, who encouraged her to go through with her plan and distance herself from her MIL and husband’s toxic behavior.

It was clear to everyone that the wife and child should be the top priority, not the MIL’s demands. They advised her that staying in the marriage would only lead to more problems in the future.