I've heard loads of crazy mother-in-law stories in my day. And {Shhhhh! } I may have told a few too. (My MIL told me several times, while I was planning our wedding, that she was a skinnier bride. WTF?) But ladies, nothing compares to this roundup of batsh*t-crazy mothers-in-law—all letters to the Dear Prudence column—which Slate compiled for "Mothers-in-Brawl," an article that explores mother-in-law relationships with truly shocking examples of bad mother-in-law behavior. Be prepared to cringe. (You'll have to scroll down at a few links to get to the right letter, but the goods are all there.)
+ The future mother-in-law who insists a on chocolate wedding cake—even though the bride has a severe chocolate allergy.
+ The future mother-in-law who doesn't want the bride's father to attend the wedding because he has scarring from severe burns.
+ The future mother-in-law who told the bride who her fiance's biological father was—when she told her own son that she didn't know.
+ The mother-in-law who drops in to make sure her son has enough food and clean laundry. She also makes all of his appointments—and goes to those appointments with him.
+ The aesthetician future mother-in-law who wants to laser off the bride's body hair.
+ The live-in mother-in-law who's hostile over breakfast if she heard her son and his bride doing the deed the night before.
Unsurprisingly, things get even more crazy when grandchildren (even future, imaginary grandchildren) are added to the mix:
+ The mother-in-law who poked holes in her son's condoms. (I actually think Dear Prudence missed the mark on this one. You don't need to open the package to poke holes in a condom.)
+ The mother-in-law who comforted her infant grandson—with her nipple.
+ The mother-in-law (the bride's mom, this time) who keeps telling her son-in-law that his children probably aren't his, after they were conceived through "fertility science."
+ The mother-in-law who went behind the couple's back to find out the sex of her unborn grandchild. (The baby's parents didn't want to know ahead of time.)
And—in the grand tradition of saving the best (or worst) for last:
+ The mother-in-law who repeatedly poisoned her son's wife. Dear lord.
Which of these mother-in-law stories freaks you out the most? Can you beat these?