Celebratory dinners are usually a great way to commemorate special occasions, but adding in-laws to the mix can always make things a little more … interesting.
A mother took to Reddit to explain what happened at a recent dinner party that she was invited to — in celebration of her son’s new home with his wife.
The mom says she was enjoying herself at the dinner until she asked her daughter-in-law for a key to their new house. An argument ensued, and the mom’s husband believes she ruined the dinner, but she doesn’t agree.
They came over to the couple’s 'small' house for dinner.
“2 weeks ago my son, Ethan, 27, and his wife, Jess, 30, bought a small one story house in the town we live in. After settling down they invited us for a small party for the occasion," the mom writes.
“We sat for dinner and talked about the house a bit. Me, my husband and Jess continued conversing after Ethan excused himself to take an important call.”
Everything was OK, until mom asked for her own copy of the house key for emergencies.
"Jess showed me the original key to the house and I asked if she made copies yet and she said no. I said she should and also give one copy to me as well.”
Mom then writes that her daughter-in-law “looked at me funny and asked why she should. I explained that it is necessary so that it could be used in emergencies. she rudely said ‘I don't know what kind of an emergency that would require you having a key to our house, sure won't be a fire incident!’”
“She obviously didn't seem to have any idea that a fire incident wasn't what I meant and I got offended by her sarcasm,” the mom confessed.
Mom pushed back when her daughter-in-law said no.
“I pointed out that it's not just her decision because this is my son's house as well. She smiled at me trying to be polite and stated that only the ones who contributed towards the house get a copy and that I really don't need one anyway,” the mom writes.
“Also assured me that my son will have the same answer for me. Basically saying ‘Don't bother bring this up with Ethan, he'll tell you the same thing’ but I did and she spoke on his behalf the entire argument repeating what she said over and over. Things escalated to her calling me pushy and me telling her she was being unnecessarily rude and disrespectful.”
“My husband and I left in a rush and I felt horrible. My husband went on and on about how paranoid and controlling I was to basically be ‘demanding’ a copy of the key to the new house but again I stated that I was just trying to be helpful and taking extra precautions since anything could happen but he insisted I overstepped and ruined Ethan's and Jess's joy for their new house as well as dinner.”
She finishes off her request for opinions on the matter by adding, “I genuinely do not think what I said was out of line and I'm not sure why Jess reacted so intensely. I think my request was innocent.”
A top-rated comment reads: “You had a point about someone having a key, but that someone didn’t have to be you. And you should have talked to them together, you should have dropped it once she said no.”
The commenter accuses her of making things weird between her son and his wife: “But instead you pulled the ‘it’s my son’s house too’ card and made a power play for your son and which woman he’d listen to.
“Then you got offended and had to make a scene. Your son is married and has a new priority now. Leave her alone.”
One person pointed out that in a situation like this, ”It’s all about phrasing.”
“Do people offer copies of their keys to trusted family members in case they get locked out, need their plants watered, etc.? Yes, definitely,” the commenter continued.
“The key word is offer, though,” they clarified.
“But the house is small!” one commenter pointed out sarcastically. “Surely that must make a difference, else why would she mention it?”
“Yeah that little tidbit of info was very telling,” another user agreed in the comments.
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