What do you call your mother in law?

this is a question that has plaqed women for years--
hey you?
mom?
Kathy?
Ruthie
http://www.marykay.com/Ruthieappleby

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Brooke on November 25, 2008 at 6:57am

When I refer to my MIL to friends or random people, I say "Mrs. Smith". When I have to address her directly, I usually say "Mom", but that's because for all the years hubby and I were dating, she never told me to call her anything other than "Mrs. Smith". Once we were married, it felt strange by using such a formal name, so I simply reverted to "Mom". It felt less strange than calling her by her first name, even though that is what I would have preferred.

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Permalink Reply by mamaraven on November 25, 2008 at 7:04am

To her face? ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Dani C. on November 25, 2008 at 9:13am

I call her Mom because it makes Hubby happy. I don't like calling her that because she is not my mom.

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Permalink Reply by Madelyn Morales on November 25, 2008 at 9:53pm

well since I can't call her what I really want to call her (evil grin) I call her by her first name, she's cool with that. I'd never call her mom since she,-thank God- isn't mine, phew! Thank God for small favors. LOL

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Permalink Reply by Mindy on November 26, 2008 at 7:56pm

Interesting question! I think my MIL would prefer for me to call her "mom" but I'm not really comfortable with that. So I avoid calling her anything. So far (4+ years) it's worked. :)

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Dantzler on November 27, 2008 at 7:11am

I love my mother-in-law and call her my her first name. I leave the word mom for my mom giving her the total respect that she is my mom and wouldn't want to hurt her feelings.

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Permalink Reply by Bonnie Irving on November 28, 2008 at 12:55pm

I call my mother in law by her name. Which is Karen:)

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Permalink Reply by Christine on November 28, 2008 at 1:52pm

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Permalink Reply by Christine on November 28, 2008 at 2:02pm

I Apolgize for the photo !
Evil or not ..... Your mother-in-law is just that...'mother-in-law'... .(Not your 'Mother,' Mom, 'Ma') I believe that name is special to 'the one' you called that since your birth. When your 'Mom' is gone there will be no other who can replace her, so why start now. I think you can come up with some other respectful name you can use.

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Permalink Reply by Colleen Felz on November 28, 2008 at 6:12pm

I call my MIL by her first name. I only have one mom, so I don't feel like I should call my MIL "mom". Oddly, my mom called her MIL by her first name while my dad called his MIL "mom".