Do Nice Mothers-in-Law Have Good Lives After 70? 3 Women Tell All
The Secret to a Happy Old Age: Treating Daughters-in-law with Kindness
People think mothers-in-law who struggle in their old age must have done something wrong. Karma, right?
But it’s not always that simple. Maybe they were unkind, or maybe they just got unlucky with their daughter-in-law.
Once, I visited an old abandoned house. I didn’t know anyone lived there. Inside, I found an elderly woman, barely able to move, her hands shaking.
She told me her family put her there to die. No food, no water. I didn’t believe her at first. Then I saw it: a coffin, waiting in another room.
I asked around the village. Some said she was a kind woman who worked hard and treated her daughter-in-law well. Her son and his wife were the heartless ones.
Others said she was cruel and stingy, deserving of her fate.
Everyone had a different story. Maybe those who’d lived it knew better. People say the crowd has a keen eye, but sometimes they spread lies. You need to hear from those who were there.
So, do kind mothers-in-law have good lives after 70? Three women shared their experiences.
A Happy Ending
The first woman, in her seventies, said she and her daughter-in-law were always close. When her grandson was born, times were tough. But she begged her neighbors for a basket of eggs and snuck them into her daughter-in-law’s meals.
She said when her granddaughter was born, it was winter. They lived in the North, where everything froze.
She had arthritis, but she still did everything for her daughter-in-law, washing clothes by hand in the freezing water.
Now in her seventies, she’s well cared for by her grateful daughter-in-law.
She said when she’s sick, her daughter-in-law is there for her like a daughter. She takes time off work, even when her boss gets mad.
So yes, being kind to your daughter-in-law can pay off. If she’s grateful, she’ll take care of you when you’re older.
Always think about the future. Don’t be cruel to your daughter-in-law when she needs you. What goes around comes around.
A Sad Story
The second woman, also in her seventies, was kind to her daughter-in-law but now lives a sad life.
She had two sons and favored her older son’s wife. She gave her all the best gifts, even a jade bracelet passed down through generations.
She said the bracelet was priceless, worth tens of thousands of dollars. It belonged to Chinese officials, then ended up in foreign hands when the Qing dynasty fell.
She gave her eldest son’s wife everything, but it wasn’t enough. She thought she’d rely on her in her old age, but her daughter-in-law abandoned her. Now, only her younger son and his wife care for her.
She feels guilty for neglecting her younger daughter-in-law, but she has nothing left to give. She’s just a burden now.
Some mothers-in-law play favorites. But often, the favored one turns out ungrateful, leaving you to rely on the one you neglected.
Treat both daughters-in-law equally. Kindness isn’t always appreciated. If you’re good to both, at least one will be there for you.
Don’t create enemies with your biases. You might end up feeding a wolf and neglecting a true friend.
A Mixed Bag
The third woman, also in her seventies, took care of her daughter-in-law. They were poor, but she always bought her nice clothes for holidays.
She never let her daughter-in-law do chores, treating her like her own.
They became close, like mother and daughter.
Now, her daughter-in-law is good to her sometimes. But she has her own mind and temper. She does some things for her mother-in-law but not everything.
She takes her to the doctor and cares for her when she’s sick. She even cries when her mother-in-law is unwell.
But if the older woman makes a mistake, her daughter-in-law gets angry and scolds her.
This daughter-in-law seems fair. It’s good to be around people like that.
Sometimes, even the kindest mothers-in-law have unhappy endings. And sometimes, those who weren’t so nice end up okay.
Find a kind daughter-in-law. That’s the key to a happy life after 70.
