My parents-in-law were great people and so are my sons-in-law and my daughter-in-law. Lets hear it for the silent majority.

The title of the topic is "Relationships" not "Relationships on the rocks". Relationships come in all varieties, not just bad ones.
This thread was started so as to demonstrate that there are good ones too. Adding these posts onto a thread about MiLs from hell would not have been tactful, so it is a separate conversation.

This is a bit like saying why aren' t the newspapers filled with good news. People who are having problems post on here, not what I am sure is the vast majority of gransnetters who aren't.

For the record I have one fab dil, one who is not so fab and a medium satisfatory sil.

Eglantine21
Did you not see the However?

I am very thankful my precious daughter married a good man and I have a warm and caring SiL. I also get on well with my in laws and have never had a cross word with them. For many years we invited them on holiday with us and enjoyed their company. They have been excellent grandparents and again I am very grateful to them. I sometimes hear stories of in laws who are mean and spiteful and I feel so lucky with mine. My 2 sons are not married yet but I am sure I shall get on well with their parners' when and if they marry.

My 3 children have delightful partners; DD been with hers for 16 years and they have 2 lovely boys, DS1 and his 10 years with a gorgeous boy & girl. DS2 has a lovely girlfriend and I think he might actually get married at some stage - don't think the older two ever will. Already looking forward to Christmas dinner when we are all sat round our table, plenty of food and wine, love and laughter - my first husband (Dad of DD and DS1) even joins us. I know that I'm truly blessed and never take what I have for granted

I never knew my FIL but I suspect we would have butted heads on occasions. However, my MIL was the loveliest person and I am blessed with several good DILs and SILs although I'm not sure they would necessarily have always been the ones I would have chosen for my children. Still, as my children seem happy, so am I.

Neither my parents or in-laws are with us any longer but we all had a good relationship. My parents adored DHfrom the first day they met him which was after our second date. We would go back to my house and if the last bus had gone my dad would drive DH home to save him a 30 min walk. I got on well with his family. Our parents met (after we had been together a few months) and became friends going out socially together. After my Mum and his Dad had died my Dad and his Mum used to go on days out together every couple of months to National Trust sites and lunch. I think we were very lucky.

My in-laws were lovely, so are my husband's siblings and their families. Now our children are married, they both have lovely spouses and in-laws. We had a wonderful Christmas last year at our daughter's with her parents-in-law, her husband's sisters and their families and our son and his family. Just an enjoyable day with no arguments and the children got on well together. A couple of days later we had a great afternoon with my husband's siblings. When I read about the terrible things that happen in other families I feel so sad for them. I am so thankful for our family. They are a real blessing.

Best DiL in world. My sister says she has 3 best DiLs in world.

We argue about it, which could lead to family rift. No, no, joke alert.

All relationships are good here and we know that we are very fortunate for it to be so.

I have never liked the term in laws. We have gained an extra son and an extra daughter - both are lovely people. Our AC chose well.

The Maori's in NZ use the word 'whānau' which refers to all the people that you choose to have in your family; they do not have to be blood relatives. We are fortunate to have a large whānau

Even on a positive thread people can't help being negative

My PiL have been absolutely horrible to us! It's nothing new though, they were lousy parents to my DH, MiL was happy to state she'd never wanted children and he'd 'ruined her figure'!
MiL is long gone, but FiL is still with us and is, to be honest, a waste of space!
However, my DH had a fabulous relationship with my DM, my DF died when we'd only been married for 3 years, but during that time they also got on really well.
Really, my DM was the mother DH deserved but didn't get!
In fact there were times when I think she liked him a lot more than she did me

I am extremely lucky and am very close to my daughter and 2 sons, who all have lovely partners. I am also close to all 5 grandchildren, and can talk to any of them about anything. None of us are perfect parents but I have taught my children to be able to voice any angst without shouting and swearing, and also to respect others feelings and opinions. The reason I particularly focussed on this is because of the constant nagging, interfering and opinions, of my own Mum. She caused so many issues with my ex, and my siblings partners etc, because she just can’t stop herself and is still the same now aged 87. There are many things we do not tell her because it just opens the floodgates for her to start telling others how they should and shouldn’t lead their lives, I was worn out with it. It is sad but I tried so hard for years to get some approval instead of criticism, but just gave up in my 40’s and now I just don’t care what she thinks. I accepted that she will never change and unfortunately she misses out on so much family time because of her dogmatic ways.

Totally agree in fact my son in law says we treat hom as a son more than his parents

I met my son's future father in law and his wife for the first time taking granddog for a walk park. We ended up on a see saw trying to bump each other off crying tears fo laughter. We became firm friends, spent holidays christmas and all family occasions together enjoying our first joint grandson and his sister. We were family. Sadly the kids divorced and we don't see much of each other as new families evolve and it is difficult due to circumstances of the breakup. However when we do meet we have our arms round each other - other Nan cried last time as she said she missed our family so much! Yes love springs up in funny places and it takes warm hearts and forgiveness to get over hurts especially to DC. have a lovely Christmas all

My DIL is like the daughter I never had. We are really close. I have also become close friends with her mum. I get invited to all the family "do's" even to her cousins wedding. I have been on my own for a long while and this is like having a whole new family. I realise that I am very lucky, and I really appreciate them all

My in laws from my first marriage are truly wonderful people and despite divorcing their son we stayed very close until they died. I had far better parenting from them that from my own parents and I miss them dreadfully. I also got on very well with OHs lovely mother.

My son and daughter in law are also wonderful people who I love to bits. I pay my DDiL to stay as I cannot cope with the thought of DS without her! (Not really, family joke).

I am very, very blessed and fortunate.

I love these so happy stories .
I have tears of envy in my eyes while reading them.
You are all very blessed and I hope you appreciate it.

I had a decidedly good relationship with my MiL. It was mutually respectful and warm but never verged on cuddly. Unfortunately FiL to be died before our wedding but we had a fine bonhomie during our engagement time.

I had a lovely mother in law, widowed by the time I married her son, whom I loved as dearly as my own Mum. She never made us feel obliged to visit, but was always delighted when we did. She was great fun, and just the loveliest person you could wish to meet. I miss her still. My daughter in law is lovely too, and I am trying very hard to be a good Mum-in-Law!

ffinnochio said something which really resonates with me upthread
I’d love to meet them again, as I am now
I hope they would feel that I took the best possible care of and gave the best possible marriage to their much loved eldest son.
And they would have adored their great grandchildren, just as they adored their granddaughters.

I too, was blessed with a wonderful mil, we loved each other to bits, very much still miss her, have a terrific sil, my dd met him on holiday, we live in the south and he lived up north, how's that going to work I thought, so glad it did, he's one of the good guys, also have lovely dil, also from up north, maybe it's the mix of both that works so well!

PS My Sister in Law is my best friend. We’ve know each other for over 50 years now and are there for each other whatever happens.

I’ve always got on with my SiL and DiL. In fact since the former lost his mother, suddenly and tragically, a couple of years ago we’ve been especially close. The DiL can be a bit grumpy, as can my own daughter, now and again, but I just carry on as if I’ve not noticed and then everything’s fine next time we meet. That’s life!

We have great family get togethers as my grandchildren have the best and closest cousin relationship ever. The little ones are quite happy to hold their big boy cousin’s hands when he collects them from primary school and he doesn’t mind his mates seeing this.

Think you have it in a nutshell there MawBroon good news is not interesting. Don't understand why there can't be cheerful threads as well Eleothan