The Mother-in-Law's Manual: Proven Strategies for Creating and Maintaining Healthy Relationships with Married Children

When her boys married, Susan Lieberman had no idea that there was an entire new learning curve waiting just around the corner. She had expected parenting to be demanding, but it never occurred to her to think her sons marrying would bring its own challenges. Where was Dr. Spock on this stage of development? Now in The Mother-In-Law’s Challenge Lieberman uses the same strategy she found so helpful when her children were growing up— talking to other women going through the same experiences. She invites women everywhere to join in the conversation. It begins with women’s expectations before their children marry and ends with hopes about how their children will behave when their mothers are really old. It deals with all facets of the in-law relationship, including how to handle difficult family members, how to discuss what seems like impending disaster and how to approach babies having babies. There is, Lieberman says, complete consensus that mothers-in-law simply must "Keep your mouth shut." But that simple rule is not so simple. Mothers say, "I just want my children to be happy." But, in fact, they also want to be happy, to feel loved by their children and their families, and to be part of their lives with easy and respectful communications. "Is that too much to ask?" Women who join the coffee klatch with Susan Lieberman will finally find the wisdom on the last stage of parenting that Dr. Spock never thought to provide.