NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather forecasts

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
    • The Great NZ Road Trip
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
    • Cooking the Books
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • What the Actual
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Women reveal their most shocking mother-in-law stories

By Martha Cliff
Daily Mail·
21 Sep, 2016 02:45 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Making use of the Whisper app's anonymity the women have spared no details of their unpleasant experiences with their so-called monsters-in-law.

Making use of the Whisper app's anonymity the women have spared no details of their unpleasant experiences with their so-called monsters-in-law.

Having to deal with tricky in-laws is not all that uncommon - with plenty of people willing to admit that they aren't too fond of their partner's family.

However, the majority of us will be lucky enough to avoid the mother-in-law horror stories shared by these traumatised brides.

In a new thread on the secret sharing app Whisper, married women have revealed the most shocking and bizarre things their husband's mother said to them before they married.

Many brides admitted that their future mother-in-law suggested that their marriage would be short-lived. Photo / Whisper
Many brides admitted that their future mother-in-law suggested that their marriage would be short-lived. Photo / Whisper
One mother-in-law was very public with her feelings of dislike towards her daughter-in-law. Photo / Whisper
One mother-in-law was very public with her feelings of dislike towards her daughter-in-law. Photo / Whisper
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Making use of the app's anonymity the women have spared no details of their unpleasant experiences with their so-called monsters-in-law.

For many of the wives, their partner's parent was eager to let them know that they weren't good enough for their son.

One user said she was told: "That I was temporary and him and I wouldn't last if she had anything to do with it".

Another user disclosed: "She posted on her Facebook: 'I love my son, he will never find anyone who loves and cares about him as much as I do."'

In another admission the user wrote: "'I can be your best friend or your worst enemy'. I told her to shove it. We don't like each other."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rather bizarrely another woman recalled the fact that her mother-in-law had told her that she was too good for her son.

She wrote: "She told me that 'honestly you can do better hun"'.

Making use of the apps anonymity the women held back no details of their mother-in-laws often cruel comments. Photo / Whisper
Making use of the apps anonymity the women held back no details of their mother-in-laws often cruel comments. Photo / Whisper
Rather bizarrely another woman recalled the fact that her mother-in-law had told her that she was too good for her son. Photo / Whisper
Rather bizarrely another woman recalled the fact that her mother-in-law had told her that she was too good for her son. Photo / Whisper

In a similar story another in-law suggested that marrying her son might not be wise for the bride.

The mother told her daughter-in-law: "I'm sure this is rushed. It won't last. Do you know who he really is?"

Discover more

Aged care

Why women are putting off retirement

19 Sep 04:55 AM
Entertainment

Ex-Married at First Sight hook ups

20 Sep 09:00 AM
World

Reunited with lost ring after 37 years

20 Sep 05:00 PM
Others warned their soon to be daughter-in-law that it wouldn't be wise to wed their sons. Photo / Whisper
Others warned their soon to be daughter-in-law that it wouldn't be wise to wed their sons. Photo / Whisper

Other admissions saw the mothers offer rather strange advice to the women marrying their sons.

One told the bride-to-be: "All men cheat and just to accept it and pretend it isn't happening. You cheat and your ass is out."

One bride-to-be was advised to let her husband cheat by her partner's mother. Photo / Whisper
One bride-to-be was advised to let her husband cheat by her partner's mother. Photo / Whisper

Another woman recalled her best friend's experience with their rather open mother-in-law.

She posted: "I'm not married. But my best friend's future mother-in-law warned her that her son had an "abnormally large" penis before they got married. (they had no been intimate yet)."

A woman told of the bizarre advice that her friend received before she married. Photo / Whisper
A woman told of the bizarre advice that her friend received before she married. Photo / Whisper

In a few cases a spat between the mother and daughter in-law had seen the mother skipping the wedding completely.

One woman was told: "That my kids from a previous relationship don't count bc they aren't really family. 'She didn't attend our wedding. He's adopted the kids and we haven't told her. They're her only grandchildren."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
In a few cases a spat between the mother and daughter in-law had seen the mother skipping the wedding completely. Photo / Whisper
In a few cases a spat between the mother and daughter in-law had seen the mother skipping the wedding completely. Photo / Whisper

Another bride recalled a rather bizarre experience: "'I'm not attending your wedding because we haven't been introduced.'

"We'd met on several occasions but never been 'formally introduced'. No problem. Had the wedding without her."

This wife revealed that her mother-in-law had very petty reasons for missing her wedding. Photo / Whisper
This wife revealed that her mother-in-law had very petty reasons for missing her wedding. Photo / Whisper
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Lifestyle

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

08 May 05:55 AM
Lifestyle

How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

08 May 03:02 AM
Premium
Opinion

Lessons from Paris: What Auckland can learn from global cultural innovation

08 May 01:13 AM

Sponsored: Top tier tiles - faux or refresh

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

‘I guess I'm a bit obsessed’: Minions collector sets world record

08 May 05:55 AM

Liesl Benecke owns 1035 Minion items, including Swarovski crystal figurines.

How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

How the sheer dress trend is making waves on the red carpet

08 May 03:02 AM
Premium
Lessons from Paris: What Auckland can learn from global cultural innovation

Lessons from Paris: What Auckland can learn from global cultural innovation

08 May 01:13 AM
Premium
Society Insider: Revealing the rich listers behind a $56m property swap; are Smith & Caughey's and Faradays teaming up?

Society Insider: Revealing the rich listers behind a $56m property swap; are Smith & Caughey's and Faradays teaming up?

07 May 05:00 PM
Sponsored: How much is too much?
sponsored

Sponsored: How much is too much?

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP