My mother-in-law wants me to call her “Mom”: should I?
Editors' DilemmaOctober 28, 2026· Be the first to vote
A story made up by our editors to get the debate going, not a real account.
My side
I’ve been with my partner for six years, and I get along well with his mom. She’s warm, she sends me a card every birthday, she calls me “sweetheart.” One Sunday, over dessert, in front of everyone, she asked me to call her “Mom.” She said it with so much tenderness. I mumbled something. The problem is, I already have a mom, and we’re really close, and for me that word belongs to her. So I keep calling my mother-in-law by her first name. She seems a little hurt. I don’t want to offend her, but I don’t want to force myself either.
Their side
My mother-in-law explains that in her family, it’s a custom: daughters-in-law call their mother-in-law “Mom,” as a sign of belonging. She’s not trying to replace anyone. She offers it out of affection, because she truly sees me as a daughter. According to her, saying no shows I’m keeping a certain distance from her family, which makes her a little sad.
So, who's wrong?
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