Mother-in-law Appreciation Thread

[chanchao]

Here's some unreserved appreciation for all Thai mothers-in-law, (including mothers-in-common-law) and really just all mothers of our respective Thai wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands.

Thank you for your experience, wisdom, good spirit, tireless work and most of all for raising your children to become the people they are today!

As for the poll question, do you actually go all the way and call your partner's mother 'mum', 'khun Mae', 'Mae', 'k. Yaai' (if you have children) etc?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Khutan]

I don't get on with her, and my opinion is shared by many people, including my wife.

I now call her "Mae Son Jai".

[Thetyim]

My MIL is fantastic. Also the hardest working person I have ever seen.

And yes I call her Mum

Edited December 22, 2005 by Thetyim

[wamberal]

It is simple good manners to call your MIL Khun Mae.

When my wife and I discuss her parents, we call them Mummy and Daddy.

I don't think it matters how old you are, they are, or whether or not you have children. Even if you don't like your MIL, remember that she carried your partner for nine months, and then raised her or him to be the person that you love.

[Khutan]

<snip>and then raised her or him to be the person that you love.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

she didn't. She dumped my wife at 6 months of age with the Grandmother (lovely lady) and went off to "Do her thing" 450 km away in Bangkok.

remember that she carried your partner for nine months

Sorry, that arugment just doesn't carry it for me and it never will. That point of view often ends up being the

"I gave you life, therefore you must pay me money"

Sorry, I cannot respect or support anyone who takes the "opt-out" clause with the responsibility of raising children

[AmeriThai]

My mother-in-law passed away about 11 years ago, but I always regarded her in the same way as my own mother. She was always polite, treated me like a son, and had a great sense of humor. We got along exceptionally well. My wife and I both miss her.

[mogoso]

It is simple good manners to call your MIL Khun Mae.

When my wife and I discuss her parents, we call them Mummy and Daddy.

I don't think it matters how old you are, they are, or whether or not you have children.  Even if you don't like your MIL, remember that she carried your partner for nine months, and then raised her or him to be the person that you love.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I love my MIL. She raised a wonderful daughter, asks for very little. Handles our finances (in Thailand as we're stateside now) Has built us a large bedroom and bath addition to her home (with a large walkin closet (knows her daughter well) with her own money. Now only if we can finally get outta green card hel_l and go back to visit and use these fine new digs.

I call her momma, and when I ask how she is, she'll tell me momma good or momma not so good, depending on how her health is. I call her momma even though she's three years younger than I.

[Curt]

My mother-in-law is an amazing woman.

[ilyushin]

Khun Mae!

[Gazza]

I call MIL 'Yai' and FIL 'Pa'.

Even though we don't exactly get on like a house on fire together, I've had them move in with me for several reasons.

If they were living back in their Isaan village, Pa would still be getting drunk on occassions and slapping 'Yai' around when she refuses to give him money for gambling or more whiskey. Living with me here in BKK, me and the wife gets to keep an eye on him, and now he doesn't get to drink or gamble with his village buddies anymore and for the last couple of years hasn't even touched a ciggie. It's good to see him looking much healthier and seemingly happier now.

Another reason is, because my 3 kids were born in Isaan, I don't want them to forget their 'roots' so to speak. Yai and Pa speak Lao more often than Thai and much more frequently than my wife and, they still use some Thai customs and traditions that my wife no longer cares too much about. Somethings that I hope my kids will remember and pass on to their children.

And should me and/or wife be away on a trip or out for the day on business, then there's always someone at home we can trust to take care of them 'til we arrive back.

Yai is a frail looking tough old boot, and I can see by the way she stoops to pick something off the floor without bending her legs that she's spent alot of her younger days planting rice, and her weather-beaten face makes her look much older than her 70 years. I can only imagine some of the hardships that she's had to endure raising 5 kids through times of droughts and floods etc., and so I don't mind it too much when I step on one of her discarded betel nut husks.

But....... I just wish she wouldn't eat 'Plaa Daek' so much. I don't like waking up with a hangover with the house smelling of dogshit.

Oh! and I don't like trying to pinpoint where strange sounds are coming from in the kitchen, only to find crabs trying to claw their way out of a pot or having a dozen frogs jumping out of a bowl as soon as I lift the lid to see what's inside.

At the end of the day though, I hope they live to a ripe old age. I actually like having them around.

[BambinA]

if i had mum-in law..

and if she is TH lady i will call her Mae /Khun Mae

if she is a farang lady i will call her mom (but i'd love to ask her before what she prefer me to call)

[tuky]

Mamma and Pappa for me!!!

[ben01]

i appreciate my mother in law.....appreciate she is in los and I am in uk!!!

[jumbo]

Very nice women, I call her Mae, she calls me Ma-Chin (Martin)

Old style Thai, loves to bragg (if there is any worht doing it) about her daughter and me, always is worried I do not have anything to drink or (when going home) drink to much...

[sbk]

Mae for my mother-in-law, Pau for my father-in-law, my husband calls my mom "Mom" and dad "Dad"

We get along, sometimes ok, sometimes not. I have difficulty understanding her at times because she talks faster than the proverbial speeding bullet (yes, even after 17 years!). I think she appreciates that I love her son and take good care of him, she appreciates that I am hard working but probably not my independence of spirit quite so much!

My father-in-law and I get on like a house on fire, he admires the fact that WYSIWYG with me, that I am hardworking and honest. He is a blunt, outspoken man so I guess he likes that in me too .

[Noel]

No disrespect to anyone's MIL, but from personal experiences I lean towards Billy Connelly's way of thinking, albeit he was referring to girlfriends.

To slightly amend his words to suit my thoughts:

"I never forget my mother-in-law's name, I always call 'em bitch!"

[Boon Mee]

I call her Khun Mae and she just sneers at me...

[Rigger]

My mother in law is a very nice lady and I have the upmost respect for her. With out her I think my wife would have a hard time looking after two young kids with me away alot.

I call her Mama and treat her with the same respect I treat my own mother and make sure she has every thing she needs.

[Johpa]

My mother inlaw is great, we have a wonderful relationship that I am certain is helped by the fact that she speaks little Thai so I never have to get involved in her side of the family politic. Now my father inlaw, he has been a pain in the arse since he went through the government detox program and then later sobered up too.