I gave birth to my daughter six months ago, and since then, things have not been very pleasant. Initially, it was my personal life that felt chaotic. It became clear that my in-laws had wanted a boy, and they were deeply disappointed when I gave birth to a girl. They did not offer any support during the first three months. It was my mother and husband who helped me take care of my child. My mom stayed with us for a month, but my in-laws were distant toward her and never truly considered her part of the family. Seeing my parents being subtly disrespected hurt me deeply.

Three months after my daughter's birth, my sister-in-law also had a baby girl. Unlike with my daughter, my in-laws were excited about her arrival. I tried to reason that this was because she had complications during her pregnancy, and they were just relieved that everything went well. But that still doesn’t justify the fact that my daughter had to go through a tough first three months due to someone else's preferences. She didn’t get to celebrate any of her milestones because of the negativity and unhappy environment.

Now that my maternity leave has ended, I returned to work excited to reconnect with my team. I was a team lead, managing three teams before I went on leave. But when I came back, management told me that the team was doing well in my absence and that they wanted to reassign me to another project. It was painful to hear. I had built that team from the ground up, and now, I was being sidelined. The new project they want me to take on doesn’t even exist yet, which makes me fear for my job security. I also don’t know if I will be leading a team or working under someone else. I have been a lead for so long that the idea of reporting to someone again is unsettling. My professional life feels like a mess, and I don’t know if I can handle this new role. I feel like I’m hanging by a thread, unsure of what to do next.

I wanted to go to my mother’s place so she could help take care of my daughter while I focus on work, but my in-laws are against it. Managing both work and my baby has become overwhelming. I feel lost and exhausted. I constantly feel like crying, and at times, I have even lost the will to live. I often think about ending everything just to find some peace. I don’t know where my life is headed, and my future feels bleak. I don't like feeling this way. I just want to be happy.

Everything inside me screams from helplessness and injustice of it all! I don’t hate my sister-in-law, as a woman, I want to support her, I really do. And I know she's been through a lot. It's been three long years since she moved in with us, seeking refuge from her abusive ex-husband. Three years of watching her struggle being a young mother, and three years of feeling the walls of my own life closing in on me. As much as I want to help her, I can't take it anymore. It's not just about her not contributing to the household or being oblivious to the impact of her presence; it's about feeling like I'm suffocating under the weight of her problems.

Our relationship has taken a turn for the worst the last three months. Ever since she smacked me on the mouth for trying to help her with her baby. She apologized, and we both act as if we’re fine. But I’m not. I can’t stand it anymore hearing her say she regrets having her baby, all the while I’m trying so hard to get pregnant. I can’t stand her being so controlling and anxious about everything, having to go on tiptoes in my own house because loud noises make my sister-in-law jump and lash out. I would call her passive-aggressive if she didn’t have so many issues. I know she's been through hell and back, and I can't imagine the pain she must have endured with her ex. Because of this, I don’t dare to share my feelings with my husband. I can’t use the word “abuse”, it was my sister-in-law who was abused by her husband. If I only hint that her behavior is domestic abuse in my eyes, I’ll be called a heartless bitch and I probably will be a bitch in our friends’ opinion. But I feel that she is being mentally and verbally abusive towards me every single day, and I can’t excuse it for her depression or her temper tantrums anymore. When she hit me, my patience with her ran out. I can't stand domestic violence from anyone, especially not from my own sister-in-law. If she ever raises a hand on me again, I will tell my husband, that’s decided. I regret not telling him three months ago, but I feel that the moment is lost now. And would he even believe me? He'd think I’m exaggerating or making a big deal out of nothing.

I want to tell him how I feel, but I'm afraid. He's always been so selfless in his desire to help others. I married a freaking Robin Hood! Nobody told me his sister would come as a bonus. God, I feel guilty even for writing this… How can I possibly accuse my sister-in-law of being violent, aggressive, selfish, when she’s the victim? But at the same time, I can't keep living like this. I feel like I'm drowning.

I want her out of my house and my life. It feels immoral to think about asking her to leave when she has nowhere to go and with a child. But at the same time, I can't ignore the fact that her presence makes me neurotic. I don't know what to do. I feel torn between my duty and my own need for space and peace. I just wish there was a solution that doesn't make everything my fault.

I’m 25 with 2 kids and it seems like this past year has been all kinds of crazy.First I had met my fiancé then we got a house together soon after that he got locked up,After that things started to change his family has partially turned against me and the kids they don’t act like they want us around,there very rude and hateful towards us. There constantly getting mad when my family comes to visit they won’t talk to me an the kids they only contact me to see what they can find out to gossip about us,I have to depend on them for transportation because my vehicle has currently broke down they treat us anyway they want to because they know I will have to depend on them to get back an forth to places when they get mad they don’t talk to me when somebody tries to help me an the kids they get mad an try to start drama.There goal has been made known that they are wanting to take my kids and raise them instead of me(even though they don’t truly care about them.) it’s constant battles of them smarting off and being rude when they invite us to family gatherings they act like me and the kids aren’t wanted there his mother constantly tries to figure out ways to aggravate me so she can find reasons not to be around us or do anything for us if she can’t get her way by doing that she pouts (reminder she’s 50.) then when he calls her she is continuously telling him a bunch of lies so he would call an chew me out and cause problems between us even has my neighbors lieing on me. They hardly ever call or text to check on the kids unless they want to make there self look good infront of the other family members has went as far as turning some family members away from me and the kids.they constantly trash talk my kid that’s not from him calling her hard headed an that she don’t listen an telling everybody she’s wild.(she’s 4 years old.) her parents uphold her in her cheating on her husband and act like she dose no wrong. If we don’t do what they say then we’re no good to them.i continually try and try but the stress and aggervation just ain’t worth it for me to keep trying but yet if I don’t have some kind of contact with them then me an the kids don’t get to go anywhere.its just like no matter what we do were wrong if it’s not about them or helping them out,my soon to be mother in law pays people to help her clean her house I have cleaned her house for free an yet still don’t get a thank you she acts like she dosent even acknowledge it,when somebody else tries to help me an the kids were in the wrong cause there the only ones that’s supposed to help us apparently.im just emotionally an physically wore out.what should I do?how should I deal with this?

Hi

I delivered my baby on August second about 3 weeks back. It was an emergency cesarean. As my mother passed away, from the time I was pregnant, my mother in law was saying she will take care of me post delivery. When I reached native ( I was doing post graduation else where and came for delivery), I was craving to stay at my home and spend time with my younger brother and father. But upon asking to stay at my home for 2 days, my in laws didn't agree. I cried so much but suffered everything and didn't tell them. My tension was increasing day by day on staying at in laws home ( husband is working elsewhere) and finally it led to emergency c section. Post delivery I came to their house, as my baby wakes up at night iam not able to sleep in night but morning my mother in law comes , when I just close my eyes after putting the baby somehow to sleep and she asks me to wake up and drink milk so as to produce milk for the baby. They always blame for not eating , says I don't feed properly rtc. They are over caring for the baby and consider me as a milk producing machine for the baby. I fee like running away from this cage.