I think it depends.

I know plenty of mothers-in-law who view their daughters-in-law as a competition. Thus they make their daughters-in-law's lives a living hell since they still want to be the number one person in their sons' lives. In this case, it's usually easier to get along with the fathers-in-law.

I think most fathers-in-law aren't fussy and they don't have the need to compete with their daughters-in-law. However, I also know one particular father-in-law who demands A LOT from his son and his daughter-in-law in terms of money and other things.

In my own experience, both my in-laws are great. They welcome me so warmly though I'm a Chinese whereas they are Finnish. They don't speak English and I still can't speak Finnish too well, yet they are angels! They care about my family and my own well-being and I'm sure that when my Finnish is much better, I can get along well with both of them.

My conclusion is this: if mothers-in-law welcome their daughters-in-law as if they were their own flesh and blood, then there's a big chance that they'll bond more easily. Why? Because they're women and there are just some things that men can't understand perfectly about women, such as pregnancy and other "feminine" issues.

Learn more about this author, Amelia Listiani.
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