My MIL puts her favouritism in full throttle at Xmas

“You need to stop this now, before they get older." 

A concerned mother has shared her frustration over her mother-in-law's favouritism toward her son.

Especially when it comes to Christmas gifts.

Taking to a Reddit forum, the mother explained that her MIL planned to give her son significantly more gifts than her daughters.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

RELATED: My rich but stingy in-laws host a sad Xmas dinner every year 

"Strangest relationship"

“Today, my MIL sent us a screenshot of what she sent the kids for Christmas. She got each of my daughters two gifts and my son four,” she wrote.

“She sent a message saying she might buy him more gifts because she feels like she didn’t get him enough."

The woman explained that it all stems from the unique bond her son shares with his grandmother. 

“She’s always had the strangest relationship with him (she has two other grandsons). She always says stuff like, ‘I just feel so close to him,’ and, ‘He is just the sweetest, I feel a special connection to him.".

Even after the family moved away, her mother-in-law’s preferential treatment continued. After the move they welcomed two daughters, which could explain why their bond is weaker. 

“She didn’t get to really be around them as much as she was with my son. We have visited them, and she has visited us, so she has gotten to form some kind of relationship with them, but still, she shows a lot of favouritism toward my son,” the mum explained.

Image: iStock

RELATED: I banned my husband's parents from coming over on Christmas morning

"My brother was the favourite"

The situation has stirred up painful memories for the woman. 

“I grew up in a similar situation where my brother was the favourite,” she recalled.

She’s torn between speaking up or simply being grateful her children are getting gifts at all.

Commenters on the forum were quick to slam the unfair behaviour.

“Doing things that display favouritism and rub it in the faces of the other two kids is just not okay,” one wrote.

“Everyone has their favourite. BUT the difference is: saying it out loud and making it known,” shared another.

Some argued it’s up to her to do something before feelings are hurt.

“It’s up to you to nip this in the bud,” one commenter urged.

Another advised, “You need to stop this now, before they get older.”

In a follow-up comment, the mother revealed that she and her husband want to address the issue together. They just don't know how.

“She’s a difficult person as it is, and we don’t want to rock the boat too much,” she admitted.

It seems like Grandma’s true gift this year is family tension.

Originally published as My MIL puts her favouritism in full throttle at Xmas