What sort of mother-in-law do you have? Is she a steamroller, an apologist or a dodgy 
gran? Whatever the case, you have to have a strategy, says Katy Rink author of a new book on the subject Managing MIL.
Katy is guest blogging for Netmums today and she shares with us some common types of mother-in-law – with instructions for careful handling in her inimitable very tongue-firmly-in-cheek style.
We also have copies of Managing MIL to giveaway to 10 very lucky readers. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page to find out how to enter.
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1 – The Steamroller
No sooner through your door than she’ll be in your cupboards, commenting on how on 
earth her grandchildren can be surviving on cheese strings and Actimels. She’ll hook out your greying bras from your washing like a factory sorter on quality control and stand at your shoulder whilst you are ironing, to make sure you centre your in-seams.
Top Tip: Crank up the temperature control on your iron and slam it in her face. Just kidding. But seriously, learn to stand up for yourself. You’re all grown up now.
2 – The Snob
She’ll introduce herself as Lady D, even though her name is Dawn and she lives in a two up, two down in Bayswater. She has a ten year subscription to Country Life and had secretly hoped for a ‘girl in pearls’; you know the sort, between the property and the shooting features, snuggling Hungarian Vizslas in her cleavage and sucking a cake-pop.
Top Tip: Learn to ignore her repeated digs and allusions to ‘your sort’. Be polite, in your own way, but don’t feel you have to commit the whole of Debrett’s Etiquette to memory. Be yourself and don’t let her wobble you! You were good enough for him, you are good enough for her!
3 – The Storyteller
With her jazzy, low-cut tops, big jewellery and bingo wings, she lights up any room. But it’s her endless stories that get under your skin. Like the epic tale of the ‘ninety-nine-pee-chilli-sauce’; you don’t just get A to B with her, you get A to Z.
Top Tip: Remind yourself that she means well and fix your listening face with a few stiff gins before she arrives. Just because her conversation is less stimulating than benzodiazepines doesn’t make her any less of a person… Be kind and behave!
4 – The Reluctant Grandma
She rolls her eyes when you ask her to babysit. Everything is too much trouble. She’s done
her bit. She had two children of her own and she didn’t much like raising them. She’s not about to start all over again with yours.
Top Tips: Make sure you haven’t got the wrong end of the stick. Apparent reluctance can mask hurt feelings. Otherwise, expect nothing and then you won’t be disappointed. Recognise her right to feel this way. Not everyone can be a fawning, devoted Nan.
5 – The Apologist
She tiptoes around you like a gopher in a bear cave, terrified to breathe; apologising,
Katy Rink
almost for her very existence. She always rings at the very worst of times, with: ‘I’m sorry, is this a bad time?’ You know you shouldn’t, but you just can’t help poking her with a stick, just for fun.
Top Tip: Play nice. That is just not cricket. She might well wind you up with her tense and insincere apologies, but if you allow her to relax you might find she’s quite a different person and much easier to get along with.
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Read Netmums members top tips for dealing with your Mother-in-law! To get extra help with your MIL why not try your hand at winning a copy?
We have ten copies of Managing MIL published by Peridot Press and worth £6.99 each to giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning a copy simply leave us a comment on this blog post and from all comments received by midnight on 30th November we will pick out ten lucky winners. Usual Netmums terms and conditions apply.
Do you recognise your mother-in-law as one of these types? Do you have a good or a strained relationship with her and what are your top tips for dealing with your mother-in-law? Share a comment and let us know and you could win your own copy of the book.
