"It’s no secret mother-in-laws get a bad rap. While it’s true certain mother-in-laws can be legitimately toxic, some mother-in-law relationships fall more into the range of “it’s complicated.” Maybe you love your mother-in-law most of the time, but she has one habit that simply drives you nuts. Or maybe she was wonderful before you had kids, but now suggests “helpful” nuggets of wisdom from her parenting days.
Amidst all the negativity surrounding mother-in-laws, sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of the good, which is likely why TikTok user @cynthia12300 post about her own mother-in-law went viral. As of this publication, her video has over 16 million views, 2.8 million likes, and over 20K comments, many filled with other heartwarming MIL stories. Keep reading to see the viral video and what others had to say about their mother-in-laws:
Viral Mother-in-Law Video
How many of us say off-handed comments and wonder if people are actually listening? Well Cynthia’s mother-in-law is listening—and doing something about it. Cynthia pans around her house to show her MIL’s impact. She writes, “I said I needed an iron,” shows an iron in her closet. “I said my babies loved reading,” shows a bookshelf full of kids books. Watch the full heartwarming video here:
Cynthia even shared in the comments that her mother-in-law moved to be nearer to her family, “She lives in the house directly in front of us😌❤️”
Reactions to the Viral Mother-in-Law Video
Heartwarming Mother-in-Law Stories
My mom is a mother-in-law three times over and she always said she wanted to be a good mother-in-law because it meant having a strong relationship with her children. Plus, she had a good example. My grandma—her MIL—loved my mom so much, they even took a trip to Hawaii with just the two of them. Here are more heartwarming MIL stories from the comments:
“My mil once told me after my mom passed away that she knew she could never fill my moms shoes but she hoped my mom was able to rest in peace knowing her daughter was safe in the arms of a mother.”—@Serena Carter-Bahmer
“Crying bc I know this is how my mother in law is, she knows I struggle with forming female relationships bc my mom wasn’t very nice to me.”—@foxtrot.delta.tango
“My husband all the time says that his mom spoils me. And she does. I said ‘the universe felt bad and didn’t want to give me a bad mom and mother in law😂😂’”—@mg
“My MIL lost her only daughter when she was a few months old, I live everyday thinking that she takes care of and checks on me like I’m the one she lost❤️as much as she drives me crazy Im so thankful.”—@KattDun97
Boy Moms Who Always Wanted a Daughter
The comments section is also full of boy moms who love getting to have a mother-daughter relationship. Even one commenter is starting early, “Both my teen sons have long-term GFs & neither ever had an EASTER BASKET growing up! Needless to say, they both had baskets this year! Our next adventure is to the salon for prom hair.” Others had this to say:
“As a mom with 3 boys who ALWAYS wanted a daughter this will be me 😭”—@Cat❤️
“My MIL was the same, just two boys, she was the best MIL I could have ever asked for 😭I miss her every day”—@mildred
“This is my mother in law also! She only had boys 🩷🩷”—@rylee_singletary
“As a daughter in law of a loving mother in law with two sons, you definitely were the daughter she was waiting for, my mother in law loves me so much,”—@britneynath7
“Currently SOBBING! this was my MIL 💔she recently passed from cancer n her last words to me were, ‘thank you for being the daughter I always wanted🥹’”—@MARiE.McDee
MIL Wishful Thinking
Of course, not everyone has a mother-in-law like Cynthia does.
“Moment of silence for all of us with an evil mil.”—anonymous user
“Damn cherish her it’s rough out here with a toxic mil”—@pineandpriairehomestead
“Hold her tight mine doesn’t even come to see her grandkids on Easter and Christmas etc. She doesn’t even like her son say she only deals with him because we have her grandkids.”—@Miranda Willis
I hope this video reaches some of those toxic mother-in-laws. And I also hope someday I remember this example and am more like Cynthia’s amazing MIL. As @itsmaariaalfaro wrote, “The type of MIL I want to be 🥹🩵”
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
Kathy Sisson has been a key contributor in the editorial parenting space for eight years, not only as a full-time editor at The Everymom but previously as a freelance writer for top parenting sites, including Scary Mommy, Motherly, Parent Co., and more. As an editor at The Everymom, she has produced hundreds of articles on a range of parenting topics, reviewed dozens of family-focused products, interviewed leading experts in the children and parenting world, and created viral parenting social media content. A mom of two, she is committed to sharing the honest, helpful, and often humorous stories of motherhood.