Still Talking About It

Janelle has a few hills she’s willing to die on when it comes to mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, and complicated family dynamics… and apparently, so does the internet.   This week, she’s diving deeper into two recent viral posts and explaining WHY she stands so firmly behind some of her most talked-about opinions.   Stop scolding your adult children.  Treat your grandchildren equally.  Respect a boundary without arguing about it for three weeks first.  And maybe, just MAYBE, the daughter-in-law who notices the unhealthy family dynamic isn’t automatically the person who created it.   Janelle also gets into what happens when your adult child gets married and builds a family of their own, why that SHOULD change the family dynamic, and why a daughter-in-law’s feelings, comfort, and mental health matter just as much as everyone else’s.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.

  Janelle asked for your hottest takes about grandparents, in-laws, boundaries and family relationships… and boy did you DELIVER!   This week, Janelle is reacting to some of the hottest takes her followers and listeners shared on Instagram. Do good grandparents have to be good parents first? When family comes to visit, should they automatically get a hotel? Did you really “marry the family” when you married your spouse? And are fathers-in-law sometimes even worse than mothers-in-law?   Janelle also gets into grandparents who always seem to have an excuse for not showing up, why enforcing a boundary can be more productive than trying to convince someone to understand it, and the very real grief that can exist even when going no contact was absolutely the right decision.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.  

We spend a LOT of time talking about mothers-in-law around here… but apparently we’ve been sleeping on the sister-in-law drama! In fact, some of your sisters-in-law are giving the toxic mothers-in-law a run for their money.   This week, Janelle is digging into follower submissions about difficult sisters-in-law, and as usual, the stories range from mildly irritating to absolutely unhinged.   We’re talking wedding drama, sisters who REALLY struggle with the concept of personal space, family members who manipulate everyone around them, and some truly wild examples of what happens when sibling closeness crosses a few too many boundaries.   Janelle also gets into why one incident that sounds relatively harmless to an outsider can feel completely different when it’s the latest in a long history of little digs, uncomfortable moments, and ignored boundaries. Because around here, we know allllll about death by a thousand cuts.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.   Treat yourself to something nice from Cozy Earth. And, as an added treat, when you use the coupon code JANELLE, you'll get 20% off your order!   

This week, Janelle is joined by fellow content creator Sam, who originally started sharing her story online anonymously after years of dealing with a mother-in-law who threatened her, crossed some pretty serious boundaries, and even attempted to pursue grandparents’ rights.   Janelle and Sam have something else in common now, too. Both of their mothers-in-law recently passed away, and the feelings that come with losing someone you had an incredibly difficult relationship with are… complicated.   They talk about grieving the relationship you wish you could have had, the relief that can come from knowing the conflict is finally over, and why it can feel uncomfortable to admit that you’re not necessarily grieving the person themselves.   The conversation also gets into protecting your kids when other family members feel entitled to access, being the “black cat” who refuses to keep the peace at your own expense, and why both women continue talking about their experiences online even though that chapter of their lives has ended.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.  

This week, Janelle is joined by content creator, birth and postpartum doula Bri Knight, who has built a following online sharing her own experiences with difficult in-law dynamics after becoming a mom.   They get into “pseudomutuality,” the idea of a family that appears incredibly close on the surface, but where authentic communication, accountability, and healthy boundaries are a whole lot harder to come by.   The conversation also gets personal as Bri shares how complicated in-law dynamics affected her marriage, why she and her husband ultimately separated, and what had to change before they could begin working toward reconciliation.   Janelle and Bri also talk about breaking generational patterns, raising boys who feel safe expressing their emotions, and why sometimes the healthiest thing you can do for a relationship is stop pretending everything is fine.   For more mother-in-law content, make sure you're following Janelle on Instagram and TikTok.   To see Bri’s content, follow her out on Instagram and TikTok.