Boy Mom Criticized For Being Disgusted That She Will One Day Have To Be 'Some Girl's Mother-In-Law'
Having this mindset isn't healthy parenting.
A mom received a bit of backlash after sharing that she wasn't looking forward to her son having another woman in his life.
In a video posted to her Instagram, Emily Breeze Watson, a mom of three, was accused of being "insufferable" after she claimed that she wasn't happy about the idea of her son marrying a woman when he becomes an adult, and her having to potentially share him with someone else.
She feigned disinterest at having to be 'some girl's mother-in-law' one day.
In Watson's video, she filmed herself sitting outside and looking off into the distance, feigning disinterest and an aversion to her son one day marrying a woman and that person becoming her daughter-in-law.
"When you're so in love with being a boy mom and suddenly realize it means you'll be some girl's mother-in-law one day," Watson wrote in overlay text on the video. In the caption, Watson admitted that even thinking about it was ruining her mood, writing, "Well, that's one way to ruin my weekend."
In the comments section, people expressed their opinions on how this mentality can be an extremely toxic way to parent a son.
"If you dread being some girl’s mother-in-law, your son's wife will dread seeing their mother-in-law way more," one Instagram user wrote. "You’re not cool, you’re just one of those moms who refused to let her son grow up and was just a little too obsessed with them."
Another user added, "I want you to take a deep look into yourself and ask yourself why this is an issue for you," while a third user chimed in, "I’m thankful my husband’s family thought of me as an addition rather than a burden like this lady."
"If I ever have sons, their wives will come before me too because that’s how it’s supposed to be when they go off and start their own family."
Mothers who foster a close attachment and codependent relationship with their sons will only hurt them when they become adults.
Other people in the comments brought up the term "emotional incest" to describe the close relationship that some mothers will have with their sons. It occurs when a mother becomes overly involved in her son's life, often blurring boundaries and creating a codependent relationship.
According to a study done by Dee Hann-Morrison, when a mother doesn't feel like she is getting the emotional support she needs from her spouse, she will turn to her son for that instead, which can have repercussions as a young boy grows up and becomes an adult.
Sons who were emotionally dependent on their mothers may carry this dependency into adulthood. They can find it challenging to manage their emotions independently or seek validation and approval from others in a way that can be unhealthy for their self-esteem.
Codependent attachments with mothers can also influence a son's romantic relationships. They may seek partners who replicate the role of their mothers, leading to relationship patterns characterized by that emotional dependency.
It's not healthy for mothers to ingrain themselves into their son's lives to the point where they have no room for anyone else. If anything, it only does them a disservice and stops them from becoming independent on their own and discovering their identities without relying on a codependent relationship with their mothers.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.