Why Is Every Daughter-in-law LIKE A Daughter But Rarely Treated As One?

The in-laws were happy with her accomplishment. They congratulated her and also praised her for her lovely gesture her of gifting her mom-in-law. 

Mouni was high with success in here career. She had had a great year winning the ‘Best performer’ award and the perks that came with it. But the icing on the cake was the promotion.

She was happy that her hard work had paid off. That evening while driving back home, she shopped for two gold kadas from her favourite jewellery showrooms. She said to herself, ‘It would be a great way to celebrate my career accomplishments with my family. These are for my mothers- amma and mummyji.’

They praised her…

The in-laws were happy with this accomplishment. They congratulated her and also praised her for her lovely gesture her of gifting her mom-in-law.

A couple of weeks passed by. As December arrived, Mouni was excited because it would be Christmas soon. And would give her the much needed break from the work. It had been a year since she last visited her parents and planned a visit to her mother’s place for Christmas.

That night as usual, after a busy day at work, the family sat down at dinner. Mouni spoke about her plans to visit her parents. Her in-laws happily supported her saying “Of course beta jao. You must go spend some time with them too. Hamari aur unki bhi beti ho tum (you are a daughter to us and them too)”

Like a modern family of forward thinking, her broad minded in-laws supported her.

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They even got her gifts!

It was last week of December. Mouni signed off a ‘happy vacation’ mails to her colleagues and drove home. Happily, she packed her bags. She made sure she didn’t forget to pack the gold kada she bought for both her mothers. Her husband said he’d join her to celebrate the new year there.

Just as she was dozing off to sleep, there was a knock at the bedroom door. Her husband opened the door. It was her in-laws who came bearing a Christmas gift for their beloved daughter-in-law.

“Beta I have picked up two sarees for my two daughters Nidhi and Mouni. I hope you like the colour,” her mother-in-law said. Mouni was overwhelmed by the gesture and hugged her like she would her own mother. She was delighted.

The next morning, while the father-in-law and husband were busy getting ready to go to work, Mouni and her MIL were spending the day at leisure. Mouni’s flight was in the afternoon and her MIL had taken an off to drop off her DIL to the airport.

She thought of the kadas she got

The men left for work as mummyji was on call with her daughter Nidhi. Mouni decided to make tea for herself and wanted to offer some to her MIL too.

Assuming Mouni was busy in kitchen, mummyji said “Pink Benaras saree for you and a green one for her.”

To which Nidhi said, “Wow! Pink, my favourite colour! Thanks mom! But I am sure it must have been heavy on your pocket. After all, two Benaras sarees.”
Mummyji responded, “Pagal hai? Benaras for you, uske ke liye toh mein ek normal cotton saree kharid li.” (Are you mad? I got her a simple cotton saree!”

By this time, Mouni had prepared the tea and was on her way to the living room to give it to her MIL. She’d definitely heard the conversation between the mother and daughter. But pretending like she didn’t hear it, she offered mummyji the tea and went to her room, tears streaming down her face.

Mouni sipped her chai thinking of the gold kadas she got for her two mothers.

Why is a daughter-in-law always treated like an outsider? Despite the in-laws saying that the DIL is just like their daughter, why is there still a bias?Why do in-laws expect the daughter-in-law to treat them as her own parents when they never treat her like their own daughter?

Picture credits: Unsplash

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