Respect Beyond Rent: Standing Up for Myself

I live with my in-laws because we’re 19 and can’t afford our own place while raising our baby.

My mother-in-law expects me to clean up after them and even do the family laundry. I told my husband, “I’m not her maid! You need to stand up for me; I’m your wife!”

The next day, I came home, and to my shock, all my belongings were gone from our room. My closet was empty, and everything I owned had been packed up. My mother-in-law had prepared my suitcase and placed it next to the door.

She confronted me and said, “If you can’t respect my rules in my house, then you’re no longer welcome here.”

I stood there, speechless and hurt, feeling a mix of anger and betrayal. The worst part was my husband’s reaction. He just shrugged and, with an indifferent tone, said, “Maybe it’s better if you go to your parents’ house for a while with the baby until things calm down.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Instead of standing up for me, he was essentially siding with his mother. My heart sank as I realized that I was not only being cast out by my mother-in-law but also abandoned by my husband. With a heavy heart and tears in my eyes, I packed up my baby’s things and left, feeling completely alone and unsupported.

I reminded him that I had left everything and moved miles away to be with him. Then I left, feeling completely helpless.

Now, I’m back at the house, but things are even more tense than before. What should I do? The atmosphere is suffocating, and the tension between my mother-in-law and me has reached a breaking point. My husband remains passive, and I feel more isolated than ever. I need advice on how to navigate this situation, establish boundaries, and regain some sense of normalcy and respect in this household.