Old-School Mom Insults Daughter-In-Law And Regrets It
He Was Stunned
Everything occurred during the phone call Clint had with his mother. She remarked. To be precise, a remark regarding Clint’s wife.
Clint was taken aback by what his mother said. He paused for a moment to think. Then he said something that left his mother stunned.
Issues In The Family
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Sometimes a couple’s relationship with their respective parents-in-law can become problematic. It is vital the relationship is based on trust.
No parent wants their child to be abused or ignored by the person they have agreed to spend their lives with. However, some families go overboard.
It Went Viral
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This was the situation with Clint’s mother. She commented on Clint’s wife, Mel, and he was stunned. However, he managed to find the perfect response.
And now the whole world is talking about Clint’s response to his mother and how he defended his spouse. He’s even been encouraged to present his experience on television. This is how it went down.
A Happy Family
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Clint and Mel had been married for over a decade when the incident occurred. Clint and Mel had three children together, namely, Tristen, Aspen, and Norah.
Marriage and parenthood came with their own set of troubles, but the couple succeeded in building a beautiful and joyful home. However, it was not an easy task. There had been some challenging periods as well.
A Bumpy Road
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Clint proposed to Mel while they were still in university. They received a lot of criticism for their decision to get married. And to add insult to injury, after graduating, they had the difficult task of securing employment.
They had to relocate across the country, hopping from employer to employer as they learned how to nurture and provide for their children. It was difficult at times, and they were on the verge of losing their minds.
Succeeding
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But, in the end, they persevered and emerged victoriously. Clint began as a student affairs supervisor at Oregon State University.
This allowed Mel to be a stay-at-home mom. The couple decided that it was in the best interest of their children to have her stay at home. They were content with their life. However, things weren’t as perfect as they seemed.
A Messy Home
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Their home was a bit messy and disorganized. “There is often kid clutter, dishes in the sink, and half-finished art projects on the counters,” Clint posted on his website named “No Idea What I’m Doing: A Daddy Blog.”
They had no idea that this would eventually turn into a far more significant issue than they could have imagined.
Traditional Values
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The ideals of Clint’s mother shared many similarities with those of her generation. At times, however, these ideals diverged from those of Clint and his wife.
In no way was she a horrible person or prejudiced in any way. Even so, she struggled to let go of some ideas and ideals from her upbringing. As a result, Clint and his wife grew apart.
A Normal Conversation
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It all happened out of nowhere. Clint was doing the chores while chatting on the phone with his mother. They were discussing what had been going on in their lives. Just general topics such as how they were doing and what was new with work.
Clint was then caught off guard by a comment made by his mother. Clint was very perplexed when she made an insensitive remark.
Insensitive Comment
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Clint’s mother inquired, “Doesn’t it concern you that Mel won’t keep the house clean?” Clint was stunned into silence for a brief moment. He was at a loss for words.
However, after some thought, he came up with this magnificent reply, which made his mother immediately regretful of her statement.
Clint’s Response
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“I was at a loss for words when it came to responding to my mum.” When asked about the incident, he told the reporters, “I never really know what to say at moments like this.” But then he said this:
“I didn’t sign up for this marriage to have a spotless home.” He said, “I got into it because she seemed like someone I could spend my life with.” And then, after a brief pause, his mother said:
His Mom’s Reaction
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“It’s probably more essential than keeping the place clean,” she said. She recognized what she had done wrong. She was placing all the housekeeping responsibilities on Clint’s wife.
Clint and his family, she expected, would live up to her generation’s expectations of what a home and family should be like. It was, nevertheless, understandable. She grew up in a different era and had a difficult childhood.
Different Generations
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Clint’s dad had abandoned them shortly after Clint was born. So she had no other option than to keep up with what was expected from a mom at that time; she had to take care of the house, juggle several jobs and raise his kid. All while being a single mom.
It wasn’t easy on her, and maybe she didn’t fully understand that her son’s generation had different standards. This is how Mel and Clint explained their perspective:
In Their Words
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“I’d rather not be that mom who ignores our kids and myself because I’m so busy worrying about what the neighbors might think of our messy house,” Mel said later when recounting the story.
“I will also admit, [our house] isn’t as clean as my mother’s home, but that doesn’t bother me. In fact, I don’t really think about that at all,” said Clint.
Reader’s Reactions
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Many readers have been praising how Clint stoop up for his wife, disregarding archaic gender roles and recognizing that house duties are also his responsibility.
What do you think about this story? Do you think that Clint’s mom was justified in making that comment? And how do you feel about Clint’s response?
