How can I stop my husband from catering to my 87-year-old mother who lives with us? He constantly fawns over her, pampers her and babies her.

Yes, you do deserve to count. It sounds as if the elder care issues are affecting your marriage, which isn't unusual. Will he go to marriage counseling with you to help you both find a balance that works? Eldercare often stresses the best of marriages, so you aren't alone. If he won't go, you may want to go alone, just to vent. Take care of yourself and you may feel better about the whole thing. Good luck,
Carol

Why does it seem like either the pendulum swings WAY left, or WAY right? Why can't people just be 'normal' I wonder? Why will I read on here, one husband can't stand his mother-in-law, or at least can't stand all the attention she is getting from his wife, who in turn is NOT giving him all her attention? Or now it's the husband that is fawning all over his wife's mother, and his wife is feeling neglected? It really is all 'relative' I guess. (pun intended) :)

Sides? Why are there sides? This shouldn't be an adversarial relationship!

It sounds like this is not so much about the attention your husband pays to his mother or your mother, but about the attention he pays/doesn't pay to you. Focus on that. Have a heart-to-heart with him about what you need. Leave your mothers out of it. Marriage counselling sounds like a great idea. I'll bet it would not be endless sessions -- just a few to iron out how a live-in mom changes the housefhold dynamics.

It is kind of sad that your mother needs so much male attention, but it sounds great to me that your husband can provide it harmlessly.

I don't know if I'll want to be fawned over in 20 years. If I do, I hope there will be someone around willing to do it now and then!

BTY, I take both my mother and my husband to see the same geriatrician. Almost always the first comment out of her mouth is about their appearance. "You really look great today! If I didn't have you chart here I'd forget how old you are!" or "You look a little tired today. What is going on?" Of course that is not the only thing she says to them, but it wouldn't surprise me if those were the comments they remember and report to others.

My mom also lives with us and is almost 87. She is very focused on compliments and any kind of male based attention and acts coy around most men. My husband does wait on her but not fawn over her so much. My sister's boyfriend fawns (sort of patronizing fake flirting) with her and she thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread.

The only thing that sincerely interests her are situations where men might pay attention to her, she has no time for women and barely notices if they are kind to her. I really think this behavior is all about the attention and where she gets her self esteem. I have chalked it up to her generation and how she was raised.

It does sadden and disgust me that this is her only interest. I'm looking for the wise matriarch and she comes out with pre-teen girl stuff. I completely ignore it and change the subject when she starts talking about how good someone said she looked. (her doctor says that to her as well which boggles the mind.) This is her personality, always has been, and I'm not going to try and change it now. When she first moved in 3 years ago I tried to point her interests elsewhere but it is a lost cause. To lessen the stress I let it roll off and think of it as one of the battles I choose not to fight.

Of course you deserve attention and kindness. That goes without saying, we all do. There are no sides for your husband to be on. He sounds like an awesome guy. Take some time together away from your mom to get your attention needs met. I recommend you don't compete with your mom. No one will win.

Stop complaing someday you will be old and need alot of attenion as well. We all will get old,and act like children or go back as babies in life. It is in the bible in the word of god...

I agree, I don't see any harm in making them feel good about themselves. If that's what they need by all Means make it happen.

Hi Jeanne, just to say that this is from a woman who drove my father to his death with her endless complaints and demands, who he could never please, and who did not remarry after she finally divorced him. She became a man-hater for the rest of her life yet doesn't mind the attention from them and, as annet said, is also coy and condescending around men. When she lived in her apartment she was very intimidated by the male super and wouldn't even call him to fix her oven so consequently one year on the holidays the turkey came out only 1/4 cooked and it's a miracle we all didn't end up in the hospital with a severe case of food poisoning! The oven door wouldn't shut completely but she wouldn't bother to call him to fix it....there was no reasoning with her.
I refuse to believe that it is a "generational" thing for I know many, many other women her age from her generation who are strong, independent and healthy.

the holy bible says a lot,the bottom line is to love one anorther,and thats not so easy at times,thats why we have for giveness,that said if you cant beatem joine,in orther words joine in and be a part of ,you have nothing nothing and at all to lose , it might even be fun to see who can give the most attention. think about it pleae.god bless

Both my parents are in the nursing home, I cannot lift them physically, if not for that I would be taking care of them. I will say this, I did take care of my mother for four months, I know that isn't very long but it seemed long. I appreciated and still do appreciate my husband catering to my mother during that time, I never felt left out or jealous. I wasn't asked if I would like anything special for dinner or you look pretty today, but my mom was asked and told those things. It made her feel better about herself and how she felt about him. I wish to this day that I could take care of them and I would hope I would not feel neglected or left out. Did these feelings start before mother moved in, maybe you would feel better if you had a break from taking care of your mother everyday. Have you checked on having someone come sit with her so you can get out of the house. Just some suggestions, I wish you the bet, it's hard to be a caregiver.

Both my parents are in the nursing home, I cannot lift them physically, if not for that I would be taking care of them. I will say this, I did take care of my mother for four months, I know that isn't very long but it seemed long. I appreciated and still do appreciate my husband catering to my mother during that time, I never felt left out or jealous. I wasn't asked if I would like anything special for dinner or you look pretty today, but my mom was asked and told those things. It made her feel better about herself and how she felt about him. I wish to this day that I could take care of them and I would hope I would not feel neglected or left out. Did these feelings start before mother moved in, maybe you would feel better if you had a break from taking care of your mother everyday. Have you checked on having someone come sit with her so you can get out of the house. Just some suggestions, I wish you the bet, it's hard to be a caregiver.