The women who often are overlooked on Mother’s Day are the ones we should blame or thank for everything we hold dear. Celebrate your mother-in-law.

Send a Thank-You Note to Your Mother-in-Law

This Mother’s Day (or any day of the year), take a few minutes to acknowledge and give thanks to the unsung heroes of motherhood. The women who often are overlooked on these special days are the ones we should thank (or blame) for everything we hold dear in our own lives: our very own mother-in-law

Without her selfless sacrifice of raising our beloved husbands, we would not be initiated into the sacred circle of motherhood. To this woman we owe the world, or at least so it seems.

I reached out to my Facebook followers to hear what they are grateful to their mother-in-law for. The response was overwhelming. I decided to make my favorite replies into greeting card sentiments. In case you are at a loss for words this Mother’s Day – or any other day of the year, please use this list as inspiration.

(This post was updated in December 2018 to provide you with the best greetings for your mother-in-law.) 

 

These sweet sentiments are meant to be personalized to fit your family and mother-in-law.

Lovely and feel-good thank you MIL sentiments:

1. You are loved for so many reasons: your awesome pasta sauce recipe, our fun talks every week, and raising an amazing son who is a great father and husband.
2. I love your son, my husband. I appreciate the fact that you are one of my children’s favorite playmates, and that you are not more annoying than my own mother.
3. I am happy every day because of the way you raised your son, the most amazing man I have ever met, and how you accepted me into your family.
4. You were a part of our daily lives when we were going through the most difficult situation. Your help was invaluable.
5. Thank you for adopting my husband and helping him become the man he is today.
6. Thank you for accepting me into the family as one of your own.
7. I appreciate all the ways you help our family. Your dedication to your family’s happiness is apparent and something we don’t take for granted.
8. Thank you for making sweet memories with the grandkids. They know how much you cherish them.
9. Thank you for always being there when we need help around the house.
10. Although miles separate us, I feel closer to you than ever before. Your sweet phone calls and letters to the kids melt the miles away.
11. Thank you for coming to visit us. We already look forward to your next visit. There’s a great void in our house when you leave. I especially appreciate your help.
12. We love the relationship you have with your grandkids. They adore you and enjoy listening to your stories. Thank you for making sweet memories with them.
13. Thank you for raising such an amazing man. Your dedication to teaching him manners surely paid off and I am reaping the rewards. I am thankful for you every day.
14. Happy birthday/ Mother’s Day. We hope your special day is full of happy memories. We are thankful to be part of your happiest times.
15. Thank you for all that you have done this past year for our family. We can never properly repay you, but please know that you have changed our lives for the better. We are forever thankful.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a better daughter-in-law? Don’t miss these tips on how to improve your relationship with your mother-in-law. 

 

Click on the image above or complete the form below to get access to our beautiful collection of printable mother-in-law cards.

They are perfect for any occasion: Mother’s Day, Thank You, Birthday, or simply “just because”.

There are eight heartfelt cards – there’s sure to be one to fit your mother-in-law perfectly! 

 

And then there is REALITY… The really funny mother-in-law greetings: 

Use the following at your own risk discretion: 

Dear Mother-in-Law, from the bottom of my heart, …:

(finish the sentence with the most appropriate choice from the list below)

1. I appreciate all your unsolicited advice. I didn’t realize I was doing so many things wrong until you took the time to correct me.
2. we love your (many) visits, especially the unannounced ones.
3. thank you for redecorating our house with the things you were going to donate to Good Will.
4. thank you for taking your meds.
5. thank you for getting my name right, most of the time.
6. I appreciate that you only pay attention to your son when you visit. It gives me much-needed alone-time with the kids.
7. thank you for cleaning all the things I “wouldn’t know needed to be cleaned.” (I am STILL wondering what they are!)
8. thank you for helping me learn how to cut my elders some slack… a lot of slack.
9. I enjoyed the red lipstick kisses you left on my kids’ cheeks. (Thankfully, I no longer panic thinking it is a weird rash.)
10. thank you for drinking all my wine. Or wait – maybe I drank it all in anticipation of your visit. Either way, I am off to buy some more.
11. please remember that “circumcision” and “cesarean” are NOT one and the same thing. They should not be used interchangeably, it may cause confusion.
12. I loved the spreadsheet you made for me, of all the things I had to do before my wedding.
13. it was really wonderful having you sleep on our couch instead of you staying at a hotel after we had the baby.
14. you are great at not dropping the baby.
15. thank you for being absurdly high maintenance. You make me look like a saint.
16. thank you for confusing words like “enema” and “vaccine”. It makes for a great conversation. (Editor’s note: neither causes autism!)
17. I thank the Lord that you live 5 states away, I think we get along much better that way.
18. thanks for the parenting advice but I live with a child you raised and yeah….. that’s not really working out for me.
19. I appreciate the “delayed umbilical cord clamping” on your son. But I think after 35 years you can cut off.
20. your gift of not speaking to us has ensured that we are a drama-free family. Thank you.
21. thank you for raising your son to put his wife first, above everyone else, including you!
22. my husband is still recovering from all your unsolicited advice, intrusive behaviors, and the fanatic evangelical upbringing.
23. I appreciate you letting me use “your” recipes. You know, the ones that I follow to a “t”, yet they don’t turn out the same as yours. My husband will always like your version better.
24. thank you for not telling me what to do.
25. I love that you at least knock before unlocking our door when you come over unannounced.
26. thank you for teaching me how NOT to be a mother-in-law!

 

It is my sincere hope that this list will help start a dialog between you and your mother-in-law. Perhaps one that can heal old wounds, remove bunions, recover lost wages, and bring peace to the world – or at a minimum ensure that your Thanksgiving Day meals are less painful.

Regardless of your relationship with your mother-in-law, remember that it is the bond between you and your husband that matters the most.

Happy Mother’s Day to you – and all the matriarchs in your life!

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a better daughter-in-law? Don’t miss these tips on how to improve your relationship with your mother-in-law. 

P.S. If you have read this far and if you are my mother-in-law: Thank you for SO many things – the biggest one being your son!

 

Don’t miss these great gift ideas for your Mother-in-Law. There is something for every type of relationship.

You WILL find something for her in here! I promise!

The Best Gift Ideas for Your Mother-in-Law