A painful and far-too-common story: when parents sabotage their own children’s happiness, believing they know best. A heartfelt plea to all mothers of sons—and to every parent who confuses control with love.

How do parents end up hurting their own children? I hope to find answers to this question through those who will read this piece—because surely, it will reach the eyes or ears of at least one mother-in-law who thinks she’s doing the right thing.

Do not destroy love—because in doing so, you are tearing your children apart. There’s a cruel art that some people master: the ability to make others suffer. Whether you’ve wronged them or not, those who thrive on emotional dominance will hurt you regardless of how hard you try to keep the peace.

But what do you do when that person isn’t a stranger or a boss—but your own mother-in-law?

I watch with heartbreak as dozens of relationships crumble around me. The reason? Mothers who can’t accept that their sons are now husbands. A mother-in-law who doesn’t love or respect her daughter-in-law simply doesn’t love her son either. If she did, she wouldn’t subject the woman he chose to a constant stream of pain and humiliation, all in the name of “tradition” or control.

These toxic women, who often wreck marriages without a flicker of remorse, may never seem to face consequences. But make no mistake—life has a way of bringing balance. Eventually.

Here’s a real story, one that echoes through countless households:

Two young people fell in love. They got married. And now, they’re drifting into silence and distance—not because they stopped loving each other, but because his parents made sure to push her out.

No real reasons. No arguments. Just a quiet war against her presence. At one point, the young woman wanted to cancel the wedding. She felt unwanted. But the parents insisted it go on—they’d already announced it to the world. Reputation mattered more than their son’s joy.

The couple used to be happy, despite the usual challenges. But things took a sharp turn when the parents decided she no longer belonged. It didn’t matter what their son wanted. They were the parents. They “knew better.” They raised him. They loved him—or so they said.

Their actions told a different story.

After promising to stay out of the marriage, they stormed back into it with a single goal: get rid of the wife. They ordered her to leave the house they had built over the years. Told her to stay away from their son. Claimed she had “ruined” him—without ever asking how he truly felt.

But of course, they knew best. They were the boy’s parents, after all.

They gave her an ultimatum: leave or face consequences.

Heartbroken, confused, and unsupported by the very man who had promised to stand beside her through thick and thin, the woman packed her bags. She hoped he would follow, that he’d keep his vow to face life with her, hand in hand.

Instead, his father whispered, with false wisdom:
“Where would you go, son? To be a rented fool? Let her go—there are plenty of women out there.”

And just like that, a love story that could’ve become a tale for grandchildren ended in silence and betrayal.

With pain and bitterness, I say this: a man should stand by his wife. Not stay tied to a mother who cannot let go.

Think about it—when you’re old and gray, who will be there by your side?
Do you want the mother of your children to be the woman who was driven away, humiliated, maybe even assaulted by your own family?

Some mothers don’t realize that once your son marries, his wife becomes his family too. Let your sons choose their partners. Let them build the life and marriage they dream of with the woman they love.

To the mothers-in-law: your son marrying doesn’t mean he loves you any less. If you raised him well, everyone will thrive—you included. But if you sabotage love, you will eventually pay for it. Because in this life, everything comes back around.

Do not destroy love. When you do, you’re not just breaking hearts—you’re breaking your children’s souls.