Dear Margo,
Our only son married a wonderful woman last year. We love her dearly, the problem is, she doesn't love us. In fact she seems barely able to tolerate us since the wedding. I've tried my best to find out if my husband or I did or said something to offend her, but that doesn't seem to be the case. She was never overly warm and friendly, but now is bordering on rude to us. They live about 2 hours away and come "home" for weekends fairly often. They spend a few hours with us, usually arriving after my husband has gone to bed. then spend the rest of the weekend with her family. The few hours they are there, she barely speaks and gives one or two word answers to questions. Days later, I'll find out that there was a whole story that she could have given as an answer! I'm finding it heartbreaking that we are hearing about their lives from friends instead of them. This was never a problem with our son in the past. What can we do to mend this? - Sad MIL

Dear Sad MIL,
This is quite odd, and, as you wrote, bordering on rude. There could be different reasons for this. Some new wives feel competitive with their husband's parents if the relationship is close. I do not consider this to be well-adjusted, but it's sometimes the way things are. Also, she obviously prefers to be with her family. And ... some people are just cold, but you say she's "a wonderful woman." (Arriving when they know your husband is in bed is not being wonderful.) I have two suggestions. 1) Ask your son what the problem is. He may or may not know. 2) Tell him the visits to you are clearly something she'd prefer not to do, and there are two solutions to that. One is that each could spend the weekend with their own parents, or you can lay it on the line and say if he feels he'd like to be with her, you will give up your visits with him rather than be subjected to her dismissive behavior. This is not what you asked, but I have a hunch this will be your son's first marriage.
- Margo