TaxChick - You seem to be able to deal with all sorts of problems. Any suggestions?
A tough situation. A lot depends on the relationship that your friend’s wife has with her mother. It would be a very very bad idea for him to get in the middle of any disagreements his wife and MIL may have. In the end they would both gang up together on him.
Honestly as hard as this may be, he should try to stay out of the day to day drama and interactions that go on between his wife and his MIL. One big exception to this would be regarding lending the lady money. Your friend and his wife need to negotiate between themselves the circumstances ( if any) under which they gift her cash, and friend needs to understand he will not see the money again.
Good Luck to all....
I don’t face this situation, fortunately! A couple of my friends live on the same street as their adult daughters and families, and it seems to work for them.
There seems to be a rule that the mother/grandmother isn’t allowed to give childrearing advice!