Calling mil as amma - Do we really mean? Is it peer pressure?

Dear divya,
I call my mil as amma.It was heartfelt.There was no peer pressure or anything.I felt that way from the bottom of my heart and called her like that v freely.She was same to me as my mother (it is a difficult thing to equate a mil with mother but i really mean it).
I even remember having a conversation with my husband's friend wherein i said that my mil supports me more than my mother,my mil is my mother and my own mother has become mom of my husband!
I called her mother and truly believed that even she meant me to be like her daughter.
But recent experiences have been so hurtful and have caused such deep wounds in my heart that now ur post has stirred a v big question in my mind.U can see that i have written abt my feelings in past tense.
But after seeing and personally facing the torture of in laws i can conclude that no matter what a mil can never equate a mother,at least in my case ( and i learnt it through v v hard way trust me).
Suji

 

I call my MIL amma. Its not peer pressure or anything. My marriage was settled in a matter of 2-3 days. I didnt have a clue what was happening. After my engagement my grandma told me call your MIL amma. I just ended up doing the same. Although I very rarely call her amma. Its just a way of addressing. I avoid it as much as possible.MIL can never be considered as moms.

 

I started calling my MIL "amma' because my MIL wanted me to call so. That's it.

 

I didnt do that thing. My MOM=MIL No way.

Oneof my friend addresses her MIL as amma. I wonder how can u equate ur mom with ur mil.

Lakshmi

 

Hi,
Long before my aliance was fixed I had made up mind not to address MIL as mom.I can happily call her"aunty" or such than scornfully saying "amma".There can be world's best MIL/loving MIL/great MIL..but she cannot become a mom.This is my opinion.I wonder if a mother has a son and daughter.. her daughter feels her mom is best..will her DIL also feel the same..?Got to think about that..

Bye,
Supriya

 

I also call my mil as 'amma'. She neither demanded nor asked me to call so.

Maybe this type of calling mil as 'amma' maybe passed on from generation to generation.
Maybe to settle down the issues between the dil and mil, they must have decided if dil calls mil as 'amma', maybe we think of her as our own mother and leave her alone!
Do they call or think dil as a daugher is another issue!

Never mil will = our mom, i am sure about it, eventhough i have a son and i will be in the same situation where the dil might think the same.

My policy is don't expect.

sriniketan

 

On the day of marriage, I was told by my MIL that I "should" address them both as 'apppa' and 'amma'. So I call them that way, but don't use the expression frequently.

Even if we share a strong affection to someone, be it our aunts, friends moms, neighbourhood aunts etc., it is difficult to call them 'amma'. I usually call such people as auntie or maami. Then why to call MIL as amma? Given a choice, I would call them auntie and uncle.

Dhivya, 2 aspects of what you've told is true in my case
1. My husband never calls my parents by any word - not even auntie, uncle
2. I have been forced to call my in-laws as Amma and Appa

Regards,
Raji

 

Thankfully in our part of the world the ILs are called 'athai' and 'maama' and thats what I call them. I could never call my MIL amma and she doesnt expect it. On another note do you call your husbands by their names in front of your ILs?

Vanathi.