AITAH for telling my wife I’d rather her mom be homeless than let her move in with us?
The original poster (OP) describes a difficult situation involving his wife's mother (62F), who has a history of severe interpersonal and financial issues, including theft and destructive behavior.
When the mother faces eviction, she contacted the OP's wife (35F), who immediately offered her a place to stay without discussing it with the OP first.
The OP reacted strongly against this idea, stating he would prefer the mother be homeless over letting her move into their small home with their two young children, leading to a serious conflict with his wife.
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The central conflict revolves around the OP's strong desire to protect his immediate family unit and home environment from known toxicity, versus his wife's deeply felt obligation to provide shelter to her mother during a crisis, regardless of past behavior.
The question for debate is whether the OP was justified in setting such a firm boundary based on the mother's proven track record, or if the wife's insistence on 'family or nothing' represents a necessary level of spousal support during a severe hardship.
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