Mother in Law - Fort Collins,CO

Updated on March 08, 2010
N.T. asks from Fort Collins, CO
20 answers

Hi ladies I feel kind of akward asking this question but I need some advice. my daughters grandmother on her dads side is a wonderful woman, I really enjoy her and we get along pretty well, pry because I never married her son. Anyway she keeps sending my political emails completly slamming the man I actually voted for. I don't want to offend her but I'm really tired of recieving the emails. I'm guessing she thinks I didn't vote for who I did. Any advice on how to ask her politly to stop sending political emails, I hate politics, I've tried just deleting them but it still really bothers me. I'm not someone who talks with others about politics and really would like some advice on how to approach her. thanks
Nicole

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D.H.

answers from Indianapolis on

I agree with the others. Just tell her you don't like reading about politics and you really don't have time to read them. You love getting her other emails and you are so glad that she is such a wonderful ....... Then talk about the daughter and what she has been up to which will buffer the first part and make her understand why you enjoy talking to her in the first place.

1 mom found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

How about hitting the reply button, and asking her to not send anymore? No need to be rude about it, but just let her know that you don't really get "into" the political email stuff and would prefer if she didn't include you on the list of folks she sends them on to.
I don't see why she would be offended by that. A LOT of people don't "get into" politically bashing emails... whether they voted for the person or not...
I don't care for them either. I usually just delete them, but then I don't have someone sending them on a regular basis, either... If I was getting them daily (or even 2 or 3 times a week) from the same person, I would just ask them to drop me from the "list" of folks they forward them on to.
hth

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K.B.

answers from Houston on

Of course everyone is correct in that what you should do is politely tell her that you're not interested and ask her to remove you from the list, however........I have a friend who is a STRONG republican and I'm not. Anyway she would send stuff like this and I would just delete it and then one day as I was looking at a pro-democrat email I decided to forward it to her. I did that a few times and suddenly her republican emails stopped. :-)

Good luck,
K.

3 moms found this helpful
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A.H.

answers from Chicago on

Easy one to answer. Simply tell her you do not like political humor so you are just deleting them before reading, so please do not send anymore. Smile when you say it and then delete the stuff when you get it. Make no excuses. Email is for YOUR convenience, not hers. Good luck.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.R.

answers from San Diego on

Are these the only e-mails she sends you? Or is there a common source for them all? If yes to either question, you can set up a filter in your e-mail program to automatically send such messages straight to your Trash. The filters can be set up if a certain address appears in the From: line or a certain word appears in the Subject: line.

My experience when it comes to spam e-mails, especially when they're from older people (like our parents' generation), is that it's really difficult to get people to stop sending them. If they're sending them out of a genuine belief that I'll be interested or amused (rather than trying to anger me), then I'd rather just ignore the messages than potentially hurt their feelings by asking them to cut it out.

1 mom found this helpful
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N.B.

answers from Huntington on

just ask her very politely to stop sending them, that you don't like politics and that you would very much appreciate it if she stopped. I had to do it to my grandmother once

1 mom found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

My SIL and brother send politically charged emails and also cutesy animal garbage. Blech. I do a cursory scan just to make sure there isn't any personal message and then delete. If it's a long list of forwarded emails, I don't even read them - delete unread.

Don't read them and don't respond to them. And don't take it personally! Just let it go. Deep breaths!

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B.L.

answers from Denver on

Nicole, I would tell her to stop. Or, send her to www.snopes.com to check the accuracy of her emails. I got one on Health Care the other day that was completely full of out and out lies! Death squads?? Come on! It is offensive to get unsolicited emails full of half truths and lies that are put out there as fact.

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G.B.

answers from Boise on

Maybe she is trying to enlighten you. Why not read them and get an idea of what the point of view is? Then you can be a better conversasionalist, with everyone.

I read everything, not just what I beleive in. I am a christian but I have read the Koran, the book of Mormon, the communist manefesto, etc. I didn't get upset when the Momons came to my door over and over, I gladly accepted the tracts, and read them. It doesn't mean I agree with them. We should always be aware of what the 'other side' is up to, and what they are thinking.
In fact, everyone who votes should be reading and informing themselves of the all the facts. Far too many people vote on emotion instead of knowledge.

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K.H.

answers from Boston on

i can honestly say that if it was me i would just explain my feelings on it and let her know it isnt her. that you are just not comfortable with it. i have a mother in-law who doesnt always see eye to eye with me. we had our differences in the past but i am working on that.....i can't say if it works or not but if it continues just send it to the spam folder and not let it get to you too much. after all the emails are just that...she didnt write them and if she did it is only one persons view not yours. good luck and keep faith.

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S.R.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I say don't talk to her and just delete the emails and treat it as a compliment that she emails you. You say she is a wonderful woman, etc., I am sure she doesn't mean to offend. But you asked advice on how to approach her since it bothers you. It seems less hurtful if you reply back to her with a counter about your own political view, instead of a blunt reply asking her not to send you these types of emails. I like a sensitive approach. Good luck!

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Well I must admit, I appreciate humor in many different political views, cultures, and races, because I believe we are all known for doing things that can be a bit humorous. But, I always try to know the company I am in before I poke fun of anyone. Not everyone appreciates it and I realize sometimes feelings can be hurt.

With that said, I have a cousin who likes to make derogatory comments and then act as if she didn't say anything. I am sure she is trying to be funny, but sometimes they are things beyond characteristics. Well, I have tried to poke back and she doesn't like it, in fact, she is defensive.

I am sure if you opened the floor to conversation and spoke on a political platform, reaching strengths and weakness', she really wouldn't want to go there again.

If you don't like it, you will have to say something, as it doesn't appear she is going to stop.

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T.W.

answers from Denver on

Wow! I wouldn't touch this one if I were you. I would just learn how to delete them. However, I do understand that you don't want to do that so I would just wait for a time when you can casually bring up in conversation that you aren't a big email person and really don't like getting unsolicited emails, even from friends and family. Truly, you should just be able to tell her your stand. Not to be rude but to let her know that you just don't do well with politics but love funny emails if she wants to send those. = )

Good luck!

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M.W.

answers from Boise on

I think it is best to just keep deleting them. I got lots of those junk emails and I tried sending back links to snopes.com saying that they were lies, but that just angered people and caused bad feelings, so I think it is better to just hit delete.

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J.P.

answers from Boise on

I would send a "blind copy", even if it is just to her (she won't know), asking to be removed from their "joke" lists. Or if it is just the political ones that you don't like, ask to not be sent political jokes. I have done that with my family, because their political views are SOOOO different than mine. No one seemed to take offense, and there are still a few that make their way through, but those I just delete. I also set up a new email address, just for joke email so that my normal mailbox wasn't so full, and asked that jokes go to X and personal emails go to Y.

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M.S.

answers from Boise on

Nicole,
I feel your pain. My mother-in-law and I don't agree on politics at all. However, bringing anything up about it is the stupidest thing for me to do, so I just listen and nod and let it go in one ear and out the other. I have friends and family that send political cartoons and emails, and I just delete them. It doesn't matter who you voted for, if they made it into office we must respect them. Anyway, my advice would be just to delete them and ignore it. You don't want to ruin the relationship you currently have with your mother-in-law.

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C.T.

answers from Denver on

Hi N. - I get these kinds of emails from family members from both sides of the political spectrum. I rarely say anything, I just delete and go on with my day.

If you feel like you have to say something, then just be brief and courteous - along the lines of "Gma thanks for including me on your email list but talking politics really gets me down - will you please not forward those kinds anymore? btw - I really got a kick out of that video you sent of . . . "

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M.B.

answers from Medford on

My first thought is that it is kind of nice of your mother in law to do this. It seems like it is a way of communicating with you. And you could just send her an email now and then about your daughter to help her feel included.

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D.B.

answers from Chicago on

Tell her the reason you did not marry her son is because he is republican

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J.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I've some people send me e-mails of various natures that I don't appreciate. Usually they're the ones that they just send blindly to everyone. I just send an email asking them to please not send any more such emails. Usually they've respected that. If not, I just delete everything they send without reading it.

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