Mother in law tried to clear her house

[beeenbag]

Well my mother-in-law just recently started staying home alone because husband went away to work. She is very paranoid and had a dream that woke her and she thought someone was in the house.

The husband left her untrained with a shotgun and a beretta 92f. She said she couldn't work the beretta and she has one shell in a single shot 12 guage.

When she got woke up by the dream she grabbed the shotgun and went through the house shouting "I have a gun, I have a gun" and basically cleared the home.

I tried to tell her that it was not smart to clear your house, especially with a single round in a long gun.

She thought that it was a laughing matter that she looked like a fool in the middle of the night going through her house.

I have offered to help her get aquainted to her beretta and told her about the "funnel of death" and backlighting and such, but she took it with little regard.

How can I help her with this. She is very "airheaded" so to speak. I would hate to let it go and something real show up and her do the same thing with a worse outcome.

 

[cambeul41]

She is not the first mother-in-law to disregard advice from a son-in-law.

Might she accept gift of training from a professional who is not a relative?

 

[beeenbag]

I think she disregarded the advice more on the terms of "it wont happen" and "its not a big deal" rather than thinking I couldn't help her.

 

[Rail Driver]

Many mother-in-law jokes come to mind right now...

In all seriousness, though, do a little internet research and print up a few local news clips about home invasions in the area and she might change her tune.

 

[beeenbag]

Many mother-in-law jokes come to mind right now...

Yeah I know... On one hand im thinking "" then on the other I'm like...

 

[Diggers]

Well fist is "very airheaded" and guns really a good mix?

There really are some people out there who just are not able to take things seriously enough or be focused enough to be safe with a gun. I know some of them.

If she doesn't take the threat seriously, then I don't see how she would take training seriously.

Perhaps an alarm system and a dog?

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Maybe 911 would be a smarter move. Going thru the house yelling, "I have a gun", isn't good......I know the old saying, when seconds count, help is just minutes away. It's her best bet though.

 

[uspJ]

I honestly think the best options for her would be to have the house or at the very least the master bedroom hardened to give her some sanctuary should something happen. If she is the type not to take these types of things seriously then her best bet would be to hole up and call 911.

 

[Shadow 7D]

She is an air head
AND
Your mother in law

I'd talk to you FIL, maybe he could make some headway, really unless you want to get patted on the head like a 5 year old, I'd leave it be and make sure I called before coming over...

 

[beeenbag]

Well the fil is acually the step fil, and he is a total jerk <edited -- Sam>. Talking to him would be like telling my dog how I like my steak.

I was wondering more along the lines of something to show her the reality of things such as clearing your house is bad and you need to be prepared, without scaring her to the point she wants to stay with us while hubby is gone.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Don't think you can, quite frankly,
she thinks running through the house with the 'Blessed Talisman of Fear' BOOMstick will result in her feeling safe

and it does

see she dispelled her fear and got the outcome she wanted

She is you mother-in-law WHO DOESN'T LISTEN

you already called her a ditz

So, drink a beer, spend your time more productively with your wife or at the range and Hope to hell that your wife is better than her mom.
in other words, laugh with the rest of the family, keep you wife happy and let it go, if you can't. then keep it to your wife, no point in :banghead:, I mean bang you head against your MIL

 

[bigfatdave]

I think it isn't your problem.

Of course, now you know to damn well be sure she knows you're coming over, and knock/ring doorbell with some enthusiasm.

 

[shockwave]

Shadow 7D nails it:

she dispelled her fear and got the outcome she wanted

Sometimes the groupthink here can be distressing. We are not enjoined to tell others how they have to go about securing their own premises. Indeed, the Golden Rule applies: Don't tell me how to clear my house and I won't tell you how to clear yours.

A property owner may undertake any actions he or she deems reasonable and prudent. If I had to side with somebody here, I'm giving props to MIL for having the guts to arm up and check things out. The ditzy move would be to cower behind the bed dialing 911 and having cops break down the front door to dispel the lingering phantasms of her late-nite snack-fueled somnambulisms.

 

[Claymore1500]

Invite your M.I.L. and her daughter to the range for an afternoon of light hearted target shooting/plinking, (leave the "I'll train you" out of the equasion for now), Without realizing it she may just come around to the conclusion that it is a serious thing and maybe a little advice couldn't hurt.

You could then step up to the plate, train her in what you know and maybe suggest some professional self defense training.

 

[hso]

Just point out that with only one shot she's best off waiting where she thinks she's safe and listening to find out if there actually is any noise to be worried about.

As to trying to "train" her beyond that, unless there's some violent home invasion uptick in her neighborhood I don't see the point. Just make sure the locks are good and there's a couple of motion sensor light switches in her place and try not to make her even more uncomfortable with being alone in the house.

 

[beeenbag]

I could never "train" her, for I am not a SD trainer. I just offered to get her aquainted with her beretta because she didn't even know you had to pull the slide back.

Just point out that with only one shot she's best off waiting where she thinks she's safe and listening to find out if there actually is any noise to be worried about.

Yeah I told her just that. She is just one that thinks it is funny to tell the story of her pondering through the house in a night gown armed screaming "I have a gun". When I pointed out that she made herself a moving target and gave her position away, not to mention how she started out winged with a single shot shotgun, she didn't think she was right in doing so, she just acted like she didn't think it could happen for real.

I think ill take Shadows advice. If the FIL isn't worried about it, it will be his problem.

 

[Grey_Mana]

Been,
I don't know you or your mother-in-law, but I know mothers-in-law.
80% chance she made the story up, for attention and to see what your response would be. She might want you to buy the beretta from her.

 

[06]

Like another said: don't be butting your head against the wall. I have little patience for those who are not interested in protecting themselves and secondarily me. If they cannot or will not protect themselves where does that put you on their "totem pole" of value. Was working beside a widow a few yrs back and asked her if she had a gun(tactfully of course). She said no and that she hated guns. Was working two houses away about a yr later and she spotted me. Said she had a robbery while she was home and now had a shotgun and 357. Congratulated her and gave her some 38's to plink with.

 

[Guns and more]

You can't save everyone.
With no disrespect to your MIL:
"Stop trying to teach a pig to sing, It won't work and it annoys the pig."

 

[Spencer R.]

What is the "funnel of death"? I am not familiar with the terminology...

 

[ColdDeadHand]

You just can't get through to some people.

Unless your kids will be sleeping over there, I'd drop it.

I can't even get my in-laws to shoot a gun, much less own or touch one.

Some people just prefer to live in a fantasy world and leave their safety to dumb luck.