In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA******, Redditor u/thatemobemo (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said she and her husband strictly prohibit surprise visits by family members and detailed the heated aftermath of their decision not to budge when her in-laws showed up unannounced.

Titled, “[Am I the a******] for making my in laws leave?” the post has received over 7,000 upvotes and more than 1,500 comments since November 1.

“If you don’t call, or text us before you come over, you’re made to leave,” OP began. “This has been a fact since we got married and had kids.”

Continuing to explain that the couple’s visitation policy applies to both sides of their family, OP said that just days ago, her husband’s parents suddenly appeared on their front porch, requesting to see their granddaughter.

However, OP said her daughter was spending the week with her other grandparents, and that she made it clear her in-laws needed to leave—much to their dismay.

“I ask them if they called or texted my husband or myself and they admit they hadn’t, but they didn’t see the issue since I was home,” OP wrote. “I remind them of our rule and tell them they need to leave…and my [mother-in-law] puts her foot in the way to prevent the door from closing.

“At this point my husband comes home and my in-laws are under the impression [he] will let them in. He doesn’t,” OP continued. “He tells them to leave and at this point they’re trespassing…[but] they refuse.

“My husband then tells him he has no choice but to call the police…my in-laws think he’s bluffing, but my husband isn’t a bluffer,” OP added. “He calls the sheriff and has his parents removed from the property.”

For many couples, and especially those with children, setting boundaries with in-laws and grandparents can be the difference between familial harmony and unrelenting acrimony.

Despite the advantages of helping hands when children are young, and the clear benefits associated with positive grandparent-grandchild relationships, overbearing behaviors like nitpicking and unannounced visits can quickly erode trust and patience.

These types of behaviors are often preventable with clear boundaries.

“Healthy boundaries are important in all relationships, yet they are especially vital in family relationships as they facilitate ongoing positive interactions,” Dr. Carla Marie Manly, clinical psychologist and Joy From Fear author, told Newsweek.

“Although strict boundary-setting and relationship-distancing strategies can be difficult on the partners and the family members, this strategy is often necessary to preserve the partners’ mental health—and their relationship,” Manly added.

Unfortunately for some parents, however, family dynamics change with the arrival of grandchildren and boundaries set in the past are frequently pushed to their limits and beyond.

“Grandparents, out of understandable excitement to spend time with their grandchildren, may tend to overstep boundaries,” Manly said. “Well-intentioned in-laws may want to stop by for impromptu, connective visits, but unplanned visits may feel disrespectful and disruptive to the couple.”

Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, many Redditors echoed that sentiment, defending OP and her husband for standing their ground when her in-laws refused to leave.

“I suspect there’s more to this story for you to have put that rule in place and go to the extent of calling law enforcement…regardless, who drives an hour without checking [to see if] the person they want to visit is in?” Redditor u/Dear_Word8021 wrote in the post’s top comment, which has received more than 11,000 upvotes.

“Sounds like they tried to push a boundary and were peeved when it failed,” they added.

Redditor u/SnooJokes7657, whose comment has received more than 1,000 upvotes, offered a similar response.

“They drove an hour to see a child who wasn’t even there. Had they called they would have known,” they wrote. “You both reminded them that you don’t allow people over without notice and they still chose not to leave.”

“They knew your policy from the start,” Redditor u/RoseTyler38 added, receiving more than 4,000 upvotes. “They chose to waste their time.”

“You told them to leave. Your husband told them to leave,” Redditor u/Ok-Mode-2038 chimed in. “Your husband warned them the police would be called. What…did they think was going to happen?”

Newsweek reached out to u/thatemobemo for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.