Hey, love, Ive got to tell you about the drama with my motherinlaw and the little lads extra lessons.
Mark and I are scraping by in our modest flat down in Birmingham. Weve got a threeyearold boy, Jamie, and we only just managed to get him into a local nursery at the start of the term. I went back to work, but that barely moved the needle on our budget were still pinching pennies and cant even afford any extras.
The nursery fee is already on the pricey side, so we never signed Jamie up for any afterschool clubs it saves a bit of cash. Then, out of the blue, my mum, Susan, turned up for a twoweek visit. She looked after Jamie, picked him up from the nursery, and everything was grand.
A few weeks later we got a bill from the nursery that was half again as much as usual. I was gobsmacked! Turns out Susan had signed Jamie up for a bunch of extra activities speech therapy, a little sport class and a dance group.
When the month was up I cancelled everything, but we still had to pay for the period she’d already booked. Mark and I started scratching our heads about where the money would come from. He suggested borrowing from his mum, Margaret, and we did just that. When I explained to Margaret why we needed the loan, she said shed cover the extra lessons herself and sent the money straight to our account with a note for Jamie.
At first I felt a bit awkward, like I wasnt doing my part as a parent if I needed Grandma to foot the bill. But after a while I got used to Margarets monthly transfers and realised theres nothing wrong about it. I mean, why shouldnt a grandmother chip in for her grandsons extra classes? She already spoils him with toys and treats, so why stop at lessons?
Margarets been paying for those activities for two years now, never missing a payment and never needing a reminder. Our finances havent improved a jot, and now were hitting the zeroyear of primary school. The question popped up again how do we get Jamie ready for school without the extra lessons? Hell need to be able to read and write properly, otherwise hell fall behind.
I gave Margaret a ring and tried to convince her to ditch the speech therapist and put the money towards something else, like an English tuition class. Jamies speech is fine now, so the therapist isnt needed. I suggested we could use the cash for a few weeks of English lessons instead. She was deadset that she wouldnt cover the English class, but she agreed the therapist could be cancelled.
A few days later I went out for a manicure, while Mark and Jamie visited Margaret. When I got back, Mark looked angry and I could tell something was off. Jamie had told his grandma he wasnt going to the lessons she was paying for and that hed switch to English instead. Margaret exploded she called us liars, accused us of being selfish, and said she wouldnt send another penny. She even demanded we pay her back for the last months expenses.
I tried calling her back to talk it through, but she hung up. Shes fed up, and now were on the hook for the lessons ourselves.
So here we are, stuck. If Margaret wont foot the bill and we cant swing it on our own, whats next? Mark has taken his mothers side, probably bought into whatever shes been saying. Im at my wits end. What would you do?
