“Im going on holiday, Im not babysitting anyone! My mother-in-law let me down, but I gave her a taste of her own medicine.
Every family seems to have its own secrets or issues. Some have disputes over inheritance, others struggle with alcohol or infidelity, and in still others, there’s just a lack of shared values or interests. In our family, things would be pretty close to perfect if it werent for my mother-in-law. Ive spent years trying to get along with her, but its always the same story.
I do understand the close bond between parents and children, I really do. But a mummys boy at 37 is pushing it! My husband and his mum have all sorts of secrets; theyre always whispering and having private conversations behind my back. And to make matters worse, I get the sense shes not too fond of our son, her very own grandson.
Just recently, something happened thats been weighing on me. Most summers, our son spends nearly all the holidays with my parents at their cottage, but my mother-in-law simply cant manage to take him for even a week or two.
This year, thanks to the virus, my mum didnt get any time offshes a doctorwhile my dad isnt well enough to look after our little boy on his own. I couldnt get time off work either, so we were counting on my mother-in-law’s help. Id spoken to her about it a month in advance.
A week before she was meant to have him, she rang me up and said:
Ive been given a holiday, so youll have to find someone else to sort out childcare.
I was shocked; I just hung up, feeling utterly deflatedthere were no other options. She was off to enjoy a fabulous holiday, entirely unbothered about her grandson. Later, I found out the gift holiday was not really a gift at allshed booked it herself, fully aware our son was supposed to stay with her at that time.
Before leaving, she asked my husband to drop by to tend her greenhouse and water her garden while she was away. As hes always busy with work, the burden obviously would have fallen to me. Only this time, I refused. My reasoning was simple:
You let me down and deceived me. I wont be doing you any favoursif you want rest, then truly rest. If your crops dry up, thats your problem, not mine.
Naturally, she was put out, but she didnt change her plans. Now, Im dashing about trying to find a summer camp for my son so hes taken care of.
Am I in the right for standing my ground?
