Two weeks to pack your things and find somewhere else to live. Daughters in a strop
Helen lost her husband when she was still quite young, leaving her to bring up her two daughters alone. Yet not once did anyone ever hear her complain. The girls not only grew up well, but both earned respectable educations, thanks to Helen, who juggled two jobs to cover all their school fees.
Then, her eldest brought home a boyfriend, announcing he was to be her future husbandexcept he had nowhere to live. The couple later had a baby, meaning Helen gave up her own room so the young family could have it, moving in with her younger daughter.
At first, Helen thought this arrangement was just for a little while. Surely the young couple would save up enough to get their own place, and things would go back to how they were before. But her daughter and son-in-law didnt even try. Why would they, when they had a roof over their heads and the fridge was always full? Helen, as ever, provided and made sure everyone was fed.
Yet, not a hint of gratitude came her way. Instead, the household bickered constantly. The younger daughter grumbled that cleaning the loo after her brother-in-law wasnt her job. The older moaned she was too busy with the baby for chores. The son-in-law declared taking out the bins and washing dishes wasnt a mans job, and spent his days glued to the computer.
The atmosphere at home grew so stifling that Helen began dreading returning there. When she broached the idea of her daughter, her husband and child moving into rented accommodation, her daughters response was, Were saving for a mortgage. Where are we meant to get that sort of money? So, they stayed put.
The final straw came when the younger daughter also brought a boyfriend home: Mum, hes just moved down from up North; hell have to stay with us. Helen thought, Where? The kitchen? But her daughter, clearly prepared, calmly suggested that although the kitchen wasnt ideal, perhaps Helen could move in there so she and her boyfriend could have a room to themselves.
That was the end of Helens patience. She suddenly realised no one cared what she thought. If they could, theyd probably have the paperwork drawn up to send her off to a care home.
So Helen laid down an ultimatum: Two weeks to pack up and find yourselves somewhere else to live. Both daughters took great offence, vowing that she wouldnt see her grandchildren again. And they told her shed just end up lonely in her old age. But Helen stood her ground. If thats what fate has lined up for her, then so be it. Its high time her daughters made their own way.
Now, her fiftieth birthday is just around the corner. Shes not sure if her children will even turn up to wish her a happy birthday. Do you think Helen did the right thing, kicking her daughters out? What would you do in her situation?
