“Two weeks to pack your things and find somewhere else to live.” Daughters are upset.
Claire lost her husband young and has brought up her two daughters on her own. Not once has anyone ever heard a single complaint from her. The girls not only grew up, but received a decent education, all with their mothers support. She worked two jobs to put them through school.
One day, the eldest brought home a boyfriend, declaring he was her future husband, but he had nowhere to live. Then she had a baby, and it seemed only right to give the young family a bedroom, so Claire moved in with her younger daughter.
At first, Claire thought it would be temporary. Surely the young couple would save up for their own flat, and life would go back to how it was. But neither her daughter nor her son-in-law showed much urgency. Why would they, when they had a roof over their heads and the fridge was always full? Claire made sure of that.
But there was no sign of gratitude. If anything, squabbles started to break out. Her youngest daughter pointed out that cleaning up after her brother-in-laws trips to the loo was not her job. The elder protested she had a little one to care for, and there was no time for anything else. The son-in-law said taking out the bins and doing the washing-up was womens work and spent his days glued to his laptop.
The atmosphere at home turned so frosty that Claire dreaded returning every night. When she hinted that perhaps her daughter and her husband should find a place of their own, her daughter replied, Well, were saving for a mortgage! Where are we supposed to get that sort of money? So, they all stayed.
The final straw came when her youngest daughter showed up one afternoon and announced, Mum, my boyfriends from Manchester, so hell be staying with us. Claire wondered, Where, in the kitchen? Her daughter, on cue, explained the kitchen was hardly comfortable, but if her mum moved in there, she could have a bedroom for herself and her boyfriend.
Claire couldnt take it anymore. It dawned on her that nobody cared what she thought, and if push came to shove, theyd probably draw up the papers and ship her off to a care home.
She laid down the law: You have two weeks to pack your belongings and sort out a new place to live. Her daughters took offence, telling her she wouldnt be allowed to see her grandchildren and that shed end up old and alone. But Claire stood her ground. If thats her fate, then so be it. Its time they learned to stand on their own two feet.
Her 50th birthday is around the corner. She has no idea if her children will bother to visit or send their best wishes. Do you think she was right to throw her daughters out of her home? What would you have done in her shoes?
