“I’m going on holiday I’m not babysitting anyone!” My mother-in-law let me down, but I paid her back.
Every family has its own secrets and troubles. Some have arguments over inheritance, others deal with drinking problems or affairs, while some simply lack shared values and interests. We don’t suffer from any of that, but If it weren’t for my mother-in-law, our life would be perfect. I spent years trying to get along with her, but it never worked.
I understand that the bond between parents and their children can be very close. But a mummy’s boy at thirty-seven? That’s ridiculous! My wife and her mother constantly whisper to each other and have all sorts of private conversations behind my back. I also get the feeling that my mother-in-law isn’t all that fond of her grandson, my son.
Heres what happened just recently. Every summer, our son spends nearly the whole holiday at my parents’ cottage in the Cotswolds, but my mother-in-law can’t take him for even a week or two.
Because of the coronavirus, my mum who is a doctor couldn’t get any time off. My dad, because of his health, can’t look after our son on his own. I couldn’t get leave from work either So we turned to my mother-in-law. I arranged it with her a month in advance.
But a week before she was meant to have him, she rang me up and said:
“I’ve been given a holiday as a gift, so you’ll have to sort out childcare another way.”
I was genuinely taken aback and just hung up. I was completely at a loss there were no other options for us. My mother-in-law was about to jet off on a lovely trip, with not a thought for her grandson. I later found out she hadnt been given a trip at all she booked it herself, knowing full well shed promised to have our son.
She then asked my wife if, while she was away, we could look after her greenhouse and water the garden. But as my wife is always working, that responsibility was immediately dumped on me. But I refused point-blank.
“You let us down and lied. I wont do any favours for you. You wanted a break? Have a proper break. If your veg patch dries out, thats your problem, not mine.”
Of course, my mother-in-law was fuming, but she didnt cancel her holiday. Now Im running about searching for a summer camp, because Ive got to find somewhere for my son to go.
Do you think I did the right thing?
