When Beatrice Discovered She Was Expecting, Her Family Was Shocked—They Disapproved of Her Relationship with a Man They Believed Wouldn’t Stay, Fearing She’d Raise a Child Alone and Face Social Prejudice Beatrice is an ordinary young woman from Birmingham, brought up in a loving family by her mother and stepfather, who was like a real dad to her. With her parents’ unwavering support, she always knew she was loved and could rely on them. Beatrice graduated from high school, but her place at university was uncertain due to her poor command of English. She decided that private tuition would help her pick up the language faster, so she started looking for a tutor. She chose Ronnie, originally from Ghana, who had come to the UK for his own studies. Fluent in English, Ronnie had been tutoring privately for years. At first, the lessons were tough for Beatrice, but over time she warmed to Ronnie, and soon their relationship became something much more. They couldn’t stand being apart. When Beatrice found out she was pregnant, her whole family was in shock. The idea of her being in a relationship with someone they thought wouldn’t stick around filled them with concern. They imagined her raising the baby alone and having to cope with their child standing out from others because of her appearance. After Ronnie received his degree, he did return to Ghana, but he stayed in close contact with Beatrice. They both eagerly awaited the birth of their baby, calling and chatting on Zoom regularly. Beatrice’s baby arrived safely, but ongoing animosity from her family pushed her to make the tough decision to move to Ghana. Life in Africa wasn’t easy for Beatrice and her husband: the climate proved too challenging and they had to return to the UK. In time, they welcomed their second daughter. However, the family continued to refuse contact, and Beatrice refused to leave her beloved husband just to please them. Now, the couple are planning a move to Canada, hopeful that there, they’ll find a more tolerant community.

Author Harlan CovingtonReading 3 minViews 1

When Emily finds out shes expecting a baby, her family is stunned. Theyre not at all comfortable with her being in a relationship with someone they believe wont be around in the long run.

Emily is an ordinary young woman from Birmingham, raised in a typical English household. She grows up with her mum and her stepdad, who steps in beautifully as a father figure. Her parents support her wholeheartedly; shes always been certain of their love and knows she can count on them. Emily finishes school and passes her A-levels, but getting into university is uncertain due to her poor command of French.

Determined to improve quickly, Emily decides private lessons with a tutor would help. She searches carefully and chooses Michael, whos originally from Ghana but has come to England for his studies. He speaks French brilliantly and has been tutoring students for several years. At first, Emilys lessons with Michael are a disaster. But as time goes on, she grows fond of him, and before long, they become extremely close. Eventually, neither of them wants to be apart any longer.

When Emily discovers shes pregnant, her family reacts with shock. They dont approve of her relationship with a man they see as destined to leave. Thoughts of Emily raising a child on her own cloud their minds, and they worry the little one will stand out because of her appearance.

After Michael receives his degree, he does indeed return to his homeland, but he keeps in close touch with Emily. The couple are both eagerly awaiting the birth of their child, calling and chatting over FaceTime nearly every evening. Emilys baby is born on time, but her familys coldness becomes unbearable, forcing her to make the tough choice to join Michael in Ghana.

Life in Africa isnt easy for Emily and her husband; they struggle to adapt to the heat and daily routines. Eventually, it becomes too much, and they return to England. Not long after, their second daughter is born. Still, Emilys family refuses all contact, but shes unwilling to abandon her beloved just to suit them. The family begins planning a move to Canada, hoping for a more accepting community and a fresh start together.

My Son Spent Years Searching for the Right Woman to Marry, and I Never Questioned His Choices—When He Turned 30, He Finally Met Emma, Who Seemed Perfect for Him Almost every day, I’d hear about how kind and beautiful she was—it was clear my son had truly fallen in love. I liked Emma as well, and he would speak passionately about her to me and his friends, convinced she was the ideal woman for him, so it was no surprise when he didn’t hesitate to tie the knot. As a loving mother, I fully supported his decision. Planning the wedding was no easy feat, but my friends were a tremendous help. The bride’s parents were wonderful and we got on splendidly from the start. At first, everything was blissful, but things shifted over time. Their marriage started to unravel, arguments became more frequent, and I reminded myself it was just their first year—surely things would settle down. Still, I worried because I wanted their marriage to be strong and happy. One evening truly shook me—late at night, my son showed up at my door with his belongings, telling me he had nowhere to go because his wife had thrown him out. He stayed with me for a few days, and Emma never once came round to try to reconcile. This became a recurring pattern. When my daughter-in-law told me she was pregnant, I decided to sit down with them to offer some advice that might help avoid further misunderstandings. Unfortunately, it made things worse—tensions only increased, and my son spent the night at my house even more often. I could see he was struggling; gone was the happy young man I knew, replaced by someone clearly disappointed with life. I couldn’t bear to see my son so miserable in a toxic relationship, so I suggested he think carefully about whether it was worth staying married. I told him he could be a wonderful father even if he lived separately. He soon filed for divorce. Not long afterwards, Emma came to me, asking for my help to persuade my son to call off the divorce, insisting she didn’t want to break up their family. I’d often advised her to look after her marriage, but now she was blaming me for interfering when my son filed for divorce. Now I wonder if I should have encouraged my son to end his marriage. His wife resents me, and my son himself seems to be drifting further away from me. Perhaps they still love each other? Living apart feels wrong, but living together wasn’t working either.

My Son’s Girlfriend Can’t Do the Basics… What Should I Do? My mother-in-law passed away several years ago, and after her funeral, I promised myself that I’d live by the rule: for the departed, it’s either all good or nothing at all. I also swore to myself—no matter who married my son—I would never turn into her. But intentions are one thing, and life is another. My only son, Alex, just turned 25 and brought home a girlfriend at the start of summer. Sticking to my decision not to interfere in his choices, I welcomed her warmly and tried to keep an open mind. I swore I wouldn’t look down on her, nitpick, or lecture—my late mother-in-law did all that, which led us to barely stand each other. I don’t want to drive Alex or his girlfriend away. Honestly, I even enjoy making them coffee, knowing exactly how they like their breakfast, and spoiling them on weekends—even though weekdays are too busy for any extras. So I make myself scarce—off with my husband to the countryside, visiting friends for chutney and pickling sessions, or popping round to my mum, leaving the young couple the house to themselves. Recently, though, something funny but also a little worrying happened, and I felt compelled to share. One evening, Alex’s girlfriend showed off a pretty, cheap new top she bought on her way home from work—a bargain because one of the buttons was missing. She tried it on, it looked lovely—and the next day, when I asked if she’d wear it to our visit, she didn’t. Why? Because… she couldn’t sew the button back on. “Oh, come on!” slipped out before I could stop myself—I was stunned that a 22-year-old woman didn’t own a needle, thread, or spare buttons. And tomorrow, darling, what then? How will you manage the house and family, or handle important decisions? Family challenges indeed! Now I don’t know what to do—should I just sew the button back on without another thought, show her how it’s done, or leave it—her blouse, her business? One thing’s clear—I don’t want to be a ‘bad’ mother-in-law. I’ve seen what that’s like, and I want no part of it.