My wife grew up in a happy, loving family. Sadly, when her father was 57 years old, my mother-in-law passed away. Of course, it was an incredibly tough time for my father-in-law. So, we decided to sell his flat, split the money, and have him move in with us until he could cope better with his grief. It seemed a reasonable plan.
I imagined hed stay for about six months and then buy a place of his own, but that didnt happen. He enjoyed living with us far more than I expected. He never contributed a penny towards bills or groceries. I took care of his meals, washed his clothes, tidied his room. All he had to do was go to work. The rest of his life was like a holiday.
He ended up living with us for eleven years. After a while, he started lecturing us on what we should do, made up his own rules for our home. Wed simply had enough. So, we finally decided to buy him a house just outside town. Hes a healthy man, still in his prime, perfectly capable of looking after himself.
We bought him a place and made sure everything was sorted for him to settle in. But then my father-in-law started coming up with stories about heart problems and other ailments. He does this just to stay with us. The truth is, I need some peace and quiet and time for my immediate family. Im worn out.
Today, Ive learned that sometimes, doing the kind thing can wear you thin if you forget your own boundaries. Its important to look after yourself, too.
