Before her divorce, she handled childcare herself, but later sought a nanny. She found one in her mother-in-law. Initially, she asked if she knew someone who could help, but her mother-in-law offered her own services, naturally for a fee. Her salary isn’t very large, so she has to be thrifty.
At work, I have a colleague who is often hard up. She doesn’t spend on herself and never visits a beautician. I always wonder where her salary goes. She works, lives with her parents, doesn’t have a mortgage like others, and her ex-mother-in-law looks after her child, plus she receives alimony.
It turns out Lucy has to pay her parents for her room and her mother-in-law for childcare. I can’t imagine how she manages…
Half a year ago, when Lucy started working with us, we became friends. It soon became apparent how much we have in common. Shared interests, children the same age.
Lucy immediately told me she was divorced and moved back with her parents. Her parents are well-off, both over fifty, with good jobs. They built a house outside of town and spend every holiday abroad. When their daughter returned home, they assigned her a room.
I thought she could live there for free, but unfortunately, they charged her from the start. She’s just happy it’s her parents, not strangers—it’s always better for the child.
They allocated her a separate shelf in the fridge; she doesn’t use her parents’ things, though they occasionally offer the child some fruit.
I can’t fathom how they could act this way, especially since Lucy had nothing after leaving her husband, so she was in debt to her parents for the first few months.
Before the divorce, she cared for her child herself, but afterward sought a nanny. She found her mother-in-law. Initially, she asked if she knew someone who could help, but her mother-in-law offered to do it, naturally for a fee. Lucy liked the idea because the woman knows her grandson, understands his likes and dislikes, and what he can and cannot do. She’s responsible. So Lucy agreed, and when necessary, her mother-in-law takes care of the little one.
Everything would be fine, but Lucy doesn’t have money; she can’t afford to live, let alone indulge herself.
I can’t understand how parents can treat their own child this way…
