My niece had been begging for a proper pram, and when I turned her down she threw the whole family against me.
Children grow up in a flash, and I didn’t notice my own boy already hopping about, trying to catch up with his father. We always tried to buy the best for our firstborn, even if it meant putting aside our own wishes.
We splurged on a sleek, compact pushchair that fitted neatly into the boot of our family car. It served us faithfully, handled with care because we had intended to sell it later.
So, once my son had outgrown it, we listed the pushchair on a local classifieds site. My husband suggested a 30% markdown off the original price, but I sensed the economy was tight and thought, If I cut the price in half, itll go faster and Ill have done a good deed.
Just hours after the ad went live, a pleasant, bubbly young woman called, asking to meet and see the pram in person. I agreed, and half an hour later there was a knock at the door.
When I opened it, my heart stopped. Standing on the threshold was my niece, Poppy Clarke, whom we hadn’t spoken to in two years after a quarrel over boys. I was thrilled to see her; I had been searching for any excuse to mend the rift.
Over a cup of tea she confided that she and her boyfriend Tom had a little boy, Liam, and that money was scarce.
We examined the pushchair together; she liked it, and I offered to sell it to her at a price lower than the advertised one.
The next day I busied myself with excitement, preparing a hearty dinner for their visit. We gathered around the table, reminisced about old times, and savoured the reunion.
When the moment came to finalise the deal, Poppy, sensing my willingness to concede, said she would love it if I gifted her a pram for Liams birthday.
I was honest and said I couldn’t afford such an extravagant present. She took it as an insult, called me stingy, and stormed out, shouting. She later told her family that she was sorry for the baby, and they backed her, which led to a complete break with her side of the family.
That episode taught me a hard truth: you can’t please everyone, and Ill never mix family with business again.
