My MIL Asked to Have Our Kids for a Week over the Holidays – When I Went to Pick Them Up, My Heart Shattered
I’m Abby, 34, married to Brad for seven years, with kids Lucas (8) and Sophie (6). My mother-in-law Jean, late 60s, is intense and controlling. Brad called it “old-fashioned.”
When Jean eagerly offered to host the kids for a holiday week, I hesitated but agreed, giving her $1,000 for expenses. She promised to spoil them.
The week dragged. Picking them up, Jean’s smile seemed forced. The house was silent—no kids running to greet me. She claimed they were “helping in the garden.”
I found them exhausted, dirt-smeared, in torn, unfamiliar clothes. Lucas said Grandma made them dig all day, promising a park visit that never happened. Sophie added she wasn’t allowed to stop.
Furious, I confronted Jean. She dismissed it: “A little work teaches responsibility. You’re spoiling them.” Then she admitted using the $1,000 for her bills, not the kids—treating them as free labor to save money.
Betrayed, I gathered my trembling children and left. Jean pleaded it was a mistake, but I saw it as a choice. Trust was shattered.
As we drove away, Lucas asked if we’d return. “Not until Grandma learns how to treat you right,” I said. Sophie whispered, “Good.”
