My sister-in-law constantly left her three children with my mother, saying, “She’s retired anyway and sits at home doing nothing.” In the end, I decided to teach her a lesson and show her what my mother’s “free help” was really worth… 😮
For a long time, I had no idea that Rachel was bringing the children to my mother almost every day.
One day after work, I decided to stop by without warning. As soon as I opened the door, I heard children screaming.
One child was running around the room, the second had spilled juice, and the third was crying. Mom was standing in the kitchen surrounded by dirty dishes, trying to prepare dinner and calm the children at the same time.
— Mom, what’s going on here?
She looked at me tiredly.
— Rachel asked me this morning to watch them for an hour.
I looked at the clock. It was almost seven in the evening.
Then Mom admitted that this happened all the time. Rachel brought the children in the morning, promised to return in an hour, and didn’t show up until the evening.
It was painful to hear. Mom was 68 and had been suffering from back pain for a long time. She had worked all her life and had finally retired so she could have some time to live for herself.
That evening, I waited for Rachel.
— Do you realize that Mom can’t look after three children every day?
She simply shrugged.
— We’re family.
— Then at least pay her for helping you.
Rachel laughed.
— I’m supposed to pay her too? Your mother sits at home and does nothing. You could say I’m giving her something to do.
I felt my blood boil.
But I didn’t argue.
A few seconds later, an idea came to me.
— You know what, Rachel? You’re right, I said calmly. — Tomorrow, we’re having dinner at our house. I’ll invite the whole family.
She looked at me in surprise but agreed.
The next evening, Rachel arrived among the last.
She opened the door, walked into the living room — and suddenly froze.
— Have you all gone crazy?! — she shouted… 😮
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— Have you all gone crazy?! — Rachel shouted.
Her three children were standing in the middle of the living room. And beside them were four more children from our relatives.
Seven children in total.
— What are all these children doing here?!
I calmly walked over to her and handed her a sheet of paper.
— Today, you’re going to look after them. Just for a few hours.
Rachel stared at me as if I had suggested something horrible.
— Seven children? By myself?!
— So what? You’re the one who said looking after children was practically doing nothing.
The table went silent. My husband, Mom, and other relatives were sitting there. They all already knew what had been happening for the past few months.
Rachel turned red.
— This is completely different!
That was when Mom spoke up for the first time:
— Why is it different? I’m 68. My back hurts. Yet you leave three children with me from morning until evening and don’t even ask whether I can manage.
Rachel said nothing.
I placed a second sheet of paper in front of her.
It showed an estimated cost for a babysitter for three children, based on the number of hours Mom spent with them each month.
Rachel looked at the amount and went pale.
— That much?!
— Exactly. That’s what the thing Mom supposedly “does for free” is worth.
Of course, I had no intention of actually leaving her alone with seven children. I just wanted her to imagine, even for a minute, what it was like to be in Mom’s position.
But the real surprise was still to come.
Mom took out the house keys and placed them on the table.
— Starting Monday, I won’t be home. I’ve signed up for painting classes, and twice a week I’m going to the swimming pool.
— What about the children? Rachel asked, confused.
Mom smiled.
— They’re yours, dear.
After that, Rachel had to find a babysitter.
A few weeks later, she admitted to me herself:
— I had no idea how expensive and difficult it was.
But most importantly, Mom stopped feeling obligated to be available to everyone simply because she was retired.
Because a person’s free time doesn’t automatically belong to everyone else.
