I trusted my mother-in-law to care for our 3-year-old while my husband and I worked. But when I asked her to also watch my older son during summer break, she snapped: “He’s not my blood. I want $15 an hour for him—this isn’t a free daycare!” I was stunned. I told her she should be ashamed and left, thinking that was the end of it.
Later that day, my older son called me crying. I rushed home to find both kids alone—my MIL had left them unattended. She’d scribbled a note: “I told you this isn’t a free daycare!” My heart dropped. I grabbed my children and left immediately, furious and shaken.
When I told my husband, he sided with her. “She’s right,” he said. “You can’t force her to care for a kid who’s not even related to her.” I couldn’t believe it—he dismissed the danger and emotional trauma our son had just endured. His indifference felt like betrayal.
Now I’m questioning everything—my marriage, my trust in family, and how to protect my children. I’ve cut ties with my MIL and started searching for reliable childcare. But the emotional damage lingers. How do you rebuild safety when the people closest to you tear it down?
