Grandma Time
Background: My daughter goes to her grandma’s house (my mother-in-law) one afternoon per week for “grandma time.” My husband has always let it be at my discretion and I have fought my anxiety to accommodate this. My mother-in-law has tried to turn my husband and I against each other multiple times but has since figured out we are a team. Story: Two weekends ago, my husband and I went to her house and corporal punishment for our daughter came up.
We have committed to no hitting, slapping, or spanking and said no one else is to do it either. My mother-in-law said she is going to do it anyways because, “That’s how they were raised and they turned out just fine.” I informed her that she will not and my husband agreed. She fought back and said that she will hit anyways, and in a half joking tone said, “And if you don’t like it, just don’t bring her over.” I responded in a cheery (but made it clear I took her “serious”) voice: “Okay!”
She was taken aback and realized she shot herself in the foot. She tried to renege but after all the stuff she has put me through, I didn’t let her. After we left, she called my husband and “was almost in tears” and asked that we “not stop bringing our daughter over because she loves having her there so much.” I know this woman and she doesn’t cry. She was trying to manipulate my husband, which he agreed with.
Since our daughter going over there is at my discretion, I told him after the latest development I no longer chose to fight my anxiety and will no longer be taking her over. He agreed to this. Our daughter hasn’t been there alone for almost three weeks, and my mother-in-law is not a happy camper. You want to disrespect all the decisions we make for our daughter? You’re a witch. You insist on doing things your way because “that’s how we did it and we survived.” You’re an idiot. You are going to hit her after we said no? Say bye-bye to your unsupervised visiting privilege! “Grandma time” is a privilege, not a right. Story credit: Reddit / bless-their-hearts