My husband thought paying my mom to babysit our two children was a waste of money. “She should be grateful just to spend time with her grandkids,” he argued. But when he fired her to “save money,” I decided to teach him a lesson—one he wouldn’t forget.
It all began one evening as we loaded the dishwasher.
“We need another baby,” Miles said excitedly. “Just imagine Evie with a little sibling. Don’t you want that for her?”
I hesitated. “I’m happy with just Evie.”
“Come on, Jenny,” he coaxed. “I promise I’ll help more.”
“You say that now, but—”
“I mean it. Every diaper change, every late-night feeding… I’ll be there.”
“Like last night, when Evie had a fever?”
His face fell. “That was different. I had a report due.”
“There’s always something, Miles.”
“This time will be different,” he swore.
I should have known better.
Nine months later, Amber arrived, and his promises vanished. Every night, I was up alone while he muttered excuses about meetings and deadlines. My mother, Wendy, saw me struggling and stepped in, offering to retire early to help with the kids.
“We’d have to pay you,” I insisted.
“Three thousand a month,” she said. “Less than daycare, and I’ll cook and clean too.”
When I told Miles, he balked. “Three grand? To watch her own grandkids?”
“She’s giving up her career for us,” I reminded him.
“It’s called retirement,” he scoffed.
He started making snide remarks. “Must be nice getting paid to play with your grandkids all day.” Or, “For what we’re paying, the house could be cleaner.”
Then one afternoon, I overheard a call Miles forgot to hang up.
“It’s ridiculous,” he told someone. “Three grand a month for what? She should be grateful we’re letting her spend time with them.”
I froze as I heard his next words.
“We appreciate everything, Wendy, but we’ve decided it’s best for you to move on.”
“Move on?” Mom’s voice wavered.
“It’s just… daycare is more cost-effective.”
Silence. Then, quietly, “If that’s what you both want.”
I stormed home. “How could you?”
“We’ll save money,” Miles shrugged.
“Let’s see how much we save,” I shot back.
Daycare was more expensive, and the kids were constantly sick. No more home-cooked meals, no flexible pickups, no loving grandma. The late fees piled up, and Miles started to crack.
“Another ear infection?” he groaned.
“That’s daycare,” I replied, rocking Amber while Evie clung to me, feverish.
One night, he exploded over a $75 late fee.
I smiled. “Maybe we should call Mom.”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “Same pay.”
“She’s making $4,300 now, Miles. And they appreciate her.”
His face turned red.
That’s when I decided to teach him a lesson.
“I have a business trip next week,” I announced. “You’ll watch the kids.”
“What? But I can’t—”
“Sure you can. After all, it’s a privilege, right?”
By day two, the frantic texts rolled in.
“How do you get Amber to eat?”
“Evie won’t stop crying about her pink cup.”
“I haven’t slept in 48 hours.”
“How does your mom do this?”
“PLEASE COME BACK.”
I turned off my phone and ordered another massage.
When I returned, the house was chaos. Miles, unshaven and exhausted, croaked, “Your mother is a saint.”
“Oh?”
“I was wrong. So wrong. Please, ask her to come back.”
“You’ll have to convince her yourself.”
At coffee that Sunday, Miles swallowed his pride. “Wendy, I was wrong. I didn’t respect what you did, and I’m ashamed. Please, come back. We’ll match your new pay.”
Mom stirred her coffee. “It was never about the money, Miles. It was about respect.”
“I know that now,” he said. “And I’ll prove it.”
She considered. “I’ll need it in writing. Including sick days and vacation.”
“Absolutely.”
As I watched them work out the details, I smiled. Some lessons can’t be told—they have to be lived. And sometimes, you have to lose something to understand its true worth.