I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I explained how these rules made me feel disrespected and undervalued. He was so shocked. And when I read them to him, he seemed as offended as I was.
I’ll call you back,” he said. “I promise.” While I waited for Michael’s call, I decided to bake something to get my mind off everything. Then, a few hours later, the phone rang.
“Mom, Linda said the rules are for the kids’ safety. And she won’t apologize for that. But I’m telling you, I understand your feelings.
I’ve told Linda to apologize, or I won’t go with her.” And?” I asked him, dusting the flour from my hands. “She insisted that the rules are reasonable. So, she’s going alone.
I don’t want to spend the next few days alone with Linda after this.” I was proud of him for standing up to Linda — for himself and me. But, also, I wouldn’t say I liked that I was the cause of conflict in their marriage. And the thought of her having to drive to see her mother alone loomed in my mind.
“Are you sure?” I asked him. “I’ll still babysit, minus the rules.” “Yes,” he said. “She took it too far, and I’m not okay with that.” In the end, Linda went to see her mother by herself.
She apologized to me via text — probably because she realized it wasn’t a joke and had truly offended me so much that even her husband opted to stay home with the kids. Linda is still at her mother’s, and I’m preparing meals for the kids. I didn’t babysit them, but Michael decided that the weekend called for ice cream and pool time at Grandma’s.
I will encourage my son to talk to his wife because I feel bad about causing this rift. But am I wrong for refusing to babysit my grandkids after those rules were handed to me? And is it worse now that I’ve caused conflict between them?
