Babysitting My Grandchildren Brings Me Joy—As Long as These Rules Are Kept
At 65, Lisa loves her two grandchildren dearly, but she admits she doesn’t have the same energy she once did. Babysitting them brings her joy, but she also values her rest and independence.
When her son and daughter-in-law asked her to watch the children more often after their sitter quit, Lisa agreed, on three simple rules: no sugar in her house, no sleepovers, and no surprise drop-offs.
For a while, things went smoothly. But recently, her daughter-in-law broke one of those rules, showing up unannounced while Lisa was out.
When she called, demanding that Lisa come home immediately to take the children, Lisa refused, explaining she had her own plans that day. Unfortunately, her DIL ended up missing an important work emergency and even received a warning from her employer.
Now, Lisa’s son and daughter-in-law have pulled back from her, leaving her to wonder: was she wrong for standing by her boundaries, or was she right to protect her time and health?
