When one grandma was asked to babysit her two grandchildren, Lily, 5, and Jack, 4, for five days, she was hesitant at first because it seemed like a long time, but since her son, Ethan, and her daughter-in-law, Sarah, didn’t ask her for such favors in the past, opting to turn to Sarah’s mother instead, the grandma decided to say yes.
While Ethan and Sarah were in Mexico and finally had some time for the two of them, the grandma received an invitation to a birthday party in Disney World. Seeing it as a chance to spend some quality time with her grandchildren, the grandma decided to surprise them and take them with her. Sarah had often talked about taking the kids to Disney “someday,” but it seemed like a distant plan, not one taking place in the near future.
The grandma didn’t consult the children’s parents about the trip because she thought they wouldn’t mind it. However, she was wrong.
When they returned home, Sarah’s reaction was unexpected. She was in tears, accusing the grandma of taking away a major milestone—experiencing Disney with her kids for the first time. Her words stung, particularly given her previous demands for childcare. She called the grandma, her MIL, selfish and entitled.
Ethan asked from his mother to apologize for her action, but she refused because she still didn’t think she did anything wrong.
The fallout was swift. Ethan stressed the importance of an apology, not just for peace, but because Sarah felt deprived of a cherished moment. However, since the grandma refused to say sorry, Ethan asked from her to share the story on Reddit and see what others think, doing his best for her to understand what she did wrong.
The grandma wrote that sharing the story, she realized her son might be right and that “the court of public opinion” may judge her harshly, but more than seeking vindication, she said she reflected on the intricacies of human relationships, the mistakes we make, and the lessons we learn.
She ended her post writing that she truly hopes she would be able to fix her relationship with her son and daughter-in-law and make things right, but as of now, she just needed to know AITA?
What are your thoughts on this?
