On the first night Eleanor arrived, she took away the muesli bar Hope was eating because dinner was at 6 p.m., and it was around 4 p.m. Hope’s face crumpled, and she looked at me with wide eyes.
“Grandma, please! I’m hungry now,” she pleaded.
“Give it back to her, Mom,” Simon said firmly. Eleanor relented, but her disapproval was clear. I thought that was the end of it, but I was wrong.
Last night, our babysitter got sick, and we asked Eleanor to watch Hope from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Hope goes to bed at 7:30 p.m., so it seemed easy enough. Simon and I went out for a rare dinner date, hoping everything would go smoothly.
When we returned home around 10 p.m., the house was in chaos. Hope was awake and crying, her tiny kitchen was completely ruined. My heart sank as I rushed to comfort her.
“Hope, sweetie, what happened?” I asked, hugging her tightly.
Last night, our babysitter got sick, and we asked Eleanor to watch Hope from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Hope goes to bed at 7:30 p.m., so it seemed easy enough. Simon and I went out for a rare dinner date, hoping everything would go smoothly.
When we returned home around 10 p.m., the house was in chaos. Hope was awake and crying, her tiny kitchen was completely ruined. My heart sank as I rushed to comfort her.
“Hope, sweetie, what happened?” I asked, hugging her tightly.
“Grandma threw away my kitchen,” she sobbed. “She made me eat fish, and I couldn’t. It was so yucky.”
Simon went to talk to Eleanor while I stayed with Hope. When he came back, he looked furious.
“Mom forced Hope to eat fish, even though she gagged. Then she threw out her food when Hope tried to make something else. And when Hope threw up, she sent her to bed without anything,” Simon explained, his voice shaking with anger.
“What?” I gasped. “Eleanor, how could you?”
Eleanor stood in the doorway, arms crossed. “She needs discipline, Grace. She can’t just eat whatever she wants whenever she wants.”
“That’s not your decision to make,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “We’ve talked about this. You overstepped.”
Simon joined me, his expression stern. “Mom, your behavior was unacceptable. You crossed a line. If you can’t respect our parenting choices, you won’t be welcome to stay here.”
Eleanor looked taken aback, but I didn’t care. My priority was Hope, who was still sniffling in my arms. “We’re her parents, and we know what’s best for her.”
“I’m only trying to help,” Eleanor muttered, but she looked away, knowing she had lost this battle.
Simon and I spent the rest of the night cleaning up the mess and reassuring Hope. As I tucked her into bed, she clung to me tightly. “Mommy, don’t let Grandma take my kitchen away again.”
“I promise, sweetie,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. “I won’t let that happen.”
The next morning, I woke up to a disaster. I walked into the living room, expecting to find Hope playing quietly. Instead, I found her sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her face.
“I’m only trying to help,” Eleanor muttered, but she looked away, knowing she had lost this battle.
Simon and I spent the rest of the night cleaning up the mess and reassuring Hope. As I tucked her into bed, she clung to me tightly. “Mommy, don’t let Grandma take my kitchen away again.”
“I promise, sweetie,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. “I won’t let that happen.”
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