A woman shared an argument she had with her mother-in-law online, wondering if she was wrong to kick her out of the house after she came to help care for her baby. Users advised her on the matter and justified her position.
Mother watches over her sleeping baby | Photo: Getty Images
A woman recounted a recent experience she had with her mother-in-law, asking for advice on whether her actions were justified. She explained that her husband had asked his mother to babysit their three-month-old daughter so she could take a much-needed nap.
The woman was exhausted from caring for her colicky baby, who frequently vomited while sleeping. She found it difficult to rest while her daughter slept, as the little girl had previously choked on her own vomit while sleeping. So when her mother-in-law agreed to come over for a few hours and even cook dinner, she welcomed the opportunity to rest a little.
Grandmother caring for a baby | Photo: Getty Images
During the visit, the woman’s husband, a truck driver, was away for a week. In a heartfelt Reddit post, the woman thanked her mother-in-law for offering to cook dinner and babysit.
Unfortunately, her relief quickly turned to dismay when she woke up at 4 p.m. to her daughter’s screams. She ran to her room and found her still in the crib, her diaper unchanged, indicating she’d been crying for some time. She went back to her room to get her phone and realized it wasn’t where she’d left it.
She also realized that the baby monitor was unplugged, which is why she hadn’t heard the baby crying at first. Worried, she looked for her mother-in-law, but couldn’t find her inside the house. She returned to the kitchen and that’s when she saw her through the window, talking on her phone outside.
Mother with crying baby yawns | Photo: Getty Images
Shocked and angered by her mother-in-law’s neglect of her granddaughter, she demanded an explanation. She decided to go outside to interrupt her call and ask why she had her cell phone and how long she had left the child crying in the other room.
The mother-in-law explained , “Well, I heard your phone ring and it was my son, so I answered it and left the house so I wouldn’t wake you up, and I unplugged the monitor so the baby wouldn’t wake you up if he started crying. He wasn’t crying when I left.”
Two women arguing | Photo: Getty Images
When she asked how long she had been on the phone, the mother-in-law replied “37 minutes.” Upon learning that she had been on the phone for over 30 minutes, the woman demanded that she leave. Despite her protests and explanations, the woman insisted that she leave, pointing out that her daughter had been crying for at least 10 minutes, if not longer.
The mother-in-law defended herself by pointing out that crying wouldn’t hurt the baby and that she hadn’t heard her crying, otherwise she would have gone to take care of her granddaughter immediately. The woman, tired of the excuses, said , “Yes, but instead you decided to steal my phone and go talk to my husband for 40 minutes instead of doing the job you came here for. Go away.” Finally, she left.
Two women arguing | Photo: Getty Images
Things changed when her husband returned. She was devastated when the man sided with her mother, arguing that he had done them a favor by coming to help with the baby. He accused her of making her feel stupid for not attending to the baby as soon as it started crying. “Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t help again,” she said .
Despite her husband’s disapproval, the woman stood firm in her decision, feeling betrayed by her mother-in-law’s negligence. She sought advice from the Reddit community, wondering whether her actions were right or wrong. Users said her mother-in-law and her husband were wrong.
Couple argues | Photo: Getty Images
“This isn’t helpful and it’s very dangerous. Total neglect of your daughter,” one user noted . Another agreed : “During that time, your daughter could have vomited, choked on it, and become dangerous.” Internet users also said that the husband should have supported her: ” Babies have died from vomiting, and the fact that your husband and his mother are so arrogant about it is disgusting. That was the only reason I was there—to keep an eye on her.”
The woman echoed several Reddit users who supported her. She emphasized that the problem wasn’t just the baby crying for 10 minutes, but the fact that her mother-in-law spent 40 minutes outside talking on her phone instead of checking on her granddaughter, despite having been home for an hour and a half.
Mother watches her sleeping baby | Photo: Getty Images
During this entire time, the mother-in-law failed to check on her granddaughter and disconnected the monitor, behavior she considered inexcusable. The woman stood firm, emphasizing that such disregard for her daughter’s safety deeply concerned her and prompted her to ask her husband’s mother to leave.
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