My Daughter Tricked Me Into Babysitting—So I Served a Payback She Won’t Forget

I never thought I’d be the one lied to, left holding the baby, while my daughter played dress-up and chased men. But when she slipped out for a “job interview” in heels and lashes, I made a quiet but firm choice of my own. And believe me, she won’t forget it anytime soon.

Hi Bright Side! I’m Nora. Let me just get this off my chest before I explode. I’m a 61-year-old woman, and my 27-year-old daughter has been living with me for the past 3 years.

My daughter has what I call “a love child.” A 3-year-old boy. So she treats me like her live-in nanny. Just expects I’ll drop everything to babysit whenever she wants. Newsflash, I raised my kids already. I’m not about to do round two.

No father in sight, and now she’s “trying to rebuild her life.” Which so far looks a lot like eating my food, using my electricity, and pretending she’s a guest at an all-inclusive resort.

She doesn’t cook. Doesn’t clean. She doesn’t pay a cent. Not for rent, not for groceries, not even for that overpriced almond milk she insists the kid needs.

If you’re living in my house, you don’t bring strange men into your life.

Two weeks ago, she came up to me, asking if I could watch the boy so she could go on a date. I told her no. She got all sulky and pouty but ended up staying home in her pajamas and scrolling on her phone all evening.

I told her before, no men under my roof or in your life. That’s the rule. I lost my husband when I was 34, and did I run around trying to play princess and find another one? No.

I worked, raised two kids, paid off the mortgage, and didn’t complain. I didn’t go on dates or flirt at Target like some teenager. I focused on survival. That’s what real women do.

I raised my kids already. Now I want to have some fun too.

Fast-forward to this past Saturday. She asked me to watch my grandson again because she had a job interview. But I already had plans for once. I was meeting up with a couple of my old friends for lunch and maybe even stopping by the community center to play some games.

I don’t get out much anymore, and I was really looking forward to it. I even curled my hair. Put on some nice lipstick. I was feeling human again.

So I tell her no, again. And wouldn’t you know it, fifteen minutes later, she’s gone. Not a word. Just vanished, left her kid with me like I’m her backup plan.

Well, I thought, fine. I’m not sitting at home all day. I took the little one to the mall. Thought we’d walk around, maybe get him an ice-cream.

Unexpected meeting in the mall.

We’re near the food court and who do I see? Her. My daughter. All dolled up, sitting way too close to some guy.

They’re sharing a milkshake, for heaven’s sake. Like two teenagers. Laughing. Flipping her hair. Touching his arm. The whole thing.

I walked over, plopped my grandson gently on one of those big padded benches, the ones near the fountain, where security walks by every ten seconds, and I marched right past her. Didn’t say a word. Just made eye contact so she knew I knew.

Of course, I circled back quietly and stood behind the fountain, just far enough to keep an eye on my grandson, and to see how my daughter would react. She was furious. Her date bolted almost immediately. Judging by the look on his face, he had no idea there was a toddler in the picture.

I’ve told her more times than I can count: no man wants a package deal like that. She’d do far better focusing on herself and her son, instead of chasing some fairy tale and hunting for a husband.

Later, she comes storming home, accusing me of “abandoning” my grandson. I told her, “Sweetheart, you abandoned your son when you lied to your mother and left him behind to chase a man.”

Am I a bad mother and grandmother?

She says I’m being cruel, and she just wants to be loved. I say I’ve earned the right to not be lied to in my own home. And I’m not a babysitter on demand.

I raised my kids. I did the hard work. Now it’s her turn.

So. Am I a bad mother and grandmother? Or is this just what happens when you set a boundary in a house where you’re the only one acting like an adult?

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