I Banned My MIL from Seeing My Baby Because She Refuses to Babysit

When both parents work full-time, managing life with a small child can be challenging. Lenny turned to her mother-in-law, who had ample free time, for help. However, her mother-in-law refused to babysit all day, stating it wasn’t her responsibility. Feeling overwhelmed and devastated, the young mom reached out to us for advice.

This is Lenny’s letter:
My MIL does nothing but Zumba and gossip with friends. I asked her to babysit our 2-year-old son while my husband and I work full-time.

She declared, “That’s not a grandma’s job! I’m the grandma, not your sitter!” My husband stayed silent. I banned her from seeing my baby and hired a nanny.

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Days later, the nanny called me in tears, panicked and trembling. I rushed home and froze when I found my baby’s crib empty.

I opened the closet and almost fainted when I saw that all his belongings were gone, as if he had vanished. The nanny explained that my MIL had forced her way in and taken my baby.I tried calling my MIL, but her phone was busy. When I called my husband, he sounded unbothered, saying, “Don’t worry, our baby is safe with her-she’s his grandma, after all.”

Furious, I retrieved my son from my MIL’s house. She defended herself, saying, “You have no right to keep my grandson away from me!”

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Now, I’m livid and at a loss. Did I overreact by banning her from seeing him? How do I handle this situation?