I Imparted a Lesson to My Son Because He Abandoned His “Lazy” Wife After She Had a Baby

We’re not used to stories about difficult relationships between women and their mothers-in-law. But this story is different: here, a woman sided with her daughter-in-law and taught her son such a lesson that every woman would applaud such a mother-in-law.

The couple have been together for 10 years.

Camila reached out with a heartfelt message: “Hello! I’ve always appreciated your platform for its open discussion space. I’ve engaged in various conversations, offering advice and sharing my views. Now, I need some opinions from your audience about my son.”

She began her story, “My son Michael has always been determined. From a young age, he showed ambition and drive in everything, from academics to sports. I admired and encouraged this trait. However, as he grew older, his determination sometimes turned into a harshness that concerned me.

Michael married Lisa in college. She was equally ambitious and intelligent, and they quickly bonded over their shared interests and similar personalities. After graduating, they both built successful careers and generally had a smooth relationship.”

Her son’s behavior drastically changed after the birth of the child.

Camila continues her story: “But everything changed six months ago after their child was born. The birth was difficult, so Lisa decided not to return to work after maternity leave. She wanted to recover and spend more time with the baby.”

“Michael began to criticize Lisa for small things: the house wasn’t clean enough, dinner wasn’t ready on time. He’d come home to find her taking a nap or watching TV, and it infuriated him. He didn’t see the sleepless nights, the constant attention the baby required, or the endless chores she managed during the day. He only saw what he perceived as laziness.

My son stopped helping with household chores, arguing that if Lisa wasn’t working, she had enough time to handle everything on her own, and he was too tired from work to do anything else around the house. When the tension between them reached its peak, they decided to get divorced.”

“After the separation, Michael came to live with me. I felt really sad watching everything happen. I always tried to teach Michael about respect and empathy, but somehow he seemed to have forgotten those values. That’s when I knew it was time for a lesson he wouldn’t forget.”

She taught him a lesson he will never forget.

Camila devised a plan: “I decided to surprise my daughter-in-law with a gift and sent her on a short vacation for a week, promising to take care of my granddaughter while she was away.

During dinner, I told my son that Lisa was going away for a week and handed him a piece of paper with a list of tasks. It was a schedule of everything Lisa used to do in a single day: wake up at 6 AM, prepare breakfast, get the baby ready, clean the house, grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, and countless other tasks. Michael looked at the list, his expression slowly changing from confusion to realization.

“I want you to take care of the baby and manage the house for one week, just like Lisa did,’ I said calmly. ’No help from the nanny or the housekeeper. I’ll take care of my grandchild if it becomes too much, but you need to understand what she did every day.’”

In just a few days, the house turned into a disaster.

Camila continued her story, “Reluctantly, Michael agreed. The first day was a disaster. He overslept, struggled to get the baby ready, burned breakfast, and by noon, the house was a mess. By the third day, he was exhausted. He couldn’t keep up with the baby, the endless laundry, and the constant demands of the household.”

“At the end of the week, Michael was a changed man. He sat down with me, tears in his eyes. ’Mom, I had no idea,’ he admitted. ’I thought she was being lazy, but she was working harder than I ever realized. I took her for granted, and now I’ve lost her.’ I hugged my son, feeling a mixture of pride and sadness. ’It’s not too late to make things right, Michael. You need to apologize and show her you understand. Show her that you’ve changed.’”

This story has a happy ending.

Ending her letter, Camila pens, “Michael embraced my advice wholeheartedly. He approached Lisa with heartfelt apologies and recognized his errors. While it wasn’t effortless and required patience, Lisa eventually noticed the genuineness in his attempts. They opted to mend their bond for the sake of their daughter.”

“Michael’s experience left a lasting impact. I trust it’s a lesson he’ll carry with him. How would you handle this scenario? Perhaps some in your community have encountered similar challenges and can offer valuable advice on salvaging relationships?”

Unfortunately, warm relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law don’t often happen. Here’s a story about a mother-in-law who cut her 14-year-old granddaughter’s hair without permission.