On Mother’s Day, children across the world show appreciation for their mothers’ endless love and care. For many moms, this day is about feeling cherished and spending joyful moments with their loved ones. However, a small number of mothers may feel exhausted by their daily responsibilities and see Mother’s Day as an opportunity to spend time with those who bring them true happiness.
OP’s sister-in-law, Sheila, was one such mother. She longed to spend the day with OP’s younger daughter at a “mommy and me tea,” rather than with her own two sons, who have special needs and struggle in crowded environments. Sheila adored OP’s daughter and, being very feminine herself, wished for some “girly” time, which she couldn’t fully enjoy with her boys. She also harbored some resentment towards OP for having all daughters.
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Source: Reddit
1. OP asks if she was wrong to refuse her sister-in-law’s request to take out OP’s daughter for “mommy and me tea.”.
2. OP’s sister-in-law Sheila, being very feminine, resented OP for having daughters, as she had only two sons with special needs. She adored OP’s younger daughter, who was at the age of wearing pink and frilly outfits.
3. Sheila wanted to take OP’s younger daughter for “mommy and me tea” on Mother’s Day, but OP refused as she wanted to spend that special day with all her girls.
4. Sheila got dishearten as she wanted to spend some fun time instead of being stuck with her sons having special needs.
5. OP felt bad for Sheila because she had not gone out to eat after her kids had born.
6. Sheila started crying at family dinner when someone questioned her about Mother’s Day plans, which made OP feel horrible.
7. OP’s colleagues suggested that she should have let her kid accompany Sheila for tea to make her feel better.
8. OP got confused about her decision to not allow her sister-in-law to take her daughter for tea.
9. Redditor believes that Sheila needs therapy, not “mommy and me tea” with someone else’s kid.
10. Yes, therapy is a necessity for the parents of children with special needs.
11. Redditor feels that the actions of OP’s sister-in-law, who sought OP’s daughter for Mother’s Day in order to appease her desires, were a bit selfish.
12. Redditor has sympathy for the OP’s sister-in-law since caring for special needs children is a full-time job, and she may require a break.
13. According to a Redditor, Sheila requires assistance, but taking OP’s daughter to tea on Mother’s Day may not fix the problem.
14. Indeed! A little help from family members is required.
15. Redditor has a nice idea.
16. Redditor finds OP’s sister-in-law’s request for Mother’s Day strange.
17. Redditor believes that Sheila needs to learn how to support her kids.
18. Certainly! Sheila should reach out to a network of parents who have children with special needs for support and assistance.
19. Redditor has a point!
20. Yes, OP’s sister-in-law should take their boys to interesting places like the zoo and adventure parks while wearing ear muffs.
OP had every right to spend Mother’s Day with all her children and couldn’t accept her sister-in-law’s request to take her niece along. While OP felt sympathy for Sheila’s difficult situation, she believed that dedicating the day to another person’s child, even for a short time, wouldn’t be appropriate on such a special occasion meant for her own family. Parents of children with special needs often face immense challenges and can feel overwhelmed or exhausted by their circumstances. Seeking therapy can be an important step in managing these emotions, and family members should offer support to help them cope, but ultimately, OP felt this wasn’t the right moment for her to take on that responsibility.
