My Daughter-in-Law Agreed to Let Me Stay, but Only Under Her Strict Rules

I’ve always believed that a mother’s love knows no bounds, and I hoped my son felt the same about me. After my husband died, my son didn’t want me to be alone, so he invited me to live with him, his wife, and their kids. I was thrilled at the idea but surprised when I learned about the house rules my daughter-in-law set.

Here’s how it went down. My son had taken over our family home when he married, and now, as a widow, I was feeling pretty lonely. So when he suggested I move in with them, it sounded perfect. But then, my daughter-in-law had a few rules.

“You need to know a few things if you’re going to live with us,” she told me. She was serious but polite. “First,” she started, “we have quiet time every evening from 8 p.m. No TV, staying out of the kitchen, and absolutely no loud noises. It’s for the kids’ bedtime and our downtime.”

I nodded. I get it; routines are good for kids, but this felt a bit too controlled for comfort.

“Second,” she went on, locking eyes with me, “we are a vegan household. No animal products at all. If that’s going to be a problem, we might need to think of something else.”

“And third,” she finished, “since I work full-time, I could really use some help around the house, especially with cooking. I need you to prepare vegan meals every evening.” She even handed me a vegan cookbook to get me started.

I adore my grandkids, and I wanted to be close to them, but these rules seemed overly strict and almost demeaning. It felt like I was being recruited as a live-in maid at my own son’s house, just to earn my keep.