EVERY TIME we sent our kids to my mother-in-law’s place, they came back sick. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Runny noses, colds, bronchitis – it became the norm after a trip to grandma’s, even though they hardly ever got sick otherwise.

This time, we sent them over for a break again. I dropped them off and headed back to town. But halfway there, I realized I forgot to give them a bag with their stuff that was still in the car. So, I had to drive an hour back to my mother-in-law’s house.

I parked and went inside, but what I saw freaked me out! At that moment, I understood why my kids always got sick while staying with grandma.

I saw my mother-in-law standing over my sons, who were lying down, and she was holding an old, dusty humidifier. The thing was ancient, clearly from decades ago, and it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. She was about to turn it on when I rushed into the room.

“Mom, what are you doing?” I shouted, startling her.

She turned to me, looking confused. “Oh, I didn’t hear you come in. The boys looked a bit stuffy, so I thought this would help.”

I took a closer look at the humidifier. The water inside was murky, and there was mold visible around the edges. I felt a wave of anger and disgust.

“Are you serious? This thing is filthy! You’re filling the air with mold and bacteria! No wonder they always get sick after visiting you!” I yelled, grabbing the humidifier from her hands.

My mother-in-law’s face turned pale. “I… I didn’t realize. I just thought it was a bit dusty.”

“A bit dusty? This is dangerous!” I snapped, my anger boiling over. “Every time we come here, the kids get sick, and now I know why. How could you be so careless?”

She looked genuinely shocked and remorseful. “I’m so sorry, I thought I was helping. I would never intentionally harm them.”

But my trust was broken. I packed up my sons’ belongings and took them home immediately. The drive back was tense, my mind racing with frustration and concern. How could she have been so negligent?

When we got home, I explained everything to my husband. He was as furious as I was, but also worried about confronting his mother. We both knew it had to be done.

The next day, we sat down with my mother-in-law and had a serious talk. She apologized profusely, tears streaming down her face. She admitted she had no idea the humidifier was so dirty and promised to get rid of it.

Despite her apology, we decided that our kids wouldn’t be staying at her house until we were absolutely sure it was safe. We hired a professional to thoroughly clean her home, and she agreed to update her knowledge on proper childcare practices.

It took time, but eventually, our relationship with her healed. We still allowed her to spend time with the kids, but always with close supervision. The health and safety of our children came first, and we made sure everyone understood that.

The experience was a harsh reminder of how easily something seemingly harmless could become a serious health hazard. We learned to be more vigilant and always prioritize our children’s well-being, even if it meant difficult conversations with loved ones.