Our youngest granddaughter, Emily, was getting married. Always a bit of a princess, she expected the best of everything. So, when she asked us to help pay for her honeymoon, Jim (my husband) and I were more than happy to oblige. We wanted to give her a memorable gift and ensure she and her new husband started their life together on a high note.

After doing some research, we found a lovely hotel with excellent reviews. It was a charming boutique hotel, known for its personalized service and beautiful surroundings. We spent the last bit of our savings to book it, thinking it would be perfect for Emily and her new husband. We couldn’t wait to surprise her with the news.

When we told her about the booking, Emily seemed grateful at first, but that didn’t last long. A few days later, she called us, her tone dripping with entitlement.
“Gran, I looked up the hotel you booked for us. Is this a joke? This place is a dump compared to what I showed you. Why would you choose such a disgusting hotel? You ruined my honeymoon!” she accused.
I was stunned. Here we were, spending our hard-earned money to give her a wonderful gift, and she was acting like a spoiled brat. Jim and I exchanged looks, realizing that it was time to teach her a lesson.

We called Emily back and calmly said, “Emily, we’re sorry you feel that way. We thought you would appreciate the gesture. If you don’t want to stay at the hotel we booked, we understand. We’ll cancel the reservation and you can choose your own.”

Emily didn’t hesitate. “Fine. I’ll book the place I wanted and you can give me the money you spent,” she said, clearly expecting us to comply.

Jim and I agreed, but we had a different plan in mind. We cancelled the reservation and instead of giving her the money, we decided to take a trip ourselves. We booked a cozy cabin in the mountains, a place we had always wanted to visit but never had the chance.

The day after the wedding, Emily called, expecting her honeymoon fund. “Gran, where’s the money?” she demanded.

I replied calmly, “Emily, after your reaction, we decided to use the money for ourselves. We’re going on a little trip instead. We hope you understand.”

Emily was furious. “You can’t do that! You promised to help with my honeymoon!”

“We promised to help you have a memorable honeymoon, and we did. You chose not to accept our gift. We’re sorry you feel this way, but maybe this will help you appreciate what you have,” I said, trying to maintain my composure.

Emily hung up on us, and we didn’t hear from her for a while. Our trip to the mountains was wonderful. Jim and I reconnected, enjoyed nature, and made beautiful memories together. It was the best decision we could have made.

A few weeks after we returned, Emily showed up at our doorstep, looking sheepish. “Gran, Grandpa, I’m sorry. I was ungrateful and rude. I should have appreciated what you did for me,” she admitted.

We invited her in and sat down to talk. “Emily, we love you and want the best for you. But life isn’t always about getting what you want. It’s about appreciating what you have and understanding the effort others make for you.”

Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes. “I understand now. I’ve been so focused on having the perfect honeymoon that I forgot to appreciate the a

We hugged her, feeling a sense of relief and hope. It wasn’t easy to teach her this lesson, but it was necessary. In the end, it brought us closer together, and Emily learned the value of gratitude and humility.

From that day on, Emily’s attitude changed. She became more appreciative and less demanding. Our relationship grew stronger, and we knew that the lesson we taught her was indeed priceless.