My mother-in-law, Patricia, moved in with us to help me with our newborn while my husband, Sammy, was away for work. She promised to assist with everything so I could recover after labor. However, from day one, she jumped on the sofa, glued to her favorite series, and constantly complained about her back pain. So, I ended up doing everything myself: meals, chores, and watching my son 24/7.
The most infuriating part? Each evening, Patricia’s pain magically disappeared, and she invited her friends over to our kitchen. I could hear their laughter and conversations while I was trying to get some rest or finish the last of the chores.
At first, I tried to ignore it, hoping things would get better. But then, one evening, I overheard her saying to her friends, “I don’t get it, why Sammy chose her?! She’s such a couch potato, only watching her series while I’m doing all the chores and caring for the baby!”
I was livid. It was a total lie. I was the one doing everything while she lounged around all day. Throwing a tantrum wouldn’t work, though. Patricia was too good at playing the victim. So, I devised a plan to expose the truth.
The next day, while she was engrossed in her TV shows, I started recording short clips of myself doing various chores and taking care of the baby. I captured everything: feeding my son, changing diapers, cleaning the house, cooking meals, and doing laundry. I even recorded a few clips where Patricia could be seen in the background, lounging on the sofa with the TV blaring.
That evening, as expected, Patricia’s friends came over. I waited for them to settle in before making my move. Carrying my son in one arm and my phone in the other, I approached the kitchen where they were gathered.
“Hi, everyone,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I wanted to share something with you all.”
Patricia looked at me with a mix of surprise and annoyance. “What are you doing here? Go rest, dear. We’ve got this.”
Ignoring her, I set my phone on the counter and began playing the video compilation. Her friends watched in stunned silence as the footage showed me performing all the household tasks while Patricia lounged on the sofa.
When the video ended, I looked at Patricia’s friends and said, “I wanted you to see what really happens here. I do all the chores and take care of the baby while Patricia enjoys her shows. I’m not the couch potato she claims I am.”
Patricia’s face turned red with embarrassment and anger. Her friends, clearly uncomfortable, mumbled excuses and left quickly.
Once they were gone, Patricia tried to defend herself. “I was just trying to help you, dear. I didn’t mean any harm.”
“You weren’t helping, Patricia,” I said firmly. “You were lying about me to your friends and making me look bad. I won’t stand for that.”
From that day on, Patricia’s behavior changed dramatically. She actually started helping with the baby and the chores, probably out of fear that I’d expose her laziness again. When Sammy returned home, he noticed the difference immediately and praised us both for managing so well.
In the end, my plan worked. Patricia learned her lesson about lying and taking advantage of my kindness. Our home became a more harmonious place, and I could finally focus on enjoying motherhood without the added stress of dealing with an ungrateful mother-in-law.
