MY KIDS LISTED MY HOUSE ON AIRBNB WHILE I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL – I FOUND A WAY TO TEACH THEM A LESSON
I was staying in the hospital when I discovered that my daughter, Alice, and her husband, Tom, had listed my house on Airbnb. At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes when a friend sent me a screenshot from the app, but as I read the listing, I felt my blood boil!
I had tried my best to make my small house nice and cozy. It was filled with memories of my kids growing up and with my late husband. It hurt me to imagine some random people using the cups I hand-painted or damaging the chair my husband always used to sit in.
As I sat, shocked, on my hospital bed, a brilliant idea came to mind. Without letting myself think enough to doubt it, I rented my own house to teach my kids a lesson.
The following week, I was discharged from the hospital, still fuming but determined. I arrived at my house in the guise of a guest. I rang the doorbell, suitcase in hand, and waited.
Alice opened the door, her eyes widening in surprise. “Mom? What are you doing here?”
I gave her a stern look. “I’m here to check into my Airbnb rental.”
Tom appeared behind her, his face a mixture of confusion and guilt. “Mom, we can explain…”
I raised a hand to stop him. “Save it. I want to see the condition of my home. After all, I paid good money for this stay.”
They reluctantly let me in, and I immediately went into inspection mode. I walked through each room, making mental notes of anything that seemed out of place or mistreated. Thankfully, everything appeared mostly untouched, but I knew the real damage was in their complete lack of respect for my home.
“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” I asked, turning to face them in the living room.
Alice bit her lip, looking genuinely remorseful. “Mom, we’re sorry. We thought it would help with the bills while you were in the hospital. We didn’t mean any harm.”
I softened slightly, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. “I understand the need for money, but this house is full of memories and personal items that mean a lot to me. You should have asked for my permission first.”
Tom nodded, his head hung low. “We realize now it was a mistake. We’re really sorry.”
I sighed, deciding to take a different approach. “Alright. Since you both thought it was a good idea to list the house, here’s what we’re going to do. For the next month, you’re going to manage the Airbnb listing and handle all the cleaning, laundry, and maintenance that comes with it. Any money made from it will go to the hospital bills.”
Their eyes widened in surprise. “But, Mom…”
“No buts,” I interrupted. “You’ll see how much work it is to maintain a home for strangers. And hopefully, you’ll learn to respect the effort it takes to keep this place the way it is.”
The next few weeks were an eye-opener for them. They dealt with guests who were messy, demanding, and sometimes outright rude. They spent hours cleaning up after each stay, dealing with minor repairs, and constantly worrying about the state of the house. Meanwhile, I supervised, making sure they didn’t cut any corners.
By the end of the month, Alice and Tom were exhausted. They sat down with me, their expressions humble.
“Mom,” Alice said, “we had no idea how hard it is to run an Airbnb. We’re really sorry for what we did and for not respecting your home.”
I smiled, finally seeing the lesson had sunk in. “I’m glad you understand now. Just remember, this house isn’t just a building. It’s a home, filled with memories and love. Treat it with the respect it deserves.”
They nodded earnestly, and from that day forward, they never took my home for granted again. The experience brought us closer, and they learned the true value of family and respect. And I knew I had taught them a lesson they would never forget.
