Did You Say Free?

Dear Snarky Mom:

I'm having a problem with my mother-in-law. She has agreed to keep my 2yo son during the day while I am at work. The issue is that my son has had to go through extensive occupational therapy as he refuses to eat. My MIL doesn't respect my concerns and won't feed him if he says he's not hungry (which is every time you ask). Although I am concerned that he isn't even on the percentile charts, I'm most concerned that he is 12 months behind in height and weight. How can I make her see that she HAS to make him sit down to lunch?

~Worried in Arkansas

Dear Worried:

Of course your MIL doesn't respect your concerns. That's how they get back at us for stealing their precious sons from them. If she did respect your concerns, I'd tell you that that nauseated feeling in your stomach isn't worry, but slow arsenic poisoning. You basically have a couple of options here. Let's explore option #1. Stop mooching off of her and pay someone that will feed your kid. Yeah, I know. Daycare is expensive. I, however, would rather pluck out my right eye than give my MIL the satisfaction of doing me a favor. Those teddy bear cams seem pretty cool, but I wouldn't know 'cause I love my kid enough to stay at home with him. Haha. Just kidding. I just hate to work and this was the best excuse I could come up with. Option #2: Guilt her into doing what you want. It helps if you teach your child to say mean things to her. Like, "Why don't you love me, Grammy, and want me to be healthy?" This totally doesn't work if the kid can't be trained to NOT say it in front of your husband. Believe me, my son once told my husband, "Nanna is the Devil." Oooooops. Of course, this will bite you in the ass when your kid has to go to therapy. Or if you are really in a bind and need a date night with the hubby and can't find a babysitter. Option #3: Educate her to death. Make her go with you to the doctor's office and let the doctor explain how not eating is putting him at risk for serious illness and developmental delay. Make her go to occupational therapist and have her explain to the OT why she feels its okay to skip meals daily when he's a year behind in height and weight. Then, smile smugly. She's going to assume that she knows it all and that you are a paranoid freak (aka, a DIL) unless someone else that she respects can make her feel like a total douche. And if that doesn't work, its back to option #1.

PS- It could totally be worse.

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