A disgruntled American dad has told the internet that he cancelled his son's birthday party - because his mother-in-law got poo on his toothbrush.
The fed-up father turned to social media website Reddit to ask if he was in the wrong. He is refusing to allow his wife's family to celebrate his son's birthday due to the fallout from the faecal debacle.
He explained that the mother-in-law is paid 300 dollars in cash a week to look after his three children. And he said it's "not the first time" that poo has ended up on his toothbrush.
In a post on Reddit u/CharminUltraSoft316 wrote: "My mother-in-law (MIL) watches my three kids. They are age 5, 3 and 7 months. My MIL usually watches them and drops them off from school. The kids are battling a stomach virus so everyone was home on Monday.
"The little one had a poop explosion so my mother-in-law washed her butt in our bathroom sink. However, she did not clean up after and there was poop all around the sink, on the toothpaste, on the toothbrushes and the little cups that the kids use when brushing their teeth. I have pictures if you guys really want to see.
"This has happened before but it's the first time we said anything. When my wife called her mom to be more careful because it's absolutely disgusting and gross. My wife is Hispanic so her tone can definitely be aggressive, especially to a gringo like myself, but her mom seemed to understand the frustration.
"However, once her sisters (both in their 30s and single for good reason) caught wind that my wife 'belittled' their mother all hell broke loose. The sisters began defending the mother, calling out how dirty/messy our house is, calling my wife fat and basically just saying how lucky we are to have the MIL in our life and it's no big deal. In fact, were the a-holes for being upset about this.
"I guess the sisters got to my mother-in-law because then MIL came back and started parroting the same talking points about how messy our house is, how ungrateful my wife is and how my MIL cleans our house and cooks for the kids all of the time. My five-year old son was also at her house this weekend and had an accident where he Hershey squirted on the bed cuz he's sick. That was also thrown in our face multiple times.
"They also referred to watching our kids as favours which is weird because they always ask to take them. My mother-in-law says she won't come ever again to watch the kids.
"She no showed today so I had to call out today to watch the baby which is fine. However, I don't like how the MIL is affecting my job and career with her pettiness as I had some important stuff scheduled today.
"Keep in mind, we pay her $300 (cash) a week to watch the kids. Now I'm going to pay about $150 more per month for someone to watch the kids which is no big deal really. However, my son's birthday is tomorrow.
"They had a big ol party planned at my mother-in-laws for Saturday. However, I have told everyone that we will not be attending the party and we have barred her family from seeing, giving gifts or even speaking to the kids for the time being."
Redditors have defended the poster, and said he's in the right on this one. Blueberryyogurtcup wrote: "Your MIL didn't bother to clean up unhygenic material from your house and is blaming you for having an unclean house? No, that's on her. Your kids could have gotten sick from her behavior. Oh, wait, they are. Hmm.
"Your kids are sick, and the mess they make is somehow your fault when MIL is the one doing the caregiving? No. It's not.
"This isn't the first time such things have happened? Get better caregivers.
"MIL isn't competent. If she can't prioritize safety issues like cleaning up after such things happen, she's not being safe for your children. Makes me wonder how often they have gotten sick because of her unsafe lack of cleanliness.
"When your wife complained about MIL's incompetence in childcare, MIL went out and got herself some enablers to support her incompetence? And they attacked your wife and you, insulted you both, etc.?
"This is about not spending time with the people that blame and insult you for the things that someone else did. They behaved badly, and are blaming you. That's not people who are healthy to have around your children. I wouldn't want to have them around to do more of the same thing on your child's birthday, either.
"Protecting your child and having a birthday that doesn't include people that blame you for the behavior of your MIL, that's just being a good parent. Having such people around for a birthday would spoil the birthday. And it would teach your children to blame others for their own behaviors."
- Do you think the dad was right to cancel his son's birthday party? Let us know in our comments section.
