I’m 47, divorced, and work part-time in retail. My son’s fiancée is nice but entitled. After they got a huge dog, she started dropping him off “just for a bit,” insisting that’s what “grandmas are for.” I kept agreeing—maybe out of guilt or wanting to stay close to my son—but it turned into constant free dog-sitting.
On my birthday, they showed up with the dog again and forgot the occasion. That was my wake-up call. I started saying no. Then they asked me for money for their wedding—I refused. Later, I learned she’d lied about me offering to pay, and her parents apologized. My son eventually found out the truth, broke off the engagement, and owned up to not standing up for me.
Now we’re rebuilding. I’m not “just the grandma.” I’m a woman who’s finally learned that saying no isn’t selfish—it’s self-respect.
