– My son-in-law is out of work, it is very hard for the children now. I can’t help them in any way, because I am far away, otherwise my daughter would get a job, – says Samantha.
Maria got married six years ago. Her husband, a Muscovite, seemed a promising groom, and she loved him dearly. Her mother-in-law had a two-room apartment of her own, so she did not have to rent a house in the beginning.
– My sister-in-law had been retired for a year. She cannot complain, she gets a good salary. She gets good money for the communal rent, but the children don’t have enough money, they have a lot to worry about, – says Maria’s mother.
They did not live with their mother-in-law for long, as it was difficult for Maria to get along with her moral relative. A year later they decided to take out a mortgage, so as not to spoil the relationship completely.
– We lived well then, we could collect money for our own apartment, but two hostesses in the kitchen was a horror. She had her own views on everything, and I had to adjust. I was tired of her anachronisms, so we decided to take a mortgage – says Maria.
A year later the newlyweds had a son. Marina went on maternity leave and her husband took care of the family.
– We paid the mortgage, saving every penny. Soon my daughter left the maternity leave, but my grandson began to get very sick in the kindergarten, and the director did not want to give sick leave so often. And then the doctor said that we should forget about kindergarten, because with such frequent sorenesses and close to asthma – says Samantha.
Maria again sat at home. But soon her husband was fired because of quarantine, so they were left without income just the two of them. The man long tried to find a decent job, but to no avail. He got a job for three kopecks to earn something. There was a catastrophic shortage of money. Even the bare necessities had to be saved.
– It’s okay, every family has bad times. “Be patient, my daughter, a wife has to support her husband,” my mother told Maria.
Maria thought that she didn’t owe anyone anything. One day a friend called her and offered her a job:
– We have a good place at our firm, my sister is going to maternity leave. The pay there is great! Come on, try it out, maybe you’ll get a permanent job there. The director is very loyal!
The place of work was near my mother-in-law. Maria called her and asked for a favor. Like, I will bring my grandson, buy groceries, just to keep an eye on him. It was the only way to get out of debt.
– I said that we will even pay her. She loves her grandson so much, is it difficult to babysit him? He’s a quiet and well-mannered boy, – says Maria indignantly.
When my mother-in-law found out that her daughter-in-law will receive a salary twice as much as her son, she immediately refused. I will not sit – and that’s it. No reason she called, just hung up.
– A wife should not get more than her husband, he is the breadwinner, and you are the keeper of the home! – said her mother-in-law.
– There is no point in looking for a nanny, it’s too expensive. My mother works, so she won’t be able to help,” said her daughter-in-law indignantly.
The husband tried to talk to my mother, but she was adamant. She said that her daughter-in-law should do their job, not sit in the office.
– She told her son-in-law to change jobs, as if it were so easy to find a normal place now. If something comes up, he will change it, but in the meantime she has to grab every opportunity. What’s in my sister-in-law’s head? I don’t want to see her, I feel so bad for my daughter,” Samantha said indignantly.
