Q: My husband is in Iraq at the moment, and my mother in law is really missing him. She keeps taking my kids away from me, insists on picking them up from school, and bringing them to her place at weekends and because of this, I barely see my kids anymore, and it hurts when they complain about having to come home because she spoils them to pieces...... I understand she needs company, and misses her son, and my kids are her only link, but I need some time to spend alone with my kids.............How do I not hurt her?? What should I do? Am I just being petty? Do I sound Jealous? Thanks
A: Don't let her take over your lifestyle because hers is not what she wants it to be. Explain to her that you want to go back to the schedule you had before he left and keep the children's lives normal. But you see the inconsistencies in her providing for your children, you see the change in them because she is too lenient with them and you see the need to keep their life as normal as possible through your husband's deployment. Ask yourself this, What is going to happen when he comes home and the two of you have out of control children because you have not allowed their lives to remain as normal as possible. It will come to them not expecting normal at all.