I’m Helen, a retired grandmother in a bit of a family dilemma. My daughter-in-law has two children from a previous marriage and a young son with my son—my grandson. She recently asked if I could babysit, and while I was happy to care for my grandson, I gently explained that watching all three children would be too much for me physically and emotionally. I’m retired, and managing three kids—especially two that are quite energetic—is simply overwhelming at this stage in my life. I told her I’d gladly watch my grandson, but if she needed care for all three,

I’d appreciate some compensation. I want to be clear: I love all her children. I’ve always treated them with kindness and care, and I’ve never tried to make them feel excluded. But from my perspective, watching three kids full-time is like a part-time job, and I believed a small payment was a fair boundary. She didn’t respond at the time, but the next day, I went to her house and discovered the locks had been changed. I was shocked. When I called,