I had a small wedding and couldn’t afford a babysitter, so I asked my stepmom if she could stay home and watch my 8-month-old twins. She got upset and said, “I’m not your servant!” I replied, “Then don’t come.” Since I had no other choice, I hired a young sitter.

On the day of the wedding, she didn’t show up, just as expected. But right before I walked down the aisle, my dad got a call and looked really worried. Then I got a call from my neighbor, who said my stepmom had gone to my house, yelled at the babysitter, and taken my twins. She put them in her car and drove off.

My dad later told me the babies were safe with him. My stepmom said she was “just doing what I asked,” but it felt more like she wanted to make a scene and ruin my day.

I never meant to treat her like a servant. I just trusted her to help. But she clearly didn’t see it that way.

Was I wrong?
— Taylor

Hi Taylor! Thank you for sharing your story. Here are some tips that can help you navigate through this situation.