She texted apologies and excuses. I deleted them all. She even sent a Facebook message saying I was overreacting, that kids need chores, and that she was trying to help.
Help. She called exploitation “help.”
She turned my kids into housekeepers. She stole their vacation and gave them jobs. She thought I wouldn’t find out, or maybe she thought I’d be too polite to make waves.
She thought wrong.
My kids did learn something valuable that summer, but not what she intended.
They learned that their mom will always come when they call for help. They learned that fair is fair, and work deserves pay. They learned that some adults lie, but the right adults will always protect them.
