Family should be a source of love and support, but it can also be a place where people are taken advantage of. I loved and wanted to help my cousin Ella, but for months she had been taking advantage of my kindness.
She called me once a week to ask me to watch her child, Tyler. At first, it was just a favour, but it quickly turned into a never-ending job. When I got to her house, there was a mess that seemed to get worse every day.
I was stuck and angry because I didn’t know how to tell my cousin no. Until my dad came up with a smart plan.
He asked me to agree to watch Tyler again, but this time I would leave at dinnertime, leaving Ella to handle the mess she had made. Ella’s mother-in-law was supposed to bring over a pot and some plates, but they weren’t supposed to say why.
Everything went according to plan. Ella had to face the mess she had made, and she had to accept responsibility for what she had done.
She said she was sorry a lot and promised to do better. She did it. The apartment was clean and Ella had even made dinner by the time I checked on Tyler again.
Ella learnt a lot about limits and respect from my dad’s plan. I learnt that sometimes the best way to help someone is to let them know what will happen if they do something wrong.
A healthy friendship with my cousin and her family was possible because I stood up for myself and set clear limits.
My dad’s smart plan had changed the way our family worked out for the better in the end. It made us think about how family works both ways and how we should always try to be respectful and kind to each other.
