I knew something was very wrong when my 15-year-old daughter Lucy walked in the door with tears running down her face. Lucy watched Mrs. Carpenter’s kids for a week, but Mrs. Carpenter wouldn’t pay her because she said it was a “life lesson.”
I was furious. Who did Mrs. Carpenter think she was when she used my daughter? I promised to fix things. Lucy had worked hard, getting there early and taking care of everything, but Mrs. Carpenter’s selfish actions made her look bad.
While giving Lucy the money she was due, I knew I had to do more. The “tough love” method that Mrs. Carpenter used was really just a mask for how mean she really was.
That night, I couldn’t sleep because I had to deal with Mrs. Carpenter. I chose to attack her image because I knew it would hurt her the most. When I wrote about what happened in our local Facebook group, a lot of people said mean things about Mrs. Carpenter’s actions.
I went to see Mrs. Carpenter the next morning with a nice smile on my face. I said, “I wanted to thank you personally,” the snark in my voice thick. When I showed her the Facebook post, she got a white face and her smug smile broke.
Mrs. Carpenter begged me to take down the posts, but I wouldn’t give in. “You made it clear what “lesson” you wanted to teach. Everyone now knows what kind of person you are.”
That night, Mrs. Carpenter sent Lucy a letter with the money she was owed and an apology. I was happy that I stood up for my daughter and Lucy was thrilled.
Some people might say what I did wasn’t necessary, but I know what’s important: keeping my child safe and showing her that her efforts matter. As a mother, you need to show your child that you value them and won’t use them for your own gain.
As I heard Lucy’s excited talk about the art class she could now take, I knew I would do it all over again in a moment. Moms can teach their kids more than just how to be nice and moral. Sometimes they need to learn how to stand up for what’s right.
