I recently turned twenty-four and now live in the capital city, but I was born and reared in a tiny town. After graduating from university in the capital, I got work and fell in love with a financially secure local resident who eventually became my husband. We got married while I was five months pregnant. The pregnancy was tough, and I spent the most of the final trimester in the hospital.

My mother-in-law was a huge help throughout this time, transporting me to doctors’ appointments and purchasing all of the essential prescriptions. The birth was extremely difficult, and my daughter had to spend several days in the newborn critical care unit and another two months under intense medical observation. Despite this, my daughter demonstrated tremendous fortitude and is now on her way to recovery.

We came home and began the process of registering our daughter, which included acquiring her birth certificate and residence registration. However, when we sought to register her at the apartment where we resided, owned by my mother-in-law, we ran into issues. My husband’s mother refused to allow us to register the child, even though it was required for government help and enrollment in a daycare center.

She adores her granddaughter and cares for her, but she is afraid about what will happen if we ever part. She refused to allow us to register our daughter in her apartment and suggested we wait at least five years before doing so. I don’t understand her hesitancy, and I’m saddened and hurt that she refuses to help us with this vital procedure.

My spouse remains impartial in this argument, and I believe my mother-in-law’s double standards may endanger our relationship. In the meantime, I pretend that everything is good while waiting for my mother-in-law to change her mind or insist on her demands. Overall, as a mother, I believe it is my responsibility to act in my child’s best interests and to have the guts to speak for her needs.