I wanted to run a few errands, so I asked my MIL to watch my infant for a few hours. She was excited, and I believed it would help them bond. But when I returned, I was utterly stunned by what I saw.

My kid, just old enough to sit up on her own, was on the floor, holding a cleaning cloth. My MIL had been asking her to “help” clean the house. She was moving my baby’s hands across the floor, making her swipe at the filth with the cloth, as if she were a human mop. My daughter appeared puzzled and distressed, as if she didn’t understand what was going on.

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I dashed over to her, grabbed her up right away, and checked to make sure she wasn’t wounded. Fortunately, she was physically alright, but the entire incident was extremely frightening. My MIL just stood there, as if it was no big deal. “I thought it would be easier than doing it myself,” she replied carelessly, as if this justified her actions. I forbade her from seeing my daughter after that. I couldn’t trust someone who would ignore my infant, regardless of their good intentions.