Mother-in-law exacts emotional toll for childcare

Q. My retired mother-in-law graciously provides day care for my two daughters while my wife and I work. With child care in our city being practically unaffordable, it's a huge help to us and beneficial for the children, we feel.

But she exacts a toll for her efforts. Mainly in the form of constantly haranguing and lecturing my wife on her deficiencies as a mother.

Mainly we put up with it quietly, but the latest really bothers me. We wanted to celebrate our fifth anniversary and my mother-in-law basically told us it's selfish and self-centered to do anything as a couple. It took all my nerve not to shout at her.

My wife just wants to move on and not do date nights because of it.

How can I explain to them that doing things as a couple is essential to a healthy marriage and not "selfish"?

A. When you say day care is "practically unaffordable," you're just talking money.

But you can't afford your mother-in-law's care emotionally - not for much longer.

It's bad for your marriage, you're dead right about that - but it's also corrosive to your wife's confidence as spouse and parent, and confusing for your daughters. Not to mention, this dynamic is terrible for whatever relationship you two have left with Milly.

That's the least of my concerns here, but it might hold sway with your wife - and you need her to summon her strength to resist Milly.

To see how, let's zoom in on two modifiers in your letter: Milly provides day care, but to do so "graciously" would require some baseline respect for you two as parents; and day care is "practically" unaffordable, which means you can afford it, if barely. Yes?

You either set whatever limits you must for Milly's attitude to pass for grace, or you curb your spending enough to afford a new caregiver. It is really as simple as that.

The former is best handled by your wife, but if she's not up to it, then it'll suffice for you to handle it with your wife's blessing. Here's how: When Milly says it's "selfish and self-centered" to go out, you say, "We will hire a sitter then. Please do not tell us how to conduct our marriage."

When Milly lectures your wife, stand up for her where she can't stand up for herself: "[Wife] is an excellent parent. I'm grateful for her every day."

When Milly persists: "You raised her. Maybe it's time to trust you did it right."

And when Milly refuses to respect these limits: "Our kids love you. We love you. But we can't continue this arrangement if you don't respect us and our way of doing things.

"Can we count on you to support us vs. correct us, no matter how well-meaning your corrections may be?"

Now, if she'd merrily agree to this - if there weren't some element of control to Milly's stepping in as caregiver - then you wouldn't be forced to insist. But this is how it goes when placing new limits where none have existed. You must ask for what you need.

When you don't get it, then you must attach consequences. If Milly refuses to serve in your household by your rules, respectfully and therefore graciously, then she cannot serve in it at all.

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