Summer vacation has started for our 3 boys ages 6, 10, and 14. Historically my parents have watched them every day over summer break. They have also been our only babysitters for overnights, my mom handles after school activity pickups, remote learning days etc. When our oldest turned 13 we let him start watching his younger brothers for date nights, grocery runs etc. When after school activities ended we told my mom she didn't have to come over after school anymore for the boys, our oldest gets home first and is there when the Littles get off the bus. She didn't listen and still came over. (She has a habit of ignoring boundaries and undermining our decisions as parents.) Even after my husband got home from work, she would still stay and wait for me.

I now have a job that allows me to work remotely 2 days a week, W/Th. My office is 7min from home. Hubby and I decided that we would let the kids stay home alone 2 days a week and I would come home on lunch to check on them. I'm home with them 2 days a week, so my parents can take them one day a week to do whatever they want. Yes, it is a drastic change from what they are used to.....which is basically taking them whenever they want. We made this decision mainly because my mother stresses me TF out. I cannot handle her every single day. Nor should I have to. We have a busy schedule between all 5 of us, and after work we are balancing dinner, sports practices, band practices etc. All i want is to go about our daily life without explaining every detail of what is going on, or having to defend our choices. My mother and I live very different lives, and she disapproves of a large part of how we choose to raise our kids. And I hear about it all the time.

Anyway, so we decided to give my parents 1 day a week to do whatever they want with the boys. They aren't a second set of parents, they don't need to be so involved anymore. Well , they are not happy about it. And i guess I just need some reassurance that I'm not being an ungrateful A-hole. That at 36 and 40yrs old we are justified in running our family how we see fit.