I Took My Grandchildren to Disney World and Now My Dil Is Mad at Me

My son Ethan thought I needed to share my story online to learn from my mistake. So, here goes. Ethan and his wife Sarah asked me to babysit their kids, Lily and Jack, while they went to a wedding in Mexico. I wasn’t thrilled because Sarah usually relied on her own mom for these things. But Ethan convinced me it was a rare chance for them to relax.

While they were away, I got an invite to a birthday party at Disney World. It seemed like a great opportunity to treat Lily and Jack, so I didn’t ask Ethan and Sarah. After all, Sarah often talked about taking the kids to Disney “someday.”

But when Ethan and Sarah got back, Sarah was upset. She said I ruined her chance to see Lily and Jack’s first Disney experience. Ethan asked me to apologize, but I didn’t think I did anything wrong. I felt hurt that they asked me to babysit despite knowing Sarah’s preference for her mom’s help.

Our disagreement grew, and Ethan hoped sharing our story online would make me see my mistake. But as I reflect, I wonder if it’s about more than just Disney. Maybe it’s about understanding each other’s boundaries and feelings.

I hope we can resolve things, but I wonder what others think. Was I wrong?