I told my husband I was overwhelmed—raising three kids, doing all the housework, and now he wanted me to go back to work just so we could support his mother? I couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, your mom helped us once,” I said. “She gave us that apartment years ago, and I’m grateful. But now she wants us to send her money so she can retire early, get a dog, and ‘enjoy life’? We’re barely making ends meet!”

Lucas shrugged. “Maybe you could find a job? It’s hard being the only provider.”

I snapped. “Fine. I’ll work. But when I do, you start cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry too. I won’t do it all anymore.”

He went quiet.

Then Clara called—on speaker. “Lucas, I worked my whole life. Now I just want to live for myself. Is that so wrong?”

She didn’t even ask if we could afford it. Just expected it. I was stunned.

After the call, I looked at him and said, “You want us to take from our kids to give to her? She has a pension. We have needs.”

He didn’t argue. He knew I was right.

So here’s the question: Where do we draw the line between gratitude and protecting our own family?