mumsy

I don’t exactly feel the most comfortable taking things from Matt’s mother, be they gifts for the baby or other favors. I talked with one of my good friends about this, and I told her that I can’t help but feel like accepting these gifts and favors from her will one day mean that I’ll be expected to do whatever she might want me to do because she was charitable to me. As much as her intentions might seem good right now, and as much as she seems to be toning things down, when I remember how she sat me down with Matt and told us that we had no choice but to do what she wanted us to do “or else we weren’t getting [her] support”… I think I’ve begun making it as clear as I can that not only am I in no way legally or morally obligated to do just what she wants me to do because she wants me to do it. Does that make any sense?

I think I’ve also made it clear that I will put my foot down and refuse to do whatever she “wants” me to do if I don’t feel that it’s best, too. I don’t like when people attempt to subjugate me to their wants because they want me to do things their way. Like I’ve stated in past posts, offering up helpful hints or even making the occasional constructive criticism — such as my mother’s opinions about whether or not I should use cloth diapers with James — are one thing. Telling me that whether or not you “support” James is based off of whether or not I do what you tell me to do is going to result in only one thing, and that’s me going with the “or not” option. And, well, sorry if that’s how things turn out…