Ah, the joys of family dynamic! Wouldn’t it be lovely if life came with a manual on how to navigate relationships, especially the rocky ones? One minute you’re cherishing memories with your little bundle of joy, and the next, they’re asking for your help after a long period of radio silence. And for free, no less! In an ideal world, having a trusted relative to watch over your kids while you juggle work would be a godsend. But what happens when that relative is someone you’ve had past conflicts with?

Our story today comes from Rachel, who reached out to share her emotional rollercoaster. Spoiler alert: it involves her daughter, Amy, who pulled a vanishing act on her but then resurfaced with an unexpected request for help.

Here’s what she shared

“My daughter Amy never cared about me since she turned 18. She excluded me from her life events, like her graduation, her engagement, and so on. So we barely talk to each other.

She has two boys now and she recently reached out to me. I was surprised and we had a conversation. After some time, Amy started to whine about how hard it was to raise her kids without any help.

She asked me to babysit them on Saturdays and be a good grandparent.

I told her that she had destroyed our bond a long time ago and I can’t take care of her kids now. She called me selfish and blocked me everywhere.

Was I wrong to refuse to help my daughter with the kids after everything that happened between us? I would appreciate your input and your helpful advice.”