My ex and his wife have a newborn. Last night my 16-year-old daughter, Sari, who stays with them part-time, called crying because she\u2019s been given the \u201cnight shift\u201d with the baby. Her stepmom told her, \u201cYou can\u2019t live here for free\u2014you have to earn it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was furious. Sari\u2019s still a kid\u2014she should be studying, seeing friends, and sleeping, not working unpaid nights just to have a bed. But yelling wouldn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n
So the next morning I showed up at their house unannounced with donuts and a polite smile. When Sari opened the door, she looked happy\u2014then panicked. \u201cMom, please don\u2019t cause a scene,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n
I walked in anyway. My ex, Colby, looked exhausted; his wife, Renna, held the baby. I set the donuts down and joked, \u201cHeard there\u2019s a new night-shift manager.\u201d<\/p>\n
Renna stiffened. Colby avoided my eyes.<\/p>\n
I told Sari to grab her backpack\u2014she was coming to stay with me. Renna objected, saying they had rules.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking a teenager do overnight baby care as rent isn\u2019t a rule,\u201d I said. \u201cIt\u2019s exploitation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colby tried to calm things down, but I pointed out Sari was failing classes from lack of sleep and afraid to refuse in case they kicked her out. I told Renna she wasn\u2019t Sari\u2019s mother and couldn\u2019t guilt her into unpaid labor.<\/p>\n
Then I told Colby Sari was staying with me for now. Surprisingly, he didn\u2019t argue. She moved in that night, and I made her favorite pasta for dinner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"