• My mother-in-law planned to watch our kids while my husband and I went away, but something came up. • Our only option was to ask my mom, but she's never watched the kids on her own before. • I was nervous, but she did a great job with them, and I'm glad they got the time together.

This past September, my husband and I planned a four-day trip to Seattle — partly for work, partly for play. We rarely get away without our 3- and 5-year-olds in tow. As the week of our trip approached, my mother-in-law, who had agreed to stay and watch our girls while we were away, had to shift her plans unexpectedly, and so, with our nonrefundable plane tickets in mind and a body full of nerves, I decided to reach out to our next best option: my mom.

My relationship with my mom has changed over the year

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