Not everyone is allowed babysitting privileges. For instance, I wouldn’t allow just anyone to look after my pets without the absolute confidence that they’re trustworthy and will take care of them properly.
While I don’t have any children, I can only assume that when it comes to actual human babies (not just furry ones), the responsibility must be even more daunting. Trusting your own son to someone is a big deal, and it normally falls to grandparents. You’d assume they’d know what to do, but in today’s story, common sense went completely out the window.
Read more: Reddit
Grandparents are often the free babysitting choice for most new parents, but unfortunately, they can't always be trusted
Image credits: freepik / Magnific (not the actual photo)
A couple entrusted their 2-year-old son to the mom's parents while they were off to celebrate their anniversary
Image credits: freepik /Magnific (not the actual photo)
Once they returned, the man's mother-in-law admitted she had finally baptized the toddler so his soul would be saved from the devil
Image credits: Walter Gadea / Unsplash(not the actual photo)
While both parents grew up in religious households, neither of them wanted the kid to be baptized, and the dad was especially angry about this
Image credits: nobaptismahole
The man decided to revoke all unsupervised babysitting privileges to his parents-in-law, but his wife didn't agree with his decision
We can make a lot of assumptions, but you never truly know what might come your way, as today’s Original Poster (OP) found out. The story is told by a father who explains that, during a weekend getaway with his wife, they left their 2-year-old son with his in-laws. The couple expected everything to go smoothly, but when they returned, his mother-in-law greeted them with an unexpected surprise.
As it turns out, while they were away, she took the opportunity to have her grandson baptized without the parents’ consent. The OP says he isn’t necessarily an atheist. In fact, he explains that he was raised Lutheran and his wife was raised Catholic, but neither of them actively attends church, and early on they decided it would be best not to baptize their son. However, the grandmother clearly never accepted their decision.
The shocking news that their child had been baptized became a major issue for the couple. The OP explains that he was so blinded by rage that he grabbed his son and left immediately. Once they got home, the couple discussed what had happened, and the father decided he would no longer allow his in-laws to be alone with the toddler, explaining that he no longer trusted them.
Meanwhile, his wife begged him to forgive her mother, but the narrator stood firm, saying he would not change his decision. To the OP, his mother-in-law’s decision to go behind his back was a serious breach of trust, and he no longer felt comfortable letting her watch his son, as she had clearly disregarded his wishes as a father. Ultimately, the situation sparked major family drama.
Image credits: Wavebreak Media / Magnific (not the actual photo)
Unfortunately, while this situation is more specific, it illustrates a typical example of intergenerational conflict, which is very common. Experts explain that this phenomenon occurs when the beliefs of two generations converge. In this case, the grandmother believes her traditions and values should override the parents’ wishes. This can obviously lead to stress and discord.
It also creates a precedent that both parents probably wished to override. While both parents were brought up in religious households, studies show that 36 - 44% of adults under 30 are religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. alone, so it isn’t at all that surprising that nowadays young parents are actually trying to stray away from enforcing a religion upon their kids, in order to give them freedom to choose it themselves.
That said, after this situation occurred, what can the parents do? The OP suggested that he and his wife could go to couples counseling, as they were not seeing eye to eye, which could be a starting point. As for the mother-in-law, psychologists indicate that the best way to resolve conflicts is through establishing firm boundaries and roles. A firm conversation and an agreement on boundaries are necessary.
Netizens supported the OP’s decision while bringing up a good point in the comments, though. Many Baptist churches actually forbid secret Baptist ceremonies, and the situation could easily be reported to the bishop in question. So, do you think the dad is actually overreacting over some “water,” as the wife put it, or do you think his reaction is warranted? Let us know in the comments.
Netizens advised the man to talk to the bishop due to a possible illegal baptism and report the situation
