I (Keiko) live with my husband, Koji, and our three daughters—Ayane (8th grade), Kaori (4th grade), and little Madoka, who’s six. The one who causes me trouble is Koji’s younger sister, Nao. She and my mother-in-law keep trying to treat her daughter, Rin, like she’s our girls’ sister, and they show up at our place way too often. We finally agreed to let the kids hang out, but when Madoka got sick, I cancelled. Even then, Nao texted me only “We’re coming!” and suddenly showed up at our door. I couldn’t let them in. Later, when we visited my in-laws, my mother-in-law threw passive-aggressive comments at me about it—so I snapped and told her exactly how I felt.
Maybe I was a bit harsh… but if I don’t speak up now, this will just keep happening. I needed to say it while I had the chance.
As we talked, my mother-in-law gradually stopped arguing and just fell quiet, looking almost deflated. Honestly, I’ve always questioned the idea that “only children are pitiful.” Whether you’re an only child or have siblings, you still have to learn to stand on your own. That won’t change—and that’s what I believe.