I’m Ayano, and I’m raising two kids—Kou, who’s four, and Mimi, who’s two—with my husband, Hiroshi. We’ve always had a great relationship with my cheerful and kind in-laws, regularly getting out to places like the zoo and the aquarium together. Recently, however, my sister-in-law, Kyoko, went through her second divorce and moved into the neighborhood near the in-laws with her two boys, Taro (eight) and Jiro (five). Ever since then, they’ve tagged along on every single outing. My mother-in-law’s comment about “all of us supporting each other” has been leaving me feeling uneasy.
It’s clear that my in-laws and sister-in-law realize they’re treating my husband as a substitute father for my nephews. That’s precisely why they’re so humble when they ask for favors, and why they’re always so quick to thank us. At first, I told myself that if it meant seeing my nephews smile, it wouldn’t hurt to pitch in a little… but now that we’re being counted on every single time, I’m finding it harder and harder to hide my irritation and frustration. What makes it even more difficult is that my in-laws and sister-in-law actually seem to understand that this situation is unfair to me. Because they are so diligent about apologizing and expressing their gratitude, I’m left with no way to speak up or push back.