I always thought my son and his wife shared responsibilities well. He works long hours, and she stays home with the baby. But every time I visited, she seemed glued to her phone while the baby cried. Yesterday, I found my son cooking one-handed with the baby on his hip. My daughter-in-law was in bed. Frustration took over. I went to her room and said sharply, “Must be nice to nap while my son raises your child.”
She looked up with red, tired eyes and whispered, “I’m trying.”I left irritated, but something in her voice stayed with me. Later that night, my son walked me to my car. His voice was calm but heavy. “Mom, she’s not lazy. The doctor thinks she has postpartum depression. She barely sleeps or eats. She’s scared she’ll mess something up.”....
