“We Dropped the Kids Off at My Mom’s for a Few Days”: But That Evening, Our Younger Son Called Begging to Come Home Early

Two years ago, my husband Joshua and I made a decision that seemed right at the time but has since proven to be a significant mistake. Joshua had just received a promotion at work, and I, feeling optimistic about our future, suggested we take out a mortgage to buy a house. We had been renting an apartment for years, even before our two children, Jacob and Hailey, were born. Jacob had just turned 15, and Hailey was 10.

The idea of owning our own home was thrilling. We envisioned a place where our children could grow up with stability and where we could finally put down roots. The house we found was perfect—spacious, with a big backyard for the kids to play in. We were excited and didn’t think twice about the financial commitment we were making.

However, as time went on, the reality of our decision began to set in. The mortgage payments were higher than we had anticipated, and Joshua’s promotion came with increased responsibilities that demanded more of his time. I had to pick up extra hours at work to help make ends meet, which meant less time with the kids. The stress was taking its toll on all of us.

Last weekend, we decided to drop Jacob and Hailey off at my mom’s house for a few days. We thought it would give us some much-needed time to catch up on work and household chores without the constant demands of parenting. My mom was thrilled to have them, and the kids seemed excited about spending time with their grandmother.

However, that evening, we received a call from Hailey. She sounded upset and asked if we could come pick them up as soon as possible. When I asked her what was wrong, she hesitated before saying that Jacob wasn’t feeling well and wanted to come home. I assured her that we would come first thing in the morning.

The next day, when we arrived at my mom’s house, it was clear that something was off. Jacob looked pale and withdrawn, and Hailey seemed unusually quiet. My mom pulled me aside and told me that Jacob had been having trouble sleeping and had been very anxious since they arrived. He had confided in her that he was worried about us and the house.

On the drive home, I tried to talk to Jacob about what was bothering him. He finally opened up and said that he felt like everything was falling apart. He missed the days when we were all together in the small apartment, where things seemed simpler and happier. He said he felt like we were always stressed and never had time for each other anymore.

Hearing this broke my heart. I realized that in our pursuit of a better life, we had lost sight of what truly mattered—our family’s happiness and well-being. The house that was supposed to be our dream home had become a source of stress and division.

As we pulled into the driveway of our house, I looked at Joshua and saw the same realization in his eyes. We had made a mistake, and now we had to find a way to fix it. But for now, all we could do was hold our children close and promise them that we would do better.