My daughter criticized our wedding gift to her and my son, even calling it a “shack.” She said she expected a more expensive gift. Little did she know there was more to our gift than she thought.

I never thought I would have an ungrateful daughter with whom I share a sour relationship. However, our eldest, Lucy, recently made it impossible not to but heads.

A little background: I am a stay-at-home mom turned full-time homemaker, deeply involved in our community. Thanks to my husband’s overwhelmingly successful career, I was allowed this privilege. My husband and I have been married for over three decades. We have three wonderful daughters. Our eldest, Lucy, got married last week.

Lucy married her college sweetheart, Brian. They met during their last year in university and have since been together. Unfortunately, our family hasn’t spent as much time with Lucy since she left for university. We would only talk once a week or so.

As I can tell, Lucy and I don’t share the same interests. She is a career woman – a go-getter. It seemed that being a stay-at-home wife was not her option. In contrast, it was my full-time job and happiness. Still, I supported her in what she wanted and always showed kindness to her husband-to-be. I knew they would take good care of each other and treat each other well.

Their wedding was beautiful, filled with joy and celebrations, as weddings should be. Our family paid for most of the wedding expenses. Besides that, we still gave them a wedding present. For our gift, my husband and I decided to give Brian and Lucy something truly meaningful — the key to our cottage house. This cottage was a cherished place for us, steeped in family memories and love. It has been with our family for years.

The day after the wedding, Lucy called us. It was the very first time she ever spoke to us with such a tone, one that caught me off guard. She said:

“Thank you for your present, but honestly, I expected something more expensive than this shack. We will probably return it to you.”

I was speechless but managed to respond with, “No problem, dear.” Before the call ended, Lucy hinted that our gift was pretty cheap, with no sign of gratitude whatsoever. I didn’t expect such words from someone who I raised and was taken aback. I had to pause to digest her words and decide how best to address this situation.

Yesterday, we invited all our daughters and their spouses to the cottage. The plan was to show Lucy the true worth of this so-called “shack” she so readily dismissed. The cottage had recently undergone renovations, enhancing its charm and comfort while preserving the memories it housed. Of course, Lucy did not know this.

Lucy did not even want to go to the cottage and had an annoyed face when we all met up at a nearby gas station. Upon arrival, everyone was taken aback by the beauty and transformation of the place, but Lucy’s reaction was the most dramatic. When she saw the refurbished cottage, her jaw LITERALLY dropped.

The cottage was transformed into a modern vacation home with big ceiling-to-floor windows. There was also a veranda with a breathtaking view and an outdoor fire pit. As we knew Lucy loved to cook, the kitchen was designed with high-quality appliances and even had a television.

The place wasn’t ginormous, but with its ample size, we were able to reconstruct a nice family home. As Lucy looked around, her eyes shined.

She exclaimed in awe, “How did you do this? When? Thank you so much for your present!” I replied with a calm smile:

“Honey, didn’t you remember? You returned it back to us.”

Her face turned a deep shade of purple as realization dawned on her. She began to scream and curse, utterly embarrassed by her earlier ingratitude.

The situation escalated quickly, and everyone was taken aback by her reaction, especially Brian. He was shocked not by the beautiful renovation but by his wife’s appalling response. Brian least expected his new wife to show such behavior in front of her own family.

Undoubtedly, Lucy learned a thing or two about gratitude and humility that day. However, Lucy isn’t the only one who recently learned a lesson the hard way. A wife and mother of two, Wendy, also taught her husband a lesson after he called her lazy.

My Husband Constantly Said That I’m Lazy – I Decided to Teach Him a Proper Lesson
Sometimes we get married to people not knowing how much they’ll change as the years progress. I learned this lesson the hard way. My name is Wendy, and I am a mother of two beautiful and precious children. Besides being a parent, I work a full-time remote job from home.

The money I earn helps my husband, Donny, and I balance things out financially in our home. When we were still dating, my husband was the sweetest man. But ever since we got married, he’s changed.

For instance, we now have a new issue. Whenever he comes home from work, he ALWAYS criticizes me about how untidy the house is. He’ll mention how the table is dirty or complain that a mere TWO plates are still sitting in the sink.

Donny gets on my nerves so much when he questions me about why I don’t clean daily since I’m ALWAYS home! He once said to me, “If I stayed home like you do, I’d make it all SHINE daily!!!”

Last week’s shopping trip with my husband turned into more than a routine errand—it became a pivotal moment in our relationship. The last straw occurred while we were in the shop line. We had finished at one store and needed to head across a large car park to another.

The items we wanted—four big heavy boxes containing an outdoor table and chairs—were waiting at the pick-up area. But, our car was parked across the street. My biggest mistake was suggesting driving the car over to the shop’s exit instead of lugging the boxes across the parking lot. Donny didn’t hold back!

The man started yelling, “God, again! Why are you so lazy?! Why can’t you carry these boxes and go 50 meters to the car?” his voice rising with each word. “I didn’t realize I married someone so lazy,” he declared, loud enough for others to hear.

Humiliated and frustrated, I lost it inside but said nothing. I walked out of the store without the furniture, unable to take any more. He had to figure out how to move the furniture without my help.

Instead, unknown to him, months before I decided I would get my revenge. I planned things, and the next day I left him a note before leaving. A few hours later, he called me in tears, saying:

“Honey, please! I’m BEGGING you, don’t do this to me. They are driving me crazy!”

His voice was filled with desperation and exhaustion. Knowing his continual criticism about my supposed laziness needed addressing, I secretly arranged a week away. It happened to coincide perfectly with a work-related trip.

I had booked it without saying a word to Donny. Before leaving, I prepared everything to ensure the household would run as usual in my absence. The note I left for him simply read, “Gone on a business trip for a week,” adding:

“The kids have a schedule on the fridge, and dinner needs are in the freezer. Good luck!”

An unhappy man reading a letter | Source: Getty Images
An unhappy man reading a letter | Source: Getty Images

My plan was for him to experience my daily routine and manage everything I usually did. I wanted him to understand why being called “lazy” was so offensive to me. During that week, he had to juggle morning preparations.

He also did school drop-offs, after-school activities, cooking, cleaning, and bedtime routines. My husband finally experienced firsthand all the relentless cycles of chores and demands I managed daily alongside my job.

His calls came almost every day! His tone evolving gradually from frustration to desperation. He confessed one time, “I am SO exhausted. I don’t know how you do it all.” The man who once called me “lazy” was now seeking advice on how to handle everything.

I calmly provided tips and encouragement, teaching him the ropes of managing a busy household. Our communication began changing as he finally got to experience what it was like being in MY shoes.

When I returned, the transformation was noticeable! The house was surprisingly in decent shape, but the relief on his face was what truly spoke volumes! He rushed to greet me, the kids in tow, giggling at their dad’s visible fatigue.

“I had no idea,” he admitted sheepishly as he gave me the warmest hug. “I’m sorry for ever calling you lazy. This week has been an eye-opener. How do you do it all?”

From that day on, Donny NEVER criticized the occasional dirty dish or unvacuumed floor again. Instead, he became the man I fell in love with. He was helping more around the house, truly appreciating all the unseen efforts I put into managing our home.

His change was profound, and our relationship grew stronger for it. It was marked by newfound respect and a true partnership in managing both our home and parenting responsibilities. The entire experience not only brought us closer but also instilled a deep sense of empathy and teamwork that revitalized our marriage.

Wendy isn’t the only person who had to take drastic measures to teach a loved one a much-needed lesson. Young Dora found herself needing to stand up for her single mother after the parent was brought to tears by something hurtful said by her late husband’s brother’s wife.

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.