I was pleasantly surprised that the week-long visit with my parents went so smoothly.  We giggled and talked and had a great time.  After they left I told my husband I wanted to move closer to them (we moved over 1500 miles away from them about 5 years ago - something they have never forgiven me for) so we could visit more often.

The day after they left I got the phone call that changed my mind about our "nice" visit.  My mother informed me that my oldest son was "wierd"...I guess because he isn't dating (he turned 12 while they were here).  There is nothing "wierd" about my son or my other children.  Just because they don't act like my nephew (he's 11 years old, has several "girlfriends", and is always in trouble for lying and not being home from his dates on time), doesn't mean my kids are wierd.  We are raising moral, sweet, caring children who will grow into moral, caring adults.  I don't want my children to be what society considers normal.  I want my children to be exceptional...and they ARE!

She also said we don't include him in our family activities.  She said we needed to send him to school where he can be included....

WHAT? 

Where she got that I will never know.  I'm really at a loss as to where that came from.   We have always done everything together...all five of us are like peas in a pod.  We have never, never, NEVER left anyone out of our activities.  Even when we aren't doing anything but watching TV, we do it together.

She also blamed me for my son's gait.  He has always had a slight problem with his gait.  His knees are turned out, so his feet turn out like a duck.  It's NOT severe.  I don't think anyone on the street would even notice unless they really studied him.  We asked our pediatrician about it a couple of years ago.  He said to wait and see if it's something that would correct itself.  It hasn't, and we have an appointment with the pediatrician to have him reevaluated and to get a referral to a specialist.  For some reason it is now my fault he walks the way he does.  My mom said he never had the problem before we moved away (even though she was the one who pointed out that he didn't crawl normally when he was just 6 months old), that it must either have something to do with being so far away from the family or because he isn't in public school.  Uh, o.k., I guess.  Yeah...I've heard of that happening.

That's when she suggested we move back so she could take "her" kids whenever she felt like it.

Excuse me?  "Her" kids?  When did MY children become hers?

That's when my normally even keeled temper exploded.   I hated losing it and I am upset with myself for it, but something had to be said.

I told her they were not her children.  I told her that even if I lived under the same roof as she did, she would never take them whenever SHE felt like it, that it was solely up to my husband and me to determine when she could see them.  I told her I really didn't care if she approved of the way they were being raised, that riding me about homeschooling only angered me, and that she would never change my mind about it.  I also told her if she ever calls my children wierd, or if I ever hear of her talking to anyone about my children in that manner, she would never see me or them again.

I mean, I can imagine that everyone in "Blogland", who doesn't know my family personally, must think that we let our children run around dirty, unfed and unloved.  Like we live in a cave somewhere and are completely abnormal.  I assure you, we are just as normal as the rest of you.  We just moved to a brand new house in one of the most upscale neighborhoods in the area.  My husband quit his job and started his own business so he could be with us more (he works from home).  We do things together as a family or not at all.  My children actually get along...   well, not all of the time...and enjoy being with each other.  The kids are out with other children at least weekly at the various classes they take. They do have friends (just not girlfriends and boyfriends). If anything, my children are spoiled (but they are not brats).  They want for nothing.  We are just like everyone else, but my parents think because we moved away from them and because we homeschool, we are unfit parents.   

I'm thankful my husband's parents are supportive. When I told my father-in-law about all of this, he said he was so sorry they treated me that way, that he loves me like I am his own daughter and thinks I am the best mother he has ever known.  Why can't my parents feel the same way?

Of course my mom said she was sorry, but she doesn't mean it.  She'll be back to criticizing me in no time.  I can't wait!