was sleeping on the living room floor—curled up in a blanket, with no pillow, no stuffed animals, and the lights all off. My mother-in-law was fast asleep on the couch, snoring with the TV blaring some true crime show.

I gently woke my son. “Why are you sleeping here, baby?” He whispered, “Grandma said my bed is too noisy. She made me sleep down here… She said monsters would come if I moved.”

That was it. I checked the cameras I had secretly installed in the hallway and living room the week before. What I saw made my blood boil—she was yelling at him for “being annoying,” took his favorite toy, and threatened to call “the scary man from the basement” if he didn’t stay quiet.

I confronted her, calmly and coldly. Then I told my husband everything—and we agreed she was NEVER babysitting again. But that wasn’t enough. I called her church group and told them exactly how she treated her grandson. Let’s just say she didn’t get invited to lead Bible study anymore.

Moral: If you scare a child to silence them, don’t be surprised when your silence becomes permanent.