My Neighbor Refused to Pay My 73-Year-Old Mother for Babysitting, Saying She Was ‘Just Sitting at Home Anyway’ – So I Stepped In

She’d gotten what she deserved.

One evening, Lily spotted my mom from across the street. She tugged on Claire’s arm and waved frantically.

“Nana!” she called. “Hi, Nana!”

Claire looked horrified.

My mom gave a small wave back, then walked inside.

She didn’t need to say anything. The respect she earned had already spoken for her.

And you know what? I still think about the time Claire said, “It’s not like she had anything better to do.”

That sentence rolled around in my head for weeks.

I finally realized what bothered me most about it.

It wasn’t just the cruelty. It was the assumption — the quiet belief that someone’s worth is measured by how busy they look. That retirement equals free labor.

That quiet means disposable.

My mom spent her whole life putting others first. She was a librarian for over 35 years. She raised three kids while working full-time.

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