I (33) and husband (36) had our 18-month-old daughter looked after by my mother-in-law for the first time. Even though I was worried about it, we had no other option for a babysitter that evening, so we asked her to help out. She agreed and wanted to bring her daughter (29) along.

For context, it’s important to note that I am vegan, a lifestyle choice my husband adopted too after marrying me. Together, we decided to raise our daughter as a vegan as well. This decision has never sat well with my MIL, who frequently criticizes our dietary preferences. Consequently, she rarely visits our home unless there’s a large family gathering or she requires something from us, despite my repeated attempts to involve her in our lives and bond with our daughter.

Returning to the babysitting incident, before leaving, I reminded my MIL that our daughter could only consume specific foods from our fridge. Meanwhile, my husband and I have security cameras installed in the house, which are always operational when we’re away. Importantly, my MIL is unaware of their presence.

When we got back, I decided to examine the footage. What unfolded on the screen left me utterly shocked – I saw my MIL ordering hamburgers for herself and my SIL, and then sharing them with our daughter.

As I continued to listen to the recording, I was disheartened to hear my MIL disparaging me to my SIL throughout the entire evening, with derogatory remarks and baseless criticisms. Adding to my distress, my daughter seemed upset and searching for me, but my MIL didn’t even comfort her, instead she continued her conversation with my SIL stating things that belittle me.

I shared this heartbreaking evidence with my husband, and he is really upset. And now, while I’m inclined towards cutting off contact, I’m apprehensive about what steps to take if my husband doesn’t agree. Any advice on how to navigate such a situation would be greatly appreciated.