Take Care of Your Own Mother – A 60th Birthday and a House That Shattered a Family

1. Mother’s 60th Birthday

On May 15 of that year, my mother’s small house was brightly lit. Turning 60, all she wished for was a family meal together, with her children and grandchildren around her. I—the eldest daughter—was usually busy with work, but I decided to spend the whole month preparing for this day.

I invited my husband to come along and even suggested:
“Darling, this year mom turns 60. Shall we get her a gift? Maybe a pearl necklace?”

My husband, Hung, nodded:
“Sure, leave it to me. Men should surprise with gifts—that’s what makes it special.”

I was thrilled, thinking perhaps he understood the principle: “Being filial to your mother-in-law reflects the devotion in a marriage.”

But on the birthday itself, Hung showed up empty-handed.

2. The Heartless Words

The intimate celebration had everyone bringing gifts: someone brought a box of pink ginseng milk, another a silk scarf, and even a grandchild had saved money from their lucky money to buy a small potted plant. Only Hung—my husband—collapsed into his chair, scrolling endlessly on his phone, as if nothing mattered.

My mother still smiled kindly, unaware. But I felt a pang in my heart. When everyone dispersed, I pulled Hung aside and asked quietly:
“Didn’t you say you’d prepare a gift for mom? Why didn’t you bring anything?”

Hung looked up, nonchalantly saying:
“Gift? Everyone takes care of their own mother. Why should it concern me?”

My heart tightened. A wave of hurt and anger surged. The man I called my husband, with whom I had shared over ten years, treated my mother—the woman who had supported us and even given us money for our first apartment—as a complete stranger.

3. The Last Straw

That night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His words echoed in my mind: “Everyone takes care of their own mother.”
Yes, I would take care of my mother. But just because she was my mother-in-law and not his own mother, did he think it gave him the right to be indifferent and cold?

For over ten years, I had tolerated him: from him controlling all finances to favoring his parents over mine. I always thought, “This is my husband, I’ll bear it,” as long as the family was stable. But today, his thoughtlessness hit the breaking point.

I decided to do something I had never dared to consider before.

4. The Surprise Gift

Three days later, I secretly took my mother to see a newly built apartment near the city center, fully equipped. She was shocked:
“What are you doing? We already have a home. Why buy another? Where would the money come from?”

I held her hand, tears in my eyes:
“I’ve saved this money. I want you to have a comfortable place to live, with no worries in your old age. This will be your 60th birthday gift.”

My mother burst into tears. She had spent her life working tirelessly to raise four children and had never imagined one day her daughter would give her a house.

When signing the contract, I felt a sense of relief, as if I had finally fulfilled my duty as a devoted daughter.

5. Husband’s Rage

But the news couldn’t be kept hidden for long.

When Hung found out I had bought a house for my mother, he flew into a rage. He slammed the documents onto the table and shouted:
“Are you crazy? You spent money from the house without consulting me to buy a house? What do you think I am in this family?”

I calmly replied:
“This is my personal savings from my salary. It doesn’t touch our joint account. You have no right to interfere.”

Hung’s face turned red:
“Personal savings or not, husband and wife should discuss it. Buying a house for your mother-in-law—what do you get out of it? My mother is sick, did you contribute a dime?”

I looked him straight in the eye:
“When your mother was sick, I helped you care for her. I never made distinctions. But when it comes to my mother, you say, ‘Everyone takes care of their own mother.’ Well, don’t blame me for taking care of her myself.”

The tension was palpable.

6. Family Fracture

From that day, Hung hardly spoke to me. He sneered:
“You foolish woman, earning all that money but wanting to buy a house? That apartment will eventually belong to your family, what do I get?”

Those words froze my heart. I realized that to him, all value boiled down to self-interest. Affection, filial piety—it wasn’t worth a cent.

The conflict escalated. One evening, in front of our ten-year-old son, Hung bellowed:
“If you love your mother so much, go live with her. Don’t expect me to support you with a single cent!”

My child clung to me in fear. In his eyes, the father he had respected crumbled into nothing.

7. A Difficult Decision

I knew our marriage had reached a dead end. I had hoped he might change, but the words “Everyone takes care of their own mother” were etched like a scar. A man who cannot respect his mother-in-law will never respect his wife.

Quietly, I wrote the divorce papers.

The day I handed them to Hung, he sneered:
“Do you think getting a divorce will be easy? This house, this money—I won’t give them up.”

I calmly replied:
“Don’t worry, I don’t want anything from you. I only want custody of our child. Keep the rest if you like.”

Hung was stunned. He never expected me to be so determined.

8. The Ending

A month later, the court proceedings were over. My child and I moved in with my mother into the new apartment. Life wasn’t easy—raising a child alone and carrying family responsibilities—but my heart was at peace.

My mother smiled every day and said:
“Having this house isn’t as good as having a devoted daughter. I regret nothing, only worry about your hardships.”

I hugged my mother, tears streaming down my face.

As for Hung, after the divorce, he lived alone in the old apartment. He drowned in alcohol, muttering on many nights:
“All because of a house… all because of an old woman…”

But perhaps he never understood—the thing that truly shattered our family wasn’t the house. It was his words: “Everyone takes care of their own mother”—words that revealed his selfishness, indifference, and buried all the bonds of marriage.

Message

The story ends in separation. The wife chose filial duty and self-respect, gaining peace for her mother and child. The husband lost everything—not because of money, but because he destroyed the most precious foundation: respect and sharing in a marriage.