When my sister-in-law invited my kids for a week at her luxurious home, I thought it’d be a fun summer break. She said her daughter Mikayla was bored and wanted company, so I packed their bags and even gave them money for treats.

Three days passed with no word from my kids—strange for them. When I checked in, I was told they were just busy having fun. On day four, my daughter texted: “Come save us.” I rushed over and found my kids doing hard chores while Mikayla relaxed. A clipboard listed daily tasks they had to complete to earn pool or TV time. Their phones had been confiscated, and my daughter said they were threatened with sleeping in the garage if they didn’t cooperate.

I took them home immediately and demanded their phones back. My sister-in-law called it “character building,” but I called it exploitation—and sent her an invoice for the unpaid labor. She paid, and I used the money to treat my kids to an amusement park trip.

That summer, they learned the value of fairness, and I learned to always trust my instincts and stand up for my kids.