Are they expecting you to be the maid? Stop cooking and give yourself a rest. Say you're tired and feel too sick to do anything...that should teach them a lesson.
what lesson needs to be taught? we dont even know why they dont want to hire a maid? it could be as simple as that they dont want some lil child minding their child? or maybe they are hesitant about having maids? it could go against their moral upbringing...
maybe the MIL does do work... the thread starter can maybe ask for assistance?
i know with me, im horrible with asking for help.. and then at the end of the day, it'll look like im being a maid to people.. but im not, im just too silly to ask for help..
maybe all she needs to do is ask the MIL to help her out