From $200-a-week babysitting to a first home: how an Indian mother built a life in US with ‘magic rotis’

“Word quickly spread and their small apartment was transformed into a daycare. Soon she was the go-to babysitter, running a de-facto daycare for the wide-range of people living in the building,” Jain wrote.

Their modest home soon became a lively space filled with children. Jain fondly remembered how they were mesmerised by his mother’s cooking, especially when she made rotis. The kids would gather around the stove, watching the rotis puff up over the flame. “Mrs Jain has magic,” they would say.

As more families sought her help, her earnings increased steadily. Within a short time, she was making about $200 a week, a significant sum back then. By the end of the year, she had saved $10,000, which eventually went towards the down payment on the family’s first house in the US.

Reflecting on their journey, Jain wrote, “I will never cease to be amazed at the courage – and the hustle – of people like my parents who picked up their whole lives to make it in another country.”

The post struck a chord online, with many people sharing similar stories from their own families.

Check out the post:

When my mother first came to this country in the 1970s, my father was busy with his anesthesiology residency and moonlighting to make ends meet.

One day, she saw an advertisement on a corkboard in the apartment building where they lived, “babysitter needed.” She decided to… pic.twitter.com/u494Ena5Em

— Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA (@sacjai) February 9, 2026

“My in laws did that. They came from Cuba after Castro took over. My father in law spent the rest of his life raising four boys and sending money to Cuba to rescue other members of his family. He was a Civil Engineer and built structures but his goal was freedom for his family,” an X user commented.

Another user wrote, “Our parents sacrifice builds a home long before the house does. Will share your story with my ‘Maa’ today.”

Others praised Jain’s mother directly. “In total admiration of your mom, and women who work hard to provide for their families. I hope one day to see my son be a good man and happy in life,” read one response.

A fourth user summed up the sentiment shared by many: “Salute to your parents, and you for recognizing and acknowledging the truth. Settling in a country you knew nothing about and making it home is a giant leap.”