Resetting the Rules
They didn’t answer, and that was answer enough.
I didn’t scold them. Instead, I simply stated the new reality.
“This isn’t how we treat each other in this house,” I said. “And it ends today. No more bossing, no more forcing Lily to do your chores, and no more threats.”
Daniel didn’t defend his daughters or minimize their behavior.
“I’m so sorry, sweetie. I should have seen this. I should have listened to your mom.”
Ava and Sophie apologized. Quietly. Awkwardly. They were teenagers caught in something they never expected to be held accountable for.
It didn’t instantly fix everything, but it was a start.
That night, we sat down as a family and set real boundaries. It wasn’t about punishment, but about rebuilding something that had started to rot.
Lily slept with her door open that night, and for the first time in weeks, she smiled before falling asleep.
