“We do it on my terms,” I said, “with a new parenting agreement, in writing, through a lawyer.” We sat down with an attorney, wrote out schedules, responsibilities, boundaries. And you know what?
It worked. Eric didn’t become father of the year, but he became a decent dad. He showed up.
He stuck to the plan. He stopped using the kids as weapons. Without the constant stress and comparison, my kids changed.
Lizzie joined a theater club and discovered she actually has talent. Mikey got into robotics and took second place in a city-wide competition. And yes, we went to Dreamland Park, just the three of us.
No neighbors’ kids, no grandparents, no competition over who deserved what. We rode every roller coaster, ate cotton candy, took photos with characters, came home exhausted and happy. The real magic, it turns out, isn’t inheritance.
It’s not approval from family who treat your children like they don’t matter. It’s your kids being safe, and smiling, and knowing they’re wanted. Grandma Faye knew that, and she managed to protect us, even from the other side.
So, what do you think? Did we go too far?
Or not far enough? Let me know in the comments, and subscribe for more.
