In blended families, even small arguments can turn into big problems. For a woman named Nadia, her wish to keep her vegan diet at home led to an unexpected and strong reaction. Her stepdaughter’s shocking reply made her feel upset, angry, and confused about what to do next. Nadia reached out for help in dealing with this tricky situation.
“We’re vegan in our house,” she explained. “My stepdaughter, who is 15 years old, says I can’t force my choices on her anymore and she wants meat instead. I told her, ‘My house, my rules! If you don’t like it then stay at your mom’s.’ She just smiled while my husband stayed quiet.”
One night at 2 a.m., Nadia woke up to find that her husband was missing from their bed. Suddenly she heard a scream coming from their 7-year-old son’s room. Rushing there, she was shocked to see him on the floor covered in chocolate; he looked ill and very pale. Next to him was a big chocolate cake with peanuts—something they always avoided because of his severe peanut allergy.
Nadia discovered that her stepdaughter had given the cake to him on purpose as a way “to teach us a lesson.” She searched for the girl but couldn’t find her anywhere. Luckily, after using an EpiPen on her son he started feeling better after some time passed. Nadia told her husband that she never wanted to see his daughter again; however he argued that she’s just a teenager who didn’t realize how serious this was. He claimed he talked with her and wants Nadia to forgive but she feels unable too.
What should I do? -Nadia