After the divorce, the children stayed with me.
My daughter, 15, refuses to help around the house, cleaning, cooking and caring for her little brother is en-tirely on me in addition to the hard work.
I told her that if she didn’t help, she would pay me rent.
The next day she came in with her father. “How dare you, she’s a child!” He said. when I saw the smirk on my daughter’s face I realized my plan is working she didn’t know that she didn’t know that her father showing up was exactly what I wanted.
I looked him in the eye and calmly said, “Great, since you’re so concerned, you can start picking her up every other week. She clearly needs a refresher on responsibility.”
His face changed. “Wait—what?”
“She’s your child too. If you think it’s unfair for her to lift a finger, then maybe she should spend some time in your spotless house. Or maybe she can learn how to appreciate what it takes to run one.”
My daughter’s smirk vanished.
“You said you wanted equal parenting time in court. Let’s make it real,” I added, handing him a printed schedule I’d already prepared.
He stuttered, clearly caught off guard. “I mean, I can’t really right now… I have work—”
“Oh, I don’t? And yet I do it all.”
The room went quiet. My daughter glanced between us, and for the first time in months, her eyes showed something other than defiance—maybe understanding, maybe even guilt.
Later that night, I found her folding laundry without being asked.
She didn’t say a word. But neither did I. I just smiled to myself, knowing sometimes the best parenting move isn’t punishment—it’s perspective.