Chapter 5 - The family correction plan
The group chat went farther.
Not torture.
Not secret beatings.
Something more ordinary and therefore more difficult to see.
They had developed a private parenting system for my daughter when I was not present.
Their phrase:
“Consistency.”
If Lily disagreed with an adult:
Loss of screen time.
If she refused a hug:
Sit apart until she was “ready to rejoin respectfully.”
If she cried after correction:
No dessert.
If she asked to call me because she wanted to go home:
“She is avoiding accountability.”
If she said Carla was not her parent:
Automatic apology.
Why Carla?
Because after separating from Mark, Carla had begun spending three or four afternoons a week at Helen and Frank’s house.
Lily was there occasionally after school or during family visits.
Carla enjoyed authority.
Helen admired her for being “firm.”
Frank believed children were too soft.
Daniel believed everyone was exhausting.
So he negotiated silence.
Not violence.
Not knowingly.
But secrecy.
He sent:
I don’t care what consequence you use as long as nobody hits her and Naomi doesn’t get dragged into every little thing.
There.
A boundary.
And a betrayal.
I looked at Daniel.
“You told them not to hit her.”
“Yes.”
“Did you think they might?”
“No.”
“Then why say it?”
He stared.
“I don’t know.”
“Try.”
“My dad spanked us.”
“So?”
“Carla has a temper.”
There.
He knew risk existed.
Not that a steel skewer would be used.
May you like
Enough to deserve a harder question than:
Don’t overdo it.
