Even small arguments can quickly escalate into major disputes in blended families. A request to maintain her vegan lifestyle in her home caused a surprising and strong response from a woman named Nadia. She was upset, angry, and unsure of what to do after her stepdaughter’s shocking response. In order to navigate this delicate situation, the woman looked to us for assistance.

Her story is as follows:
In our home, we only eat vegan food. My 15-year-old stepdaughter demands meat and says I can no longer force my will on her. “My house, my rules!” I said to her. Stay at your mother’s house if you don’t like it. My husband remained silent while she simply grinned.

My husband wasn’t in bed when I woke up at two in the morning. A scream then reached my ears. He was yelling from our son’s room, who is seven years old. My child was on the floor, covered in chocolate, and I froze as I ran there. He appeared pale and ill. There was a big chocolate cake with peanuts next to him. We always take care to keep peanuts out of the house because he has a severe allergy to them.

As it happens, my stepdaughter purposefully gave him the cake to “teach us a lesson.” She was already gone when I looked for her. Fortunately, I gave my son an EpiPen, and within a few hours, he started to feel better. I informed my husband that I would never again see his daughter. He maintains that she was only a teenager and was unaware of the gravity of what she was doing. I can’t bring myself to forgive her, even though he claims to have spoken to her and wants me to.

What ought I to do? Nadia