In blended families, even minor disagreements can quickly grow into significant conflicts. For a woman named Nadia, a request to uphold her vegan lifestyle within her home sparked an unexpected and intense reaction. Her stepdaughter’s startling response left her feeling distressed, furious, and having no idea what to do. The woman turned to us for support in navigating this delicate situation.

We’re vegan in our house. My stepdaughter, 15, says I can’t impose my choices anymore and she demands meat. I told her, “My house, my rules! If you don’t like it, stay at your mom’s.” She just smiled and my husband was silent.At 2 a.m., I woke up and noticed my husband wasn’t in bed. Then I heard a scream. It was him screaming from our 7-year-old son’s room. I ran there and froze when I found my child on the floor, covered in chocolate. He looked sick and very pale. Beside him was a large chocolate cake with peanuts. He’s severely allergic to peanuts, and we’re always careful to keep them out of the house.

It turns out my stepdaughter gave him the cake on purpose to “teach us a lesson.” I searched for her, but she was already gone. Thankfully, I gave my son an EpiPen, and he began to recover after a few hours. I told my husband I never want to see his daughter again. He insists she’s just a teenager who didn’t understand the seriousness of her actions. He says he’s spoken to her and wants me to forgive her, but I can’t bring myself to do it.