Returning home after a week, I was shocked to find my kids, Tommy and Alex, sleeping on the cold hallway floor. Worried, I discovered my husband, Mark, fully engrossed in video games in their room, oblivious to the mess around him. Their room had been turned into a gaming den, and Mark seemed indifferent to the kids’ comfort, brushing it off as a fun adventure for them.

Furious, I confronted him and decided to teach him a lesson. Over the next week, I treated him like a child—making chore charts, enforcing screen time limits, and even tucking him into bed. When he still didn’t seem to understand, I called in the ultimate reinforcement—his mom.

After Mark’s mom arrived, he finally realized his irresponsibility. Apologizing sincerely, he promised to do better. Though I accepted his apology, I made it clear that the boys needed a father who took responsibility, not just another playmate.

Lesson learned—or so I hoped!