Tom and Lana, a child-free couple in their mid-thirties, cherished their serene life. With their beautiful lakeside camp, they eagerly anticipated their annual family BBQ weekend. Laughter, food, and cherished memories marked these gatherings. However, this year was distinct, all thanks to a young guest named Anna.… Let’s take a look.
Anna’s Behavior Tests the Family’s Patience
Tom’s brother, Mack, had recently started dating Heather. Heather was a mother of three: two boys aged six and eight, and then there was Anna, who was twelve.
A Mother of Three, Struggling With Parenting
The boys were pretty easygoing, but Anna was a challenge. She liked causing trouble, and instead of stopping her, her mother, Heather, often just stood by, letting Anna do whatever she wanted.
Anna’s Challenging Behavior Escalates During a Family Gathering
As the family gathered at Tom and Lana’s lakehouse, Anna’s behavior got worse. She was starting arguments, yelling, and even hitting others.
A Passive Approach to Anna’s Misbehavior
Every time she misbehaved, Heather would just say, “I don’t know why she’s acting like this.”
But she never really tried to stop Anna or make her apologize.
A Chaotic Morning
One morning, things came to a head. The adults were sitting outside on the deck, trying to enjoy their coffee and chat.
But Anna wouldn’t leave them alone. She kept running around, not listening, when they told her to play with the other kids.
The Dreaded Fly Swatter
Image Credit: Shutterstock / BW Folsom
She had a fly swatter and was pretending to swat flies. But instead of hitting flies, she was knocking over everyone’s coffee cups.
Lana, trying to remain patient, was hit multiple times by Anna’s swatter. Anna kept saying she was trying to get flies off Lana when there were no flies at all.
Lana Reaches Breaking Point
Lana had had enough. After her coffee was spilled a second time by Anna (thankfully, it was cold because Lana didn’t drink hot coffee), she warned Heather, “Either get your kid the heck out of here, or I’m going to lose myself.”
Tom also talked to Mack, hoping he could say something to Heather or Anna. But nothing changed.
Cold Coffee Splash
Image Credit: Shutterstock / popout
Not long after, Anna came back to Lana, swatter in hand. She slapped Lana square on the forehead with it and shouted, “Bug, missed him!” That was the final straw for Lana.
In a reflexive act of frustration, she grabbed her freshly made cold coffee and threw it at Anna, drenching her!
A Family Divided
The deck erupted into chaos. Anna burst into tears, and both Heather and Mack directed their anger at Lana.
A Calm Response Amidst Chaos
Heather and Mack were livid. They accused Lana of being immature and pointed out that Anna was “just a kid.”
Lana, though, remained calm. She placed her cup down and continued her conversation, seemingly unphased by the commotion around her.
When Heather demanded an explanation, Lana’s response was simple: “Don’t let the door hit you and your demon spawn on the **s on the way out!”
The Fallout
The aftermath of the incident was a flurry of divided opinions. Some family members believed that Lana owed Anna and Heather an apology.
However, Tom stood by his wife, believing that they weren’t in the wrong given the circumstances. He took to Reddit to see what they thought, and boy, did they love his story!
Lana’s Reaction to Anna’s Behavior
Many Redditors felt that Heather seemed almost entertained watching her daughter, Anna, misbehave, especially as she swatted Lana repeatedly.
They stressed the importance of teaching children that actions have consequences.
Parenting and Consequences
In this case, Anna’s consequence was a splash of cold coffee – relatively mild considering her repeated harassment.
Many expressed frustration with the excuse, “She’s just a kid,” pointing out that it’s precisely because she’s a kid that she needs guidance and boundaries.
Parenting Problem or Just Kids Being Kids?
One user said, “This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think your wife is amazing. Your brother and especially Heather are the ones to blame.
They should be apologizing for the kid’s behavior. This definitely sounds like a parenting problem.”
The Importance of Setting Boundaries
Another user agreed, adding, “Anna was smacking your wife with a fly swatter. Does Heather have any idea how much those things hurt?!
Heather and Mack need to control their daughter and stop allowing her to behave that way. As another Redditor suggested, continue to invite the boys and leave the rest out.
Maybe Heather and Mack should stop being Anna’s friends and start acting like her parents.”
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The post “Just a Kid” – Her In-Laws Kept Dismissing Their Disobedient Daughter’s Behavior, so She Taught Her a Tough Lesson That Her Parents Were Unwilling To! first appeared on Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Kateryna Onyshchuk. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit
