On the way home, I asked what usually happened at Grandma’s. Alex explained, “We have to sleep with the windows open, do exercises, and only get extra food or blankets if we do well.” Ben added, “Grandma says it makes us strong like Dad.”

When we arrived home, Nathan was confused about our early return. I confronted him, furious. To my shock, he defended his mother’s methods, saying it’s how he was raised. “It made me resilient,” he said. But I couldn’t agree. “This is not discipline, Nathan. This is abuse,” I replied, determined to put an end to it. Nathan seemed conflicted, but I was clear: our children’s health and well-being had to come first, no matter his upbringing.