When my husband gave me a scary ultimatum, he didn’t realize that I would stand up for our children and myself. I showed him that we already have a lot to be grateful for, therefore he was being unreasonable. At the conclusion of his ultimatum, he implored ME to feel sorry for him! I never saw myself in this predicament, yet here I am, having to choose a choice. One demand from my spouse put me in a difficult situation and compelled me to take drastic measures. But that demand forced me to do something. My husband Danny has always been a hard-working businessman and a devoted father.
He provides for our family well and puts in a lot of overtime at work. This means that I can now be a stay-at-home mother and raise our five beautiful daughters. But now, his wishes to have a son “to carry on the family name” have turned into demands. And now those appeals have become threats!After dinner one evening, he said to Lisa, “We HAVE to have a sixth child.” His voice was solemn, almost cold. Danny, we already have FIVE daughters.
Do you want me to keep getting pregnant until we have a son? I responded as I could feel my nervousness rising. Still, aren’t children a blessing? Is this really so hard? His comments were hurtful. Despite the fact that we’ve discussed this issue a lot, something seemed different this time. It was almost like an ultimatum. We continued to loop back on ourselves, neither of us willing to abandon our choices. Our quarrel was so severe that he even threatened to think about divorcing me if I refused to have a boy for him! “Do you mean you would leave me if I didn’t give you a son?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly. “I didn’t say THAT,” he muttered, turning away. Still, implication was clear.
He said we may have a divorce if I didn’t follow HIS instructions. After bidding each other farewell, we went our own ways to prepare for bed. That night, as I slept, I thought about our conversation. How could he have such disdain for the life we had built together? Every one of our daughters is vivacious, unique, and remarkable. There is no other way that I can think of our family.I had to tell him what he wanted from me, from the two of us. What else are you aware of? Before I closed my eyes and slept, I came up with a brilliant plan to TEACH him precisely what it means to raise five kids on your alone! The very following day, while everyone was still asleep, I woke up unusually early. After packing my things, I took a car to the former rural house of my late mother.
I switched off my phone’s ringer and ignored all of his texts and calls. I made myself some breakfast and a warm cup of coffee, then settled down to watch my favorite show of the day, “The Drama That Unfolds When You Leave Your Husband at Home Alone with Five Children.” Our home was equipped with security cameras, so I could view everything in real time. Danny was about to get an abrasive awakening! He got ready for work as soon as he was conscious again. However, he abandoned his preparations upon hearing the children causing a disturbance. “Where’s your mother and why aren’t y’all dressed and ready for breakfast?” he asked our mischievous group. I was pleased of my babies when they ignored him and continued to play and jump on beds. After calling my name and looking for me, my spouse realized I wasn’t at home. He then started to call me, and I watched the call go through. After the sixth missed call, he lost his temper and yelled, “What the hell, Lisa?” before hanging up. He couldn’t go to work because he couldn’t leave our little children alone. The first morning was amusing and a complete flop! He made a mess of the orange juice and burnt the toast while trying to make breakfast! The kids didn’t even bother to put on clothing while they played. He was really overwhelmed, and I was having a fun!”Emma, stop running! Jessica, please put on your shoes. His voice was strained as I heard him shout. “Daddy, I’m not into this cereal.” Whimpering, Emily put her dish aside. He asked, growing angry, “So, what do you WANT?” “I demand pancakes!” she yelled. Danny groaned and rubbed his temples. Okay, let me to make the pancakes. Little Jessica felt left out and said, “I want scrambled eggs and cake!” Emma begged, “Please, waffles and fresh cream!” never one to be left out. If his temples ached before, I was convinced they were throbbing now! Over the course of the day, things got worse! He tried to help them with their online assignments, but they kept becoming distracted and walking away! “Jessica, please focus on your math homework,” he pleaded. “I don’t understand it, Daddy,” the girl cried out. He took a seat next her and stared at the TV. “Okay, let’s solve this together.” While taking care of the children, a call came through from work. It seemed from the conversation and Danny’s heartfelt apologies that he had forgotten to sign himself out for the day! My husband couldn’t figure out what our kids’ favorite lunch item was.
In the end, this resulted in a picnic with meaningless nibbles. “Please give us some peanut butter and jelly.” Emma asked. Glancing at the cupboard, he remarked, “I’m not sure we have any.” “Perhaps just some jelly?” she suggested. It was horrible to watch Danny suffer in this way, but the chuckles were definitely worth it! There were toys everywhere in the home, and he looked like he was going to lose it! “Why is Play-Doh on the carpet?” he groaned. I’m not sure; ask Emily,” Jessica said. As soon as Emily heard her name, she started listing all the reasons why she wasn’t the culprit! When I play, I only use blue and purple Play-Doh. I didn’t sit on the carpet; I only walked on it briefly in one spot. I. Before she could continue, my hubby interrupted her in jest. “All right, Emily! Okay, I get it. Could you please remove that for Daddy? Danny was forced to join in when the females made the decision to dress up in the evening! They forced him to dress up as a princess and wear a tiara and feather boa!”Daddy, you really are gorgeous!” Emily laughed. “This is ridiculous,” he said, yet he still smiled at their joy. My spouse looked quite tired and confused. Bedtime was the very last straw! They persisted in telling stories, insisted on going to bed, and kept sneaking out of their rooms! I felt so proud!”Just one more story, Daddy,” begged Emma.”All right, then, it’s officially time for bed,” he remarked, feeling agitated. By the conclusion of the second day, Danny was obviously on the verge of breaking!
He started begging me in his frantic texts to come back and help. “My angel, please, I can’t do this alone,” he texted. He even sent in a video of himself on his knees praying for forgiveness. “I’m sorry, my love. Kindly head back home. To me, you are indispensable. The hilarity of the video was enhanced by the fact that he took it in our locked toilet, despite the children’s insistence that he go outside and play! I decided it was time to go home. When I first walked in, Danny was the first person to approach me; I had never seen him seem so relieved! He said, “I really apologize.” “I won’t force you to become a mother of a son any longer.” He gripped me till my breath left me! “I promise to spend more time with the family,” he vowed. I now understand how much you do.I was moved. “If you truly promise to spend more time with us and help out more, then we can talk about the POSSIBILITY of having a sixth child,” I continued. He vigorously nodded. “I swear, I swear,” please just never again leave me alone with the kids for an extended period of time! We both laughed as he kept his word from that day forward.
He expressed more interest in our family and an understanding of how difficult it is to raise our current generation of kids. Our lives began to change for the better. Danny began getting home from work early and occasionally worked from home in an attempt to be more present. He helped with homework, went to school festivities, and took on midnight chores!My once-misled spouse even learned how to braid hair, much to the amazement of our daughters! “Watch out, mom! My father did my hair in braids. When Jessica smiled one morning. I responded, “Darling, you did a great job.” One Saturday morning, as we sat around the breakfast table, Danny flashed me a soft grin. “I’ve been thinking,” he said. Maybe it’s not because I have a son.
Perhaps it has to do with how much we value our family. With a flood of warmth running through my chest, I smiled back. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, Danny. We continued eating breakfast, laughing and conversing as the tension from the last two weeks subsided. In those carefree moments with our girls, we found great happiness. After months, my husband never again brought up the topic of getting a sixth child.
He had changed, becoming more involved and intimate with our family than he had previously. The girls adored him, and our home was filled with joy and laughter.”Daddy, would you kindly come to my dance recital?” Emily inquired one day. Naturally, my dear. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he declared. And he kept his promise! Every recital, every soccer match, every school play that he went to. Our daughters were able to flourish because of his restored love and care. One evening, as we watched our girls play in the backyard, Danny held my hand. “I’m appreciative, Lisa,” he muttered. “For everything.”
Squeezing his fingers, I felt tears begin to well up in my eyes. “Thank you for your comprehension,” I said. Our journey wasn’t easy, but it brought us closer. My partner had a greater appreciation for his family. And I plucked up the bravery to stand up for our daughters and for myself. We were stronger than ever, capable of overcoming any challenges life threw at us. And as we sat there in the evening sun, watching our daughters chase fireflies, I knew we had found our happily ever after.
