After a week away, I returned home to a bizarre sight—my kids sleeping on the cold hallway floor. My husband was missing, and strange noises were coming from the boys’ room. What I discovered left me furious.

Mark had transformed their bedroom into a gamer’s paradise, complete with LED lights, a massive TV, and a mini-fridge. He was engrossed in a video game, oblivious to our children sprawled out like puppies on the dirty floor. Furious, I demanded answers. His excuse? The boys thought it was an “adventure.”

The next morning, I launched my plan. I unplugged his gaming setup and introduced a chore chart. Meals were served on plastic plates, sandwiches cut into dinosaur shapes, and bedtime came with a reading of Goodnight Moon. Mark was livid, but I stuck to my guns.

A week later, after a visit from his disappointed mother, Mark finally apologized. “I’ll do better,” he promised. I softened, but only slightly. “Good. The boys need a father, not another playmate.”

Lesson learned—for now. But if he slips up again, that timeout corner is ready and waiting.