complete with baby bump updates and carefully timed social media posts.Then, on Candice’s birthday, with the whole family gathered to celebrate, I handed her a beautifully wrapped baby carrier. The room went quiet as she excitedly opened it—only to find a doll inside.Candice was speechless. My mother-in-law looked horrified. And then my husband’s grandmother,

who had stayed quiet through it all, stood up and finally said what everyone else was thinking: she was done supporting their toxic behavior. It was bold, dramatic, and probably a little petty—but it worked. Sometimes, the only way to get the message across is to shock people into seeing just how absurd they’re being. Some lessons really do have to be learned the hard way.