
Mother Forces Teen Daughter To Cut Her Fingernails After Cutting Brother's Hand And Causing Him To Bleed, Dad Says It Was Uncalled For
OP has always insisted on her daughter having trimmed nails.

Parenting often involves making tough decisions, especially when it comes to health and safety. OP, a 46-year-old mother, found herself in such a situation with her 13-year-old daughter, Darcy, over the seemingly trivial issue of nail length.
Let's explore OP's story and the complexities of balancing parental guidance with a teenager's desire for autonomy. OP has two children, Oliver, a 9-year-old boy, and Darcy, a 13-year-old girl. As a parent, OP has always preferred that her children keep their nails short for several reasons.
Recently, OP noticed that Darcy's fingernails had grown quite long and asked her to cut them. Darcy refused, saying she liked them long because her friends also kept their nails long.
OP reiterated her concerns about the health and safety risks associated with long nails and asked Darcy to cut them by the end of the day. However, Darcy dismissed her mother's worries, citing peer influence and insisting that her friends didn't have to cut their nails.
The situation escalated the next morning during breakfast. Darcy and Oliver reached for the same item, and in the scuffle, Darcy slapped Oliver's hand away, accidentally scratching him. Oliver's hand started bleeding slightly, causing him considerable pain.
OP saw this as a direct consequence of Darcy's refusal to cut her nails and called her over to address the issue. She pointed out that this incident was precisely why she had asked Darcy to cut her nails. Despite some resistance, Darcy eventually cut her nails when OP threatened to do it herself.
Later, when Darcy went to her dad's house, she complained about the incident, claiming it wasn't a big deal. Darcy's father texted OP, agreeing with Darcy and saying that her nails were a non-issue and that OP shouldn't have insisted on cutting them.
OP strongly disagreed and felt justified in her decision, but began to question whether she had overstepped. This left her wondering if she was being unreasonable.

Darcy's Long Nails and Initial Request to Cut Them

OP Asked Her Daughter Why She Lets Her Nails Grow So Long

She Told Her To Cut The Nails And That She Doesn't Care What Her Friends Do

Incident at Breakfast Leading to Minor Injury

Enforcing the Nail Cutting After the Incident

Darcy's Complaint to Her Dad and His Reaction

Girls Like Having Long Nails

Her Husband Bites His Nails But Still Scratches Himself

It Seems Like All Husbands Bite Their Nails

Arguing About All Of The Wrong Things

A Weird Thing To Obsess Over

Ultimately, OP's concern for her children's safety and hygiene is justified. While Darcy's desire to emulate her friends is natural, she must understand the practical reasons behind her mother's request.
By maintaining clear communication, seeking compromise, and reinforcing the importance of hygiene and safety, OP can navigate this situation effectively and foster a healthier relationship with her daughter.
The people of Reddit were eager to share their opinions and experiences, and now it's your turn to share what you think about this mother's situation.
