After a week away on a business trip, I came home late at night only to find my two boys, Tommy and Alex, sleeping on the cold hallway floor. Their faces were smudged with dirt, and they looked exhausted. My heart pounded as I looked for my husband, Mark, but he was nowhere to be found. Strange noises led me to the boys’ bedroom where I was shocked to find Mark fully immersed in video games, surrounded by snacks and energy drinks.

He had transformed their room into a flashy gamer’s paradise, complete with a giant TV, LED lights, and even a mini-fridge. When I confronted him, Mark shrugged it off, saying the boys thought sleeping in the hallway was an “adventure.” Furious, I demanded he get them into their beds immediately.

The next day, I decided to teach him a lesson. While he was in the shower, I unplugged all his gaming gear, made him breakfast on a child’s plate, and introduced a chore chart with strict screen time rules. Every night, I enforced a 9 p.m. screen curfew and even gave him “timeouts” when he protested.

Mark resisted at first but eventually admitted he’d been selfish and irresponsible. To make sure he understood the seriousness, I called his mother. She came over ready to help him shape up, reminding him—and me—that the boys need a father who’s responsible, not just a fun playmate. Mark promised to change, and I knew this time, I wasn’t letting him off the hook so easily.