A woman allowed her daughter to stay the weekend at her grandparents’ house because when she had done so in the past, it had been a pleasant experience for the little girl. However, this time was something different.
A 39-year-old woman and her 39-year-old husband, Cole, had a 14-year-old daughter named Vihana together. Although the woman was South-Asian and her husband was Caucasian, they got along well and never had issues with one another’s family.
Vihana had often spent nights and weekends at Coles’ parent’s house and enjoyed herself when she was with her grandparents. The woman was comfortable with her daughter being with her in-laws.
A South-Asian mother and daughter | Source: Getty Images
However, one day, everything changed, and the woman was forced to make a difficult decision to protect her daughter’s wellbeing. Yet it didn’t go well with her husband’s family when she told them.
The woman’s mother-in-law, Connie, had Vihana at her house for the weekend. Whenever the woman phoned Vihana, she seemed happy and as if she were enjoying herself with her grandparents.
A South-Asian student with long hair | Source: Getty Images
However, when she arrived home, the woman saw that her daughter’s once waist-length, curly hair had been cropped to shoulder-length and straightened. The woman was horrified by this.
A hairdresser cutting black hair | Source: Getty Images
The woman was confused because Vihana had told her mother that she wanted to grow her hair out since the sixth grade and had never expressed a desire to straighten her natural curls out. The woman shared, “Vihana was crying and explained to me that her grandma had done this all herself.”
Vihana then told her mother that Connie had said she gave permission for her hair to be cut short, so she didn’t think she should mention it when they talked on the phone each morning and night.
Anxious teenage girl | Source: Getty Images
The woman was horrified that Connie had told Vihana she had given her permission for her hair to be chopped off and her curls to be straightened out and knew she needed to do something drastic.
Cole and his wife sat and talked about what his mother had done for an hour about how they should handle her behavior. After talking for a while, the woman and her husband had a plan.
Angry South-Asian woman rubbing her temples | Source: Getty Images
The woman and Cole decided that Connie would no longer be allowed to see Vihana alone because she didn’t respect the girl’s boundaries. They also made a phone call that caused a family feud.
Cole and the woman phoned Cole’s father to find out if he had anything to do with cutting Vihana’s hair. The older man was horrified and said that his wife had told him the same thing she had told Vihana, that the woman had given her permission for the girl’s hair to be cut and straightened.
Angry mature man on the phone | Source: Getty Images
Cole’s father apologized to his son and daughter-in-law before he hung up. The woman then texted Connie to let her know she was no longer allowed to see Vihana alone.
The woman also told Connie that she expected her to apologize to her and Vihana and learn to respect their boundaries. For a while, the woman received no answer from Connie.
A man and woman looking at a phone | Source: Getty Images
After some silence, the woman and Cole began receiving an influx of text messages from Connie and Cole’s sister, Lucy. The woman shared, “My [mother-in-law] is furious with me for trying to keep her away from her granddaughter and for telling My [father-in-law] what happened.”
A person texting on a smartphone | Source: Shutterstock
After the woman told her father-in-law what happened, he packed his things and stayed in a hotel to think about his marriage. Lucy called the woman names and told her it wasn’t a crime to cut Vihana’s hair and take care of her, as they didn’t feel the woman was. Readers commented on the issue:
