“You ruined my life! I completely blew it because of you!”
 
“Honey, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” Confetti Surprise reached a comforting hoof out to her daughter. “I was just trying to-“
 
“NO!” Cotton Tuft slapped her hoof away, eyes glaring daggers like she’d never seen before. “YOU’RE THE WORST MOM EVER! I HATE YOU!”
 
“Cotton, I-“ Confetti could feel her heart drop as the filly stormed up to her room and slammed the door. What had she done?
 

 
After a long evening of the usual bedtime routines, Confetti plopped down in bed next to her husband and sighed heavily, Cotton’s words still ringing in her ears.
 
Lightning took in a deep breath and sat up, looking down at his wife and gently stroking her with his hoof. “It seems like there was a lot of…noise earlier. Care to tell me what happened?”
 
“According to Cotton, I ruined her life,” Confetti responded in a tone much unlike her usual peppy self. “I danced and sang in front of her friends today and apparently they no longer want to come over. She won’t even talk to me. She…she hates me now.” Confetti could feel her throat tightening as tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She took a shuddering breath and looked over to her husband.
 
“B-Bolty…where did I go wrong?”
 
As her story went on, Lightning cringed as if the situation was reminding him of something. “Listen honey, she’s 12 years old. She’s starting puberty, experiencing new teenage hormones and all that stuff. You didn’t do anything wrong, but you’ll have to let up a little. She’s not your itty bitty filly anymore…she’s not OUR itty bitty filly anymore. I know you aren’t used to this but…” He lifted his wife”s chin up, planting a reassuring kiss on her nose. “Foals grow up.”
 
“I know…” Confetti nodded and wiped her eyes. “It’s just…is this supposed to be normal? Your foals hating you and wanting nothing to do with you? I know we all grow up, but me, Cheesy, Creamy…we always loved Mom and Dad. We never fought.”
 
She took in a shaky breath, unable to help another wave of emotion from coming over her. “I-Is it something I did wrong? Have…have I failed?”
 
“No no, honey! She doesn’t hate you at all! Fillies her age say hurtful things like that all the time. She still loves you, she’s just…volatile.” Lightning wracked his mind for a moment. “Oh! Remember our wedding? The fight you had with your mom?”
 
“I wouldn’t really call it a fight,” Confetti pondered. “She was just trying to plan our entire wedding for us. I had to set some boundaries if I wanted our day to go how we wanted it. I just told her I was a mare, that I was grown up and I should be allowed to plan my own parties-“ She stopped as she came to her sudden realization.
 
“See what I mean, Connie? You need to listen to HER boundaries.” Lightning playfully bumped shoulders with his wife.
 
“I guess you’re right!” Confetti brushed the remaining moisture from her face, smiling genuinely like her normal self again. “I will, Bolty. I needed to hear that.”
 
Her smile faded again. “I just hope we don’t keep fighting like this. I’m not sure if I can take it.”
 
“She’ll come around, darling, just give it time…” Lightning yawned and pulled Confetti into his arms. “And it’ll be a happy day when she does.”