You're ignoring that the kids get piano lessons or something. All is well.
Don’t get me fucking started. They’re called compensatory survival strategies, but to the Rekieta children’s parents and paternal grandparents they’re just a “get out of guilt free” card for all of them.
When primary relational bonds become ambiguous, it hits the child’s core safety system. So many children in chaotic or confusing home environments develop fawning, perfectionism, or dissociation —
not because they’re thriving, but because they’re coping. Grades and extracurriculars become safety zones where the child still feels some control or predictability. That doesn’t mean they’re unscathed or not in full-fledged emotional crisis.
Children are hard-wired to preserve their attachment bonds even in the face of threat or betrayal — especially with primary caregivers. So they often over-function (e.g., perform well academically, appear agreeable, take on adult roles) to reduce chaos, win approval, or keep attachment figures close. I am still beyond disgusted that none of the children’s services professionals or GAL raised a red flag when the oldest son volunteered to make sure his parents didn’t start doing drugs again.
Not to mention that kids don’t even have the conceptual framework to verbalize harm in these situations. They also don’t have the language, confidence, or emotional maturity to say “I feel unsafe because the rules about love and trust in my home don’t make sense anymore.” Instead, they internalize it as: “I’m confused,” “I don’t matter,” “Something’s wrong with me,” “I’m not enough for my parents,” “I’m unlovable” — and more horrific thoughts. (“Maybe if I’m skinnier my father will pay more attention to me” has probably already been on their minds for some time, based on the daughter crying about her sister calling her fat and how Nick just laughed and said the cruelty would help keep her thin.)
Even worse, much of the damage this does can take years to show up. Long-term capacity for forming bonds, raising offspring, and navigating social alliances are often decimated by parents who welcome threats to the marital bond into the home. A child who seems “fine” now may struggle later with trust, emotional regulation, relationship stability, and the fundamental ability to model healthy relationships and boundaries for their own kids.
TL;DR Nick Rekieta and Kayla Rekieta should be thrown in a volcano for what they’ve done to their children. Bob and Celeste Rekieta should accompany them since they love to travel so much.