My Daughter Started Sleepwalking, I Followed Her One Night and Was Shocked by What I Saw—Story of the Day

My mother-in-law Cynthia moved in, and soon after, my daughter Lisa began acting oddly. She was no longer her cheerful self, and it worried me deeply. One night, I saw her sleepwalking through the house, clutching her teddy bear. I quietly followed her, and what I discovered that night shocked me, leading to a bigger mystery I needed to solve.

We were a happy family, living together in peace. Our days were filled with laughter, playful moments with our daughter, Lisa, and cozy family dinners.

Tony worked as a financial analyst, always dreaming of starting his own business, while I balanced my career and took care of our home.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

One evening, Tony came home with exciting news.

“Amelie, I found partners, and I can finally start my own business, just like I’ve always dreamed!” he announced, grinning from ear to ear.

“That’s amazing, Tony!” I hugged him, feeling proud. “You’ve worked so hard for this.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“There’s something I need to talk to you about,” he said, looking a bit hesitant.

“With our new jobs, we’ll be even busier. Mom has been complaining about her health and suggested moving in with us. She wants to help with taking care of Lisa.”

I frowned.

“Tony, you know how Cynthia feels about our marriage. She never really accepted me.”

“I know, but she insisted,” Tony replied. “And we really could use the help right now.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I sighed, unsure.

“Alright, but only because we need the help. And of course, she wants to move in now that things are looking up for us.”

***

A few days later, Cynthia moved in. She entered the house with a big smile, her hands held in front of her, carrying a gift for Lisa.

“Hello, Lisa! Look what Grandma brought you,” she said, handing Lisa a fluffy teddy bear.

“Thank you, Grandma!” Lisa hugged the bear tightly, her eyes sparkling with joy.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Tony looked at me, hoping I would make an effort. “Thanks, Cynthia. I’m sure Lisa will love it,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Amelie, I know we’ve had our differences,” Cynthia began. “But I want to make this work for Tony and Lisa.”

“I hope so,” I replied cautiously.

***

Days turned into weeks, and I noticed changes in Lisa. She became cranky and sleepy during the day. She wasn’t her usual cheerful self, and it worried me.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Lisa, honey, why are you so tired?” I asked one afternoon as she rubbed her eyes.

“I don’t know, Mommy. I just feel sleepy,” she replied, yawning.

That night, as I checked on her, I saw her walking around. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be in a daze.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“Lisa, sweetie, what are you doing?” I whispered, gently taking her by the hand.

She didn’t respond, just continued clutching the teddy bear. I carefully guided her back to bed and tucked her in, feeling a knot of worry in my stomach.

The next morning, over breakfast, I decided to bring it up with Tony.

“Tony, I saw Lisa sleepwalking last night,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm. “She was wandering around with that teddy bear your mom gave her.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Tony looked surprised. “Really? That’s strange.”

Before he could say more, Cynthia, walking nearby, chimed in.

“Oh, that’s perfectly normal. Tony used to sleepwalk as a child too. There’s nothing to worry about,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Are you sure?” I asked, looking at her thoughtfully.

“Absolutely. It’s just a phase,” Cynthia insisted, her tone final.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I nodded, but the worry didn’t leave me. Later that morning, as Tony was getting ready for work, he suddenly frowned and checked his wallet.

“Amelie, have you seen some money I left in my wallet? It’s missing,” he said, looking puzzled.

“No, I haven’t touched your wallet,” I replied honestly.

Tony sighed. “Maybe I misplaced it. It’s probably just somewhere around.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I decided to get my purse to give my husband some money. But I was surprised to find a much larger sum than I had yesterday.

“Tony, look at this. Is this the amount you were missing?” I said, showing him the money.

Tony peered into the purse and nodded. “Yes, that’s exactly how I tied and stored the amount in my wallet yesterday. That’s strange. Maybe you took it by mistake?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m sure I didn’t. It’s really odd.”

How did it get there?

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Tony shrugged, trying to brush it off. “Let’s not worry about it.”

But I couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling. Something was definitely wrong, and I needed to figure out what was happening. That night, I couldn’t sleep, thinking about Lisa and the strange occurrences.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

***

The next few days, I kept a closer eye on Lisa. She was still cranky and tired during the day, and I noticed she clung to the teddy bear more than usual.

I decided to follow her if she sleepwalked again, to see if I could find any answers.

That night, it happened again. I saw Lisa get up from her bed, holding the teddy bear tightly in her arms. This time, her eyes were wide open, but she didn’t seem to notice me.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

She walked out of her room and down the hallway. I quietly followed her, making sure not to wake her. My heart pounded as I watched her small figure move through the dimly lit house.

This time, she went straight to Cynthia’s room. I paused outside the door, straining to hear. I heard Cynthia’s voice, low and insistent.

“Go to your parents’ room… Take the money from the safe, Lisa. Remember, it’s our little secret.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

My blood ran cold. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stood frozen for a moment, then hurried back to my room to wake Tony.

“Tony, wake up! You have to see this,” I whispered urgently, shaking him awake.

Tony groggily opened his eyes. “What’s going on, Amelie?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“It’s Lisa. She’s in your mom’s room. I heard Cynthia giving her instructions to take money from the safe,” I said, my voice trembling.

Tony sat up, looking frustrated. “Amelie, you’re overreacting. Mom wouldn’t do that.”

“Please, Tony, just come and see,” I begged.

Reluctantly, he got out of bed and followed me to Cynthia’s room. We quietly opened the door and saw both Cynthia and Lisa seemingly asleep. Tony sighed in exasperation.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“See, they’re both asleep. You’re making a big deal out of nothing,” he said, rubbing his temples.

“No, Tony, I know what I heard,” I insisted.

Frustrated, Tony stomped over to the safe.

“I’ll prove to you that this is all a misunderstanding. The money should be right here. I was going to invest it in my project tomorrow.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Then Tony’s face went pale.

“What? No, this has to be a joke. The money was here this morning!” he shouted, his voice filled with anger.

“Tony, it’s not a joke. Your mother is responsible for this,” I said firmly.

The commotion woke everyone up. Cynthia came into the room, looking defensive.

“What’s all this noise about?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Tony turned to her, fury in his eyes. “Mom, did you ask Lisa to steal money from the safe?”

Cynthia’s eyes widened, and she started to deny it. “Of course not! How could you even think that?”

Just then, Lisa started to cry, scared and confused by the shouting. I knelt down and gently took her hand.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Lisa, sweetie, can you tell us what happened? It’s important.”

Lisa sniffled and nodded. She walked over to my purse and pointed.

Tony looked inside my purse and found the missing money. His face contorted with rage and disbelief.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Amelie, how could you? Were you trying to frame my mother?”

“No, Tony! I didn’t know the money was there! It was your mother’s doing!” I protested.

But Tony was too angry to listen.

“This is too much. I can’t deal with this right now. Amelie, I think it’s best if you stay somewhere else for a while. Mom will watch over Lisa.”

“Tony, please, you have to believe me. I’m not the one at fault here!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Cynthia stood behind Tony, a look of satisfaction hidden in her eyes.

“It’s for the best, Amelie. We need some time to sort this out.”

My heart was breaking, but I knew I had to find a way to prove the truth and protect my family.

***

In the morning, Tony left for work while I started packing my things. My heart was heavy with sadness and frustration.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

As I gathered my belongings, I went into Lisa’s room and noticed her sitting on the bed, talking to the teddy bear.

“Lisa, sweetie, who are you talking to?” I asked gently, trying not to startle her.

She looked up at me with big, innocent eyes.

“The teddy bear, Mommy. But it doesn’t want to talk anymore.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I frowned, feeling a knot of worry. “What do you mean, it doesn’t want to talk anymore?”

Lisa hugged the bear tightly.

“It used to talk to me before bedtime. Grandma said it was our little secret.”

My heart sank. This was worse than I had imagined.

“Lisa, can I borrow the teddy bear for a bit? I need to wash it,” I said, trying to sound casual.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

She hesitated, then answered, “Okay, Mommy. Just be careful with him.”

I didn’t leave the house. I was waiting for the evening to put everything in its place. I had a hunch about what was happening and who was behind it all.

***

That evening, while preparing dinner, Cynthia entered the kitchen. She stood there with her arms crossed, looking smug.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“Why haven’t you left yet, Amelie? Tony doesn’t want a thief in his house.”

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I have some unfinished business, Cynthia. Everything will be resolved when Tony returns.”

Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. “What are you planning?”

“You’ll see,” I replied, turning back to the stove.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

When Tony came home, I was ready.

“Tony, I need to show you something,” I said, holding the teddy bear.

He looked weary. “What is it now, Amelie?”

“Please, just trust me,” I urged.

I brought out the teddy bear and carefully opened it, revealing a small talking device inside.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“Tony, Lisa wasn’t sleepwalking. She was being manipulated by this device. Cynthia has been using it to give her instructions.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Cynthia shouted, her face turning red. “You’re making this up!”

“Let’s check Cynthia’s room for the other half of the device,” I suggested, keeping my voice steady.

Cynthia backed away, her eyes wide with fear. “No, you can’t go in there!”

Tony, now suspicious, insisted, “Mom, we need to see.”

For illustration purposes only | Source:Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source:Pexels

I pressed the button on the bear’s device and spoke into it. At that moment, we heard my voice echoing from Cynthia’s room.

Tony rushed in and found the other device hidden under Cynthia’s pillow.

Lisa, hearing the commotion, peeked into the room. “Grandma, are we playing a new game since our secret is out?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Tony looked puzzled. “Mom, how did you use the bear to control her?”

Cynthia sighed, wiping her tears. “I put a walkie-talkie inside the teddy bear and another one under my pillow. When Lisa would start sleepwalking, I would whisper instructions to her through the bear. I would tell her to come to my room, and we would play a game. She would take money from your wallet and put it in her mom’s purse, and then back again.”

“Mom, why? Why would you do this?” Tony exclaimed.

In tears, Cynthia finally broke down.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“At first, it was just to see if it would work. Then it became a way for me to feel in control, to have a role in the family. I didn’t realize how much it would hurt everyone.”

Tony, filled with anger and disappointment, shook his head.

“Mom, this is wrong. You can’t use Lisa like that. If you want to be part of this family, you have to stop these manipulations and respect our lives.”

Realizing her mistakes, Cynthia nodded, her face wet with tears.

“I’m sorry, Tony,” Cynthia said, her voice trembling with emotion.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I just wanted to feel needed. I promise I’ll do better. I’ll only visit on weekends and spend time with Lisa occasionally.”

Tony looked at me. “Amelie, what do you think?” he asked softly.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my tears.

“Cynthia, we all make mistakes. But if you truly want to be part of this family, you need to accept us and respect our boundaries. I think it would be good for Lisa to spend time with her grandmother.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Cynthia nodded, wiping her tears.

“I understand. I’ll respect your family’s peace and unity.”

I smiled faintly, looking at my sleepy daughter and feeling a glimmer of hope.

“Let’s take it one step at a time and work together to create a loving environment for Lisa.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Cynthia reached out and took my hand.

“Thank you, Amelie. I promise I’ll make it right.”

The truth was finally out, and now we could begin the process of rebuilding our trust and unity. It wouldn’t be easy, but with love and understanding, we could overcome this challenge together.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Six-year-old Ethan had recently lost his mother, leaving a deep void in his heart. In his grief, he started writing letters to her, pouring out his feelings on paper. One day, while wandering the streets, he stumbled upon an old, rusty mailbox at an abandoned house. He decided to slip one of his letters inside, never expecting anyone to see it. To his astonishment, the very next day, he found a mysterious reply waiting for him.

Lia Thomas Bows Out of Competitive Swimming, Says “Nobody Wants Me On Their Team”

Lia Thomas, a well-known swimmer, made the unexpected and intensely emotional decision to give up competitive swimming, citing an emotionally taxing journey and a sense of loneliness in a statement posted yesterday. Thomas, a transgender athlete, has served as the focal point of many discussions about fairness, gender, and the integrity of competition in women’s sports.

Lia’s statement reads: “The waters have been turbulent, not due to the physical demands but the constant battle to seek acceptance and fairness in a sport I adore. No athlete should feel isolated or singled out for their identity rather than recognized for their achievements.”

This choice was made following months of acrimonious discussions, petitions, and arguments about transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. She has shed light on the difficulties faced by transgender athletes both inside and outside of their chosen sporting arenas as a result of her trip through the turbulent waters of public scrutiny, policy discussions, and ethical issues.

Supporters of Thomas contend that her retirement from professional swimming is a big loss for the sport and highlights the need for a nuanced, compassionate, and inclusive strategy for athletes navigating their careers amidst difficult identity discussions. Meanwhile, her detractors have scrutinised her accomplishments and linked them to alleged physiological advantages.

The sports world is forced to look into the reflected waters of ethical, biological, and societal factors surrounding transgender athletes as we negotiate the fallout from Thomas’s withdrawal. The question is: How will this moment influence how competitive sports develop in the future, and how will the conversations impact how future athletes’ experiences are entangled with one another’s stories?

Lia Thomas’s decision to retire from competitive swimming is more than just a personal one; it’s a momentous occasion that calls for a moment of communal reflection on the chances, acceptance, and spaces we provide for all athletes, regardless of their gender identity.

Beyond the upheaval and hardship Thomas experienced personally, her narrative emphasises the need for the international athletic community to create a setting that is egalitarian and fair, upholding the integrity of competition while being welcoming and respectful of the varied identities of athletes. This applies to all participants, regardless of gender identity or experience, including athletes who identify as transgender.

But the problem still exists: how can inclusivity and fairness be balanced in a field that has traditionally been divided along biological lines? Thomas’s experience highlights the need to review sporting regulations, especially those that touch on gender identity and biological differences. Recognising that the policies of the past might no longer be appropriate or comprehensive for the athletes of today and tomorrow may bring her followers and opponents together.

The discussion of the physiological, psychological, and ethical aspects of this issue necessitates a rigorous, objective, and sympathetic assessment as it spreads into many contexts, from locker rooms to legislative chambers. Expertise from endocrinologists to ethicists, players to administrators is needed in the discussion over transgender athletes, their biology, and their right to compete.

The conversation surrounding Lia Thomas has ranged from fervent support to sharp scepticism. Others emphasise the psychological and physical effects of transitioning, which can be physically and emotionally draining. Some claim that transgender women may have physiological benefits over cisgender women.

Underneath the scientific, moral, and competitive dimensions of the discussion, there is a fundamentally human element that deserves priority: respect and empathy for the lived experiences of all athletes, which acknowledges their challenges, victories, and sacrifices made in the name of excellence.

Critical questions are raised by Thomas’s departure, necessitating an intersectional strategy that balances inclusivity and fair competition. This takes into account things like hormone levels, physical characteristics, and how these could affect competitive advantages or disadvantages in the sporting sphere. These questions can’t be answered in a simple or one-dimensional way.

We are witnesses to an athlete who achieved the summit of accomplishment but found the path to be tainted by scrutiny, seclusion, and protracted controversy over her basic right to compete. Thomas’s declaration and subsequent withdrawal from competition offer a significant and moving opportunity for thought that goes well beyond the realm of sports.

The effects of Thomas’s withdrawal will unavoidably be felt throughout the sports community, inspiring athletes, governing bodies, and fans to consider how we can foster a culture that recognises and honours all athletes for their commitment, talent, and athletic accomplishments, free from exclusion or bias.

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