Families love to call things “tradition.” It’s the ultimate trump card—the sacred word that ends all debates. “It’s tradition!” they’ll say, when you question why everyone has to eat the same dry casserole or why no one’s allowed to leave before dessert. But here’s the thing: not every so-called tradition is about love, togetherness, or nostalgia. Some are cleverly disguised control tactics—rituals designed to keep certain family members in line while pretending it’s all in the name of “keeping the family close.”
It’s a sneaky form of emotional choreography. What looks like a warm ritual can sometimes be a way to enforce old hierarchies, guilt-trip rebels, or maintain power dynamics that stopped making sense decades ago.
