Don't sell yourself short! first off, you created a "universe" - which is in and of itself, pretty cool. However, just from your short note -it shows you are already engaging on the motivations. A good story to me has some plausibility in it. The parents shouldn't just do things for funsies - and I like how this one has that element of plausible - yet remains light and fun/domestic discipline.I'm not super creative so I really don't have a good reason why the attitude is changing and now girl's modesty i
I think it's a creative idea for sure. In my "A little humiliation never hurt anyone, dear" story that's basically the central premise. It's a cheeky English story - The Mum tells her daughters that basically a little humiliation would be good for you because you've such a big ego when you are really just a bit of fluff and muff.
That becomes the title to the story, but as an example the Mum doesn't believe in wasting tea on the girls. They don't particularly care for it and she was raised in a place where simply because of poverty - the only ones who got tea were adults and the older boys. The girls didn't have it.
She also dotes on her son, and let's him manage the household pantry/shopping list, which is what sort of starts off the story. The storyteller complains but at the same time she says "It really doesn't matter if it's Jack or my mum who does the shopping, I'll eat what's in the pantry and served on the table, so nothing much has changed. it just sticks in my craw though that Jack gets to do it."
In that story, for better or worse I introduced the concept of the female condition, which are traits that the mom feels are in everyone- but that women are particularly inclined to exhibit when left unchecked.
Traits Mum Critiques as Part of the "Female Condition"
• Vanity: Obsessive focus on appearance.
• Jealousy: Sibling rivalry and competition.
• Deceit/Manipulation: Twisting truths or scheming.
• Laziness: Avoiding chores or responsibilities.
• Indulgence: Overindulging in luxuries or food.
• Pouting/Drama: Using emotional displays to manipulate.
• Greed: Wanting more privileges than earned.
• Arrogance: Acting superior or dismissing authority.
• Wastefulness: Using resources carelessly.
• Stubbornness: Refusing to adapt or accept rules.
• Selfishness: Prioritizing individual wants over group needs.
• Lustfulness: Wicked perversions and self-pleasure as opposed to pleasing others
She tends to think that it's for their own good to have a bit of domestic discipline to keep them from them their own foibles/flaws/natural tendencies, much like a diet requires will power. They need someone to slap the jelly donut out of their hands before they munch on it.
In retrospect, I think I could have played the story completely straight much like you have above but now it's all intrinsically interwoven. She basically announces one morning "Right, we are going to take some snaps! off with your knickers...you've got nothing to do all day anyway" and asks her son to start treating them like models.
At first, it's "just until lunch" but after the girls delay things with arguments, it's until tea, and then the Mum wants some additional scenes like "Naked Attraction" (the TV show) so Jack says that will be the next day, so now they are volunteered to do it the following day, and as the day progresses they won't be wrapping up until well after Dinner. Which, again I thought was fun.
So, I totally get that part. In this case, the mum believes in the natural order of things, and that girls are deluded to want to be astronauts and presidents, and they should leave that to the men. "Girls have needs and as long as those needs are taken care of, their wants should be making a good wife and mother"
While they say "Boys have needs, wants and ambitions, as they always have throughout history."
I don't need to personally believe that or advocate for unfair treatment, to enjoy what feels like "uneven" enforcement of rules. However, it's really not. If you look at the original Battleship game, that's all you need to see;
That in the not too distant past, "family fun" was defined as Dad and son enjoying leisure time playing a strategic war game, while Mom and sis washed up and smiled from the kitchen.
Your story could have a multitude of reasons for this attitude outside of that - but I would think in this case, it's more of "a fair is fair" kind of thing that she's been over the boys for a bit too long and it's only fair that she brought down a peg. She doesn't have had to abuse her authority - and clearly Becky didn't.
It was just thought it best, that the boys have a go at enforcing the rules. I could see your stories having a number of reasons, including a dynamic blended family. Imagine if the Dad in this story married a new Mum with a more assertive step-brother.
"It's going to be unseemly for you to pop your step-brother, so he is going to babysit and enforce discipline, which means you'll be standing in the corner and being spanked by him when we think you need it, Becky"
It could be that as you said, the Doctor simply felt she needed a shake-up/atttiude check and was getting too uppity.
It could even be mandated by the school/culture.
"We are moving to a small town, and here the moms and daughters don't have modesty..so you are NOT to talk down to your brothers when you leave the house...and you'll have to be respectful to random boys and men that you meet."
"it's not so bad, Becky! I'll be doing it with you.." the mom could assure her.
A few hours later, she comes down from her room "Where are my bras and panties?"
"Oh, yeah...those are taboo here. You won't find any girls wearing bras in public. Most girls just wear tube tops...here are yours, go ahead and take your shirt off and try this on."
I am happy to brainstorm with you for future stories!! I love this concept.
