Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I mean 59 chasing a 22 yo is gross, but not a predator.
And regarding the cheating, ALL my friends whose parents divorced because of cheating found out about it later. Some were furious and the fact that both parents covered up the cheating landed them in therapy. My best friend was so furious with her one parent for cheating, but equally furious with the other parent for making the cheater not responsible for breaking up her parents and household. This was while we were in college and her parents had divorced in middle school. I'm not sure what the answer is though and I also don't think you should tell her.
His comeuppance is coming.
Disagree, and this sounds made up. Kids don’t care WHY parents are divorcing, and frankly, emotionally mature parents won’t be confiding in their minor kids and talking about infidelity. It is YOUR problem not theirs. And very rare is cheating the only cause of divorce- cheating is a manifestation from a problematic marriage or problems within one person. It’s a symptom, not a cause. Marital problems shouldn’t be discussed with children. My mother used to tell me about my father’s cheating and a child. Guess who I don’t talk to anymore?
I disagree. I think children want to know why. They just don't need gory details. If there's a general marital breakdown, okay, you don't need to get into sex life stuff.
I have a friend whose marriage ended because her husband got a married AP pregnant.
It's difficult to hide that situation and the fundamental immorality from the children of the original marriages.
Unnecessary detail is "when and where and why the baby was conceived".
A factual detail is: "we are getting a divorce because your dad got Mrs. X pregnant".
No, that isn’t factual. You get divorced because one or both parents don’t want to be married any longer. There is never one singular reason that stands for both people. And the facts are not the business of the children. It isn’t appropriate for Mom to talk about Dad cheating, just like it isn’t appropriate for Dad to talk about Mom being insufferable, belittling him, and having a personality disorder. All of these things can be true- yet none of them should be made problems for your kids to process. Kids truly don’t get care about the “why” from either parent- they just want stable and pleasant parents, whether married or divorced.
Anonymous wrote:I am the OP of the following thread in the relationship forum:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1277224.page
The issue has become one more suitable for the Tweens and Teens forum.
My husband and I have lived separately for more than three years. He always cheated, sometimes with several women at the same time.
DD doesn't know about the cheating part, and I do not plan to every discuss it with her.
However, a recent event has rocked her childhood: her 59 y.o. dad is chasing a 22 y.o. woman whom he found on a tutoring website about four weeks ago. They have done two tutoring sessions, DD is excited. STBXH has invited the young woman to his home and made it sound safe by proposing cultural outings with DD.
I have handled things poorly with DD and I don't know how to make it better. I asked her if it would be OK for her if we choose another math tutor. She asked why, and I told her because daddy considers himself to be an appropriate romantic partner for the tutor and I don't want to put DD in the middle of that situation.
I feel like this is a turning point in DD's childhood. She has asked questions and labeled her dad a "predator." She is distancing herself from her dad. I should have
made something up or I should have asked the tutor to
announce that she quits.
I feel like I just destroyed her childhood, when my goal was to protect her. I feel terrible.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I mean 59 chasing a 22 yo is gross, but not a predator.
And regarding the cheating, ALL my friends whose parents divorced because of cheating found out about it later. Some were furious and the fact that both parents covered up the cheating landed them in therapy. My best friend was so furious with her one parent for cheating, but equally furious with the other parent for making the cheater not responsible for breaking up her parents and household. This was while we were in college and her parents had divorced in middle school. I'm not sure what the answer is though and I also don't think you should tell her.
His comeuppance is coming.
Disagree, and this sounds made up. Kids don’t care WHY parents are divorcing, and frankly, emotionally mature parents won’t be confiding in their minor kids and talking about infidelity. It is YOUR problem not theirs. And very rare is cheating the only cause of divorce- cheating is a manifestation from a problematic marriage or problems within one person. It’s a symptom, not a cause. Marital problems shouldn’t be discussed with children. My mother used to tell me about my father’s cheating and a child. Guess who I don’t talk to anymore?
I disagree. I think children want to know why. They just don't need gory details. If there's a general marital breakdown, okay, you don't need to get into sex life stuff.
I have a friend whose marriage ended because her husband got a married AP pregnant.
It's difficult to hide that situation and the fundamental immorality from the children of the original marriages.
Unnecessary detail is "when and where and why the baby was conceived".
A factual detail is: "we are getting a divorce because your dad got Mrs. X pregnant".
Anonymous wrote:You’re too involved in his life. MYOFB!
Anonymous wrote:There was no need for you to talk to her about it at all.
You didn't say anything for her benefit.
You did it out of your own selfishness, hatred, and jealously.
Don't pretend otherwise.
Anonymous wrote:I think you can start a future therapy fund for when your daughter figures out YOU and her dad are toxic AF and distances herself from both of you. You can make it a little better by leaving her a nice inheritance.
Anonymous wrote:You already made it worse. She could’ve stayed young, innocent and gullible.