She's been seeing someone for a couple months and now he's coming to kid events. I'm trying to be cool about it but man it stings. Know I don't have a right to complain since we're divorced but struggling with how to explain this to the kids without badmouthing their mom. Anyone else been through this?
That's a tough spot, man. I get it - watching your kid with another guy is hard. The fact that you're trying to be cool about it shows a lot of maturity. Just keep being the present, engaged dad you are and your kids will see that.
Three kids, two dogs, and yeah I've been there with the co-parenting thing. It sucks at first but what helped me was remembering that more stable adults in my kids' lives is actually good for them, even when it stings personally.
Your feelings are valid but kids usually adjust faster than we think. Focus on making sure he's respectful and a good influence, not whether you like the guy. That's the co-parenting part that sucks sometimes but matters most.
This is a tricky one. The mature play is accepting it and keeping your feelings about him separate from how he treats the kids. That said, it's okay to have some boundaries about how much he's around in the beginning. Those conversations are awkward but necessary.
Sign in to join the conversation.
Been there. It stings initially but honestly the kids are usually fine with it before you are. Just watch how he acts around them and speak up if something feels off. Otherwise let it be what it is.