Dear Trying To Do the Right Thing,

Sit down with your children and explain to them that they have a brother who is going to visit once in a while. You should also explain that his dad is their dad and that his mom is 'fill in name'. Other details, if you decide to divulge them, can be given to them later. As for your family and friends, if they ask say that you feel children should have their fathers in their lives and that you've forgiven your husband. Then say the topic is closed. You don't need to explain yourselves any more than that. Anyone who decides to "hate" your husband is not worth the aggravation of keeping around.

PhysicsGirl

Dear Distressed Dad,

She's 16, not 12. I remember the racy letters I wrote to my boyfriend..... I don't think this is a case of children maturing faster, merely using a new technology to do what people have always done. However, Prudie was correct in that you should have a talk about the bird and the bees and make sure she has access to birth control when/if she decides to have sex. Hell, you should've had this discussion with her four years ago. If she feels that you're not going to accept her relationship if it becomes sexual, she probably won't tell you and will be much more likely to not protect herself.

PhysicsGirl

Dear Daddy's Girl,

There's really not much you can do in this situation since this is what your dad had chosen. You can, of course, say that you do not agree with his wife when she starts one of her tiarades, This may simply antagonize her. Chances are, it won't change anything. At that point you have to decide to stay and deal or to leave. You can't make someone change.

PhysicsGirl

Dear The Banned One,

I'm always suspicous of people who claim they had an affair because their marriage was *so* terrible. I've seen people use this as justification because they want to have an affair with someone, not because their marriage was this horrendous thing. Anyways, that's beside the point. Your husband's daughter is being rude by not inviting you. You guys are married. However, this may be an important event for your husband to reconnect with his children. I would encourage him to go, for that reason. If you prevent him from going and he never salvages his relationship with his children, he may resent you. Then you'll have the "terrible" marriage that he needs to find solace for.

PhysicsGirl

Well done as usual.

The only thing I would add to distressed dad is to talk to his daughter about not using his (dad's) phone when sending sexually explicit text (or even worse - picture) messages to other minors. If the boy receiving the message parent's also find the messages and call the dad's phone - well - bad things happen...

'Racy' letters PG ?

Did you compose these letters whilst listening to the gramomophone and catching a breather after dancing to the Charleston ?

Tarquin Machismo:

'Racy' letters PG ?

Did you compose these letters whilst listening to the gramomophone and catching a breather after dancing to the Charleston ?

LOL! If I did, I would've been the coolest teen ever. No, I generally composed them while listening to Bryan Adams.... I suspect that if I could read them now, I'd find them absolutely hysterical.

I won a couple of Bryan Adams long-players myself, PG, but if you breathe a word of it, i'll be forced to hunt you down.

evil_robots:

Well done as usual.

The only thing I would add to distressed dad is to talk to his daughter about not using his (dad's) phone when sending sexually explicit text (or even worse - picture) messages to other minors. If the boy receiving the message parent's also find the messages and call the dad's phone - well - bad things happen...

Good point. I never thought of that. If the authorities think the father is texting the teenage boy, then Daddy-O will go to jail and become someone's bitch.

"Tiarades" - I love it! Great new word for Bridezilla behavior....