“My Boyfriend Keeps Giving His Ex-Wife Money”
First, you need to figure out what it is that bothers you about the idea of your boyfriend of a year financially helping out his ex-wife/mother of his grown son. Do you think it symbolizes feelings between them that you’re uncomfortable with? Are you concerned about your boyfriend’s own financial situation? Do you think he can’t afford the help he’s provided his ex in the past? Are you thinking about building a future with this man and worried about how his spending habits may affect that future together?
Once you get clear about what it is that concerns you, you need to decide what is actually worth communicating to your boyfriend and how. For example, as his girlfriend of a year – I assume you don’t live together? — I don’t think it’s entirely your business how he spends his money. But if you feel unsettled about his relationship with his ex-wife, that is absolutely worth discussing. And it might help you to get a sense of why he has helped her financially in the past. Maybe he didn’t pay as much child support and alimony as he could have. Maybe he feels particularly indebted to her for, as you say, raising his son well. Maybe the money is his way of making amends for problems his drinking may have caused in their life together and his role as a co-parent when their son was young.
You mention nothing in this letter that should worry you — only that they have a pleasant relationship that is mostly maintained through phone calls – so you would have to be clear about what it is that concerns you. Is it just about the money he loans her? Again, it’s not your business how he spends his money, but if you think the money symbolizes something about their relationship that confuses or upsets you, you should express that.
If you are thinking about a future with this man and are worried about how his potentially extending financial help toward his ex may affect your plans, be very concrete about those concerns when you talk to him. Does he know you have these plans? Is he on the same page as you? Does all of this sound a little premature? Well, then, maybe worrying about how your boyfriend might react to his ex-wife’s maybe impending retirement is also premature? And maybe it is best to focus on the present and how and whether your boyfriend makes you happy, and whether your relationship feels super solid. If it doesn’t, think about what it is that is happening right now – not maybe, potentially months or a couple years from now, but right now in the present – that you can address with him and then do that. Worrying about something that *might* happen, and that might now even affect you if it does, is a waste of energy.
The second anniversary of my fiancé’s death is in a week and I don’t know what to do or how to feel. I’ve got nowhere that I’m welcome. I can’t even visit his memorial bench because I don’t know where it is, and I don’t know where his ashes are scattered. I don’t want to just sit at home and do nothing because I want to remember him and I want my son to remember his daddy. But what can we do together that’s appropriate for a 3-year-old? Any kind of help or advice would be greatly appreciated! — Remembering My Fiancé
I’m so sorry for your loss and for the extra pain being alienated from your fiancé’s family has caused you. I think it’s a wonderful idea to do something special on the anniversary of his death to honor his memory, especially to help your son develop a sense of his father. You don’t need a memorial bench or scattered ashes to do that. Is there a place that you know of that was special to your fiancé? Is there somewhere you two went together that had some special meaning for you? Was there a place you went on dates? A park where you had walks and talks? Where did you first find out you were pregnant? Where did you two get engaged? Where did you plan to get married? If there’s any place that sticks out as meaningful to you, it might be nice to go there with your son if possible. Have a picnic or order a lunch. Bring photos to show your son (or, better yet, make an album or scrapbook to give to him). Tell him about his daddy.
Since it’s spring and the anniversary of your fiancé’s death will always fall in early spring, it might be a nice tradition to start planting something in memory of him. For example, my local neighborhood park offers commemorative tree-planting opportunities every spring where people can donate a specific amount of money and then choose a tree species and location for the tree to be planted. Maybe there is something similar in your area. The anniversary could also be the day you do some gardening, either at your own home or at a designated place that has some special meaning.
Does anyone else have ideas for how this LW and her son can honor her fiancé’s memory on the anniversary of his death — ideally something that can be a tradition that they can continue year after year?
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I’m so sorry about your fiance. If you could have a playlist of all his favorite songs, you could play them in the car ride or play them during breakfast.
My mother passed away when I was slightly older than your son. I went to her grave regularly when I was a child. I didn’t find it cathartic, or comforting and I couldn’t equate the stories or pictures I had of her with (what I saw as) a rock, among a field of other rocks. As an adult I decided to remember her in a way if my choosing. I take a day off in the month of April (the month of her birthday and the day she died) and do something I think she would like. In years past I have done community gardening, gone on a long walk in a beautiful place, done some kind of act of service (soup kitchens etc). Since having a child of my own I do things with him that I think she would have enjoyed doing with us together. On Monday I am taking my son to a local pop up happiness museum.
I say this, not to say that sitting on a bench is an inappropriate way of releasing your grief, but more to say that in the absence of the bench or ashes maybe you can start something new that you look forward to doing with your son that I am sure his father would have also enjoyed.
Grief is a tricky bedfellow. You are going through it, at some point your son will go through it, your fiancé’s family is still going through it. Be kind to yourself.
I so agree with this.
You sound like a loving daughter. My Mom passed 4/28 and my husband and I do something on that dayshe would have enjoyed doing. She was an amazing person and I miss her so much, it still hurts. Our outings don’t ease the pain, but make me feel like we are doing something special together.
LW1: I agree that you need to figure out what the issue is. But in the end, he’s an adult and he can make choices about how he wants to interact with his ex wife. If you don’t like those and feel that those are dealbreakers for you, you certainly can break up with him. I will say, though, that if everything else is fine (you seem to be implying that all the other issues are over and done with — I don’t know if that’s true or just wishful thinking), you do need to consider that in our society, divorced single moms often become impoverished when they reach retirement. Oftentimes, this is due to the fact that they were not fully employed during their kid’s childhood and, while married, this was fine, but when they are no longer married, they don’t have the safety net that other women do. It’s not always about manipulation or romantic interest if an ex husband helps out his ex wife who is in this situation. It can often be a way to avoid burdening their child with a too-early expectation of supporting themselves and a parent.
LW2 I’d find something to do that your fiance liked to do that is also something age appropriate for your son. It could be anything. If he liked to go bowling could you take your son for bumper bowling. Or maybe it would be fishing or a bike ride or going out for pizza or ice cream or shooting rockets or flying kites. I’d find something fun that you can share with your son and say that his daddy liked it too.
I’m going through similar stuff too but the only difffeence is she is on disability income smokes meth we all live together I don’t do drugs and she drinks all the time he ask me for money he 48 and I’m 26 his ex wife living with us is 38 and he always gives her my money I told him it made me uncomfortable and she tells him stuff like to eat her out right in front of me he has her back all the time we fight a lot I feel so used and I exspress my concerns but he won’t listen he keeps giving her money
Why are you in this relationship? Leave this loser and move out asap! (also use periods in your writing)
Agree
um, what the ever-loving eff? Okay, let me see if I got this straight:
1. He’s almost twice your age.
2. Asks you for money.
3. Has his ex-wife LIVING with you.
4. Ex-wife is on drugs and disability.
5. He gives her your money.
6. They are sexually suggestive with each other.
7. They are sexually suggestive with each other IN FRONT OF YOU.
8. He takes her side over yours.
9. I’m just going to stop here.
Oh honey, you are not in a relationship. They are in a relationship. You are his live-in side-chick and their meal ticket. They are most definitely having sex and you should most definitely get as far away from those two flaming garbage piles as you can. There is so much better out there. The fact you’ve put up with this BS for a second is unimaginable. Get out (NOW), get a therapist, and aim higher.
As I previously discussed in my blog, I am 26 years old living with a 47 year old boyfriend and his ex wife lisa lives with us too she 37 years old with mental disabilities, bipolar, maniac depression, schizophrenic, he has his kids from her living with us she try’s to beat me up all the time she says things are telling her to in her head she stabbed my bf Aka her ex husband and he still took her back in our home he says it’s because of the kids I don’t bealive that for a minute it’s bullshit ok because the kids don’t want her around she scares them and comes out naked from the shower never closes the door when she showers stabs the walls with knifes and when I tell my boyfriend what she does to me aka his ex wife he denies it and condones her behavior and then me and him have fights he calls me a selfish bitch. Whore, slut I’m a devil because I don’t like his ex wife . She stills from me walks into our private room when she wants she doesn’t respect our house hold . He told me to give her my car so she can sleep on only problem is that’s all I have left to my name she destroyed everything and she had a car but she thought demons were talking to her through the dash board radios so she busted it up so this is why I told her ex husband my bf now no I won’t I told him why and he said I’m selfish I’ll go to hell but my bf and I have trust issues to begin with he allows his ex wife to bully me dress with her nipples showing in a tube top told my bf to eat her pussy in front of me drunk and laughing she does dope . What the fuck do I do I tried to leave he won’t let me he try’s to say if you leave I’ll pin theses holes on the wall of our apartment on you or the broken tv ? but his ex is the one who did this I’ve never been to jail in my life and I’m a good women
When I confront my bf about my feelings he gets all crazy and said I’m jealous she aka his ex wife doesn’t know what she doing which is a crock of shit ok she cooks never cleans her mess they make me do it and if I refuse because I get tired of cleaning after his ex wife he fights with me and says he has to be the man with the pussy between his legs . He lets his ex wife call me a whore and a bitch . Prostitute and say things provocative like you think her pussy better than mine his ex says she number 1 and I’m a white and he lets her she says she will slit my throat at night she try’s to give her 12 year old son a bath naked with him I told my bf he said again oh it’s ok she thinks he’s still a baby I told him that’s wrong malestation because her son tells his mom stop mom she says let me see your Penis and BLls let me scrub it for you she sun tans in our back yard at a compartment complex where neighbors. Can see out the windows but ass naked no clothes my bf has all kinds of naked girls in his phone which makes me insecure he talks about having 3 sums with other women I don’t want he talks to his ex booty call gfs and makes me meet them he has all his ex numbers and communicates to them I told his mom she won’t help me
There is no sane reason to put up with abuse from your so-called boyfriend or his druggy ex-wife. Move out, and find a good therapist ASAP.
I think that’s a very formal way of divorce, he’s just helping the mother of his childrens, not his ex, he doesn’t love her, he just want to be sure his childrens will not suffer for the maybe bad situation his mother is passing, in my opinion you should stay with him, but that’s just my point of view.
Who are you talking about? The letter writer or the girl in the comments who is actively in an abusive relationship.
There are so many red flags! You’re young, I say move on. Speak with the landlord. If you are on the lease you can request that she leaves, if you are not on the lease then you can leave anytime, and he can’t blame you for damages.
You are being used is what it sounds like to me. Either let them keep walking all over you, or get the heck out of there. This isn’t a healthy situation, and the behavior you describe of mom around a 12 year old is inappropriate, and completely wrong! You are just as guilty, because you witness it and don’t do anything about it.
Stand up for yourself! Stand up for the child!
I’ll add mine to the other responders here. Ashley. You are in a toxic situation where you are being used. Find an abused women’s group for help to get out. Don’t tell anyone. You “love” a man who doesn’t love or respect you. Get out while you can. Best wishes.
My husband passed away when my children were young. We don’t have a specific tradition every year – it has varied as the kids have matured and where we find ourselves each year on those special dates. I find that it works best for us to keep it simple and just focus on being together and sharing more with the kids about who he was. We often make one of his favorite meals or go to one of his favorite restaurants. We always enjoyed playing board games so when the kids were younger we’d have a game night. As they got older, maybe watching a favorite movie together. And of course looking at photos – that was hard for us in the beginning because it was painful, but as time has passed, we love bringing out the old photos and reminiscing and laughing at the funny memories they bring up.