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This has been his standard MO my whole life: He’s the dad, and we should all do and say and feel as he wants us to. Never mind the fact that he didn’t ask me if I wanted to or was ready to meet her (lunch never happened). I told him that he had to go through their parents, and they told him the kids were not ready. During their school break, he tried through text to get me to set up a lunch date with the kids and he would bring Nancy and meet us. He persisted in telling me and one of my brothers way more than we cared to know, including that their third date would be a “sleepover.” He also completely disregarded the request to not talk about it in front of the kids-at our family holiday celebration, he told two of the kids that he wanted to take them to lunch on school break to meet his “lady friend,” resulting in tears. Later that year, he met “Nancy” on a senior dating site and almost immediately (two dates in) began sharing all sorts of details with me, to the point where I asked that he not be so open, reiterating that I was happy he was enjoying this person’s company. I also asked him to be cautious about talking in front of my youngest niblings (18, 13, 10) about his early dating experiences so as to protect their feelings as they continue to process the profound loss of their beloved grandma. I truly don’t want him to be lonely and expressed my support while encouraging him to take things slow, as he tends to be overzealous, to put it politely.

Last summer, my dad started talking about wanting to meet someone for companionship. My parents were together for 50+ years and I am the middle child with an older and a younger sibling. We lost my mom in 2021 after a cancer battle. Have a question about kids, parenting, or family life? Submit it here !

#SLATE HUMAN INTEREST PLUS#

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