Divorced dads with kids!

[txteach]

Oh no I'd NEVER speak bad in front of my daughter about her. That's just not right. Just don't want to ever see the woman again. Luckily we have a babysitter we go through now.

[david_b]

That's the biggest thing, txteach. I had a woman I worked with ask me once what to tell the kids when they start asking why she split from their Dad. I told her to tell them, nicely but bluntly, that 'it's none of their business'.

Her relationship with her ex-husband should in no way sour how the children see him. Their marital relationship was just that: THEIR relationship. It doesn't have to be, nor should it ever be, their kid's business to know.

Now, when they get into their late teens or something, that's different. But in their formative, pre-teen years, I recommended that it STRICTLY stay between ex-husband and wife.

[Steeler80]

My daughter's mother and I just told her that we argued way too much and we decided to be friends instead. She's five and that has seemed to satisfy her for the time being. I'm sure she'll have more questions later. If she asks me, I'll try to answer them honestly (and age appropriately) but not say anything bad about her mother. I agree that you should never "down" the other parent to your kids.