Little Man feels like he’s being replace with ex’s new girlfriend’s son. Ex has moved in with her and he’s bought a house with her but not married her as far as we know.
This past visitation, Ex’s gf brought her kids to his parent’s house where Ex has his overnight visitation with the kids. They were playing football when this little boy, we’ll call him Mark for sanity sake, called Ex “Dad.”
Of course Little Man was hurt. From LM’s point of view, this child lives with his dad, so he sees him more and does more with him. Now Mark calls Ex dad. The child has a father in his life, so I don’t really understand it. I would never allow my child to call another man "Dad" as long as his father was an active part of his life. I think it's disrespectful to his real father.
I know from my years in daycare, though, that some women will teach their children to call their current boyfriend dad as a way to hold on to the boyfriend. Moms have told me that they hope the boyfriend will stick around for the child’s sake(a child that really isn’t his). Ex’s current GF has four children by three men. I would have though he’d be smart enough to see th pattern here, amd pick up on the whole “Dad” thing from being married to me and seeing these crazy women inaction. We talked about it.
Diva felt like that, too, with ex’s first girlfriend who had a daughter her age with special needs. (Girlfriend was other the other woman we divorced over) That will be a whole other story for another day, but I promise you it will be a good one.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can help my son through this? He’s so hurt. LM feels like this other child has replaced him and is getting the time with his dad that LM should have had. I’m not in a position to talk to EX about it right now. It’s still to raw for LM and me. I’m afraid I’d just let go and let him have it for hurting our son so much over the years.