Divorce drama

My parents are divorced and I am (surprisingly) OK with it. My mom's boyfriend is really nice and we really get along. The problem is that I really don't like my dad's girlfriend. She's only 26 and he's 46. She is also kind of rude to me - once we were watching a movie and I dropped a piece of popcorn on the couch, so I ate it. She said, "Eww! That's gross! Can you not do that?" and I was offended. She does that to me all the time. I don't even think my dad likes her that much either.


This leads me to my other problem: my dad is still in love with my mom. He talks about her too much and asks me about her boyfriend, like how tall he is and what color his eyes are. I told my mom and she asked him to stop, but he is still asking. Any tips on how to make this stop?


Oh boy, this is a tough one! It must be really hard to have to switch from house to house, meet new people all the time, and be OK with all of it. Good job on having such a clear perspective on everything!


I know it might be frustrating to get to know your dad's girlfriend, but the thing is: if he likes her, there must be a reason. See if you can figure it out! Make an effort to get to know her. Start by asking her some questions about what she likes, what life was like for her when she was your age, etc. Hang out with her and your dad together. Don't pressure yourself to like her right away – little by little you'll get to know her really well, and hopefully like her like your dad does, too.


If you feel offended again, don't be afraid to talk to her about it like you would to a BFF your age – she might not even know she was being offensive, but will definitely back off if she knows it's a problem.


And as for your dad, that's another super sticky situation. Start with talking to him about how it makes you uncomfortable when he asks questions about your mom. Maybe you could choose to not answer the questions anymore, or to change the subject when these questions do come up, or to answer them honestly but without any juicy details-whatever you decide, let him know exactly what you're thinking and why you've decided this. Hell be proud that you've made such a mature decision, and I bet he'll do whatever he can to keep you happy, feeling comfortable, and around for him to spend time with you!


Good luck with everything!
<3 Katie P.

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6/6/2009 7:00:00 AM
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