TKM
Ok. Here goes. My parents were married when they were 16 and had my older sister 8 months later. :) I was born 17 months after that, when mom was 18 and then my little sister came when mom was 22. This is when the affair started. This was a LTA. When I was 7, mom was a SAHM, mom took ALL of dad's possessions, tossed them out on the lawn, and refused to let him in the house. We knew that something was going on, and even at that age we knew he was seeing someone else.
Dad was never the best dad, he was abusive, both verbally and physically, but never to my mother. That is a different story. There is a 5 year gap in between sisters, and then mom and dad had two more. Between the third and the last two, dad went through a transformation where he stopped drinking, stopped coming home late. Before, mom used to pile the three of us into a car and go from bar to bar to find my father. There was a lot of yelling. But, after the A, dad really changed. I think of him as two different people.
Fast forward to today. I just had a baby, five months ago. I was on maternity leave and went up to help mom and dad move. I found a letter mom had written to herself, debating whether to stay with dad or not. She talked about the OW being pregnant with a baby. This would have been when I was 7, so OC is, or should be 21 or so now.
I have not told my mom that I have found the letter. I DO NOT want to bring up that pain for her again. I have some questions, but I realize that it was THEIR decision to make, whether to tell us or not, and that they must have had their reasons. I DO NOT think that their M would have worked if OC had been a part of dad's life at all. Period. It WOULD NOT have worked, and then I would be out two sisters, whom I love.
I do not think that I would have understood the decision when I was younger. We knew that affairs were going on, because most kids know. I feel that this had tainted my view of relationships and I am suspicious of my H without reason. He really is the best, nothing like my father. I keep LOOKING for evidence of an A, just because, I have no reason. I wish I were not like this.
I believe that we would have been much worse off had we known about OC all along. As it is, we had NO idea. The change that dad went through was dramatic, and good.
PLEASE do not second guess your decision to have NC with the OC. DO NOT! I do not resent my mother for the decision. I do have some resentment for my father, but that also stems in part from his being a distant father.
My parents were able to work through this VERY difficult time, and have been very happy. Now they are grandparents together and dad has gone through some SERIOUS changes. He used to call us pieces of shit, we would get beat with a belt, etc. I believe that this is because my parents married so young and dad resented having such a responsibility so young.
If you are going through R, have faith! Mom still hurts from OC, we can tell. The OW's name is Alice, and she freaks still whenever she hears that name.
I also do not think I would have been so understanding until I had my baby and was married myself. I do not blame her for not telling us, let me say again. I admire her strength and her ability to make her marriage work despite my fathers numerous A;s. We used to wonder why she never left him, especially when he was a mean asshole. I think at first she didn't leave him because she didn't want OW to win. Mom is good on revenge. Then, they actually did work it out. I don't think my dad ever paid CS to OW/OC, he wouldn't have been able to afford it. I believe OC was adopted by OW's husband (or she was married at the time and he never knew, I am not sure). I do not fault my dad for not being there for OC. He wasn't really there for us, so it was a non-issue.
I think the OW is a dirty slut, having sex with a man with three children. I can't think of many people lower. I have no urge to meet OC. I sometimes wonder if it was a boy, since we are all girls, and what he/she looks like, but I WILL NOT bring it up to my mother because she has already been through too much because of my father.
I think that if the BS wants to bash OW, more power to them. I think the only OW who deserves any sympathy is the one who has been lied to, thinking that MM isn't married. Then again, how is that possible? You know, I feel betrayed myself, but NOT at my mother.
I suggest that you ladies who are not telling their children now, but plan to, wait until they are older, possibly out of college. I think they probably suspect something, even if they are very young. Being older helped me to better understand the situation. Plus, you do not want to teach your children that it is ok for affairs/not taking care of OC. They just won't understand.
Dad's affair(s) have impacted the family for years. They impacted his children's relationships and our faith in him. I used to hate my father, but I don't anymore. I am glad that they kept this from us while we were little. Kids should keep their innocence.
Please ask me any questions you might have. Sorry for the ramble.
(((HUGS)))