I know the separation of the family is crazy painful. I happened to walk by a chuckie cheese after going in to buy balloons for my D's 2nd birthday for when she got home from celebrating her Bday with her dad. I had no clue what they were doing. Well, I found out when I saw my D, my ex, his OW celebrating in chuckie cheese. I watched my daughter's second birthday from the outside and wanted to die.
I think I read this story in one of your threads. It is crazy painful. I was thinking that more than the sadness of losing my significant other - at this point I am mourning the loss of an idealized childhood that I wanted for my kids that is just gone now. Dad will not be there all of the time and mom will struggle and there will be step parents along the line to confuse everything even further. What makes it even more gut wrenching for me is how cheerful and loving they still are around me (bless their heart), despite all of these changes happening all around us.
Yes, the idealized childhood and family life is a hard one to let go of.
Good news is though, they are cheerful and loving around you because that's actually how they feel. We do think their worlds are going to crumble around them, but if given strong parents and tons of loves, their world won't crumble. (even ONE strong parent) Will certain things be difficult? Yes. My D had had a rough periods. she hasn't been in one for a while now. But really, she is a well adjusted kid.
