How do I deal with widower's adult children?

261 answers - active on Feb 18th 2022
Anyone have any advice for me on how to deal with my husbands adult children after the death of their mother? Their mother dropped over dead, unexpectantly, in her early 50's. I've tried to be supportive to them, respecting their loss, knowing that I will never take the place of their mother (nor would I want to) but I would like to be able to get to know them better and be their friend. Is this just impossible? They are not mean to me in any way. I just feel like an outsider that will never be let in. After 3 yrs of being with their father I feel like a relationship with his kids is like beating my head against the wall! The daughter, age 32, is always calling her father on his cell phone putting a guilt trip of some sort on him. Every time I try to plan a "holiday" so that my husband can share it with his family it never works. I tried this last Christmas, worked for days in the kitchen, only for my husband to get a phone call one hour prior to dinner that his daughter was sick and couldn't make it...but her family was going to come. We have tried to plan camping outings, some succesfull, but if I try to cook something to help out it is never eaten. The daughter has to cook. She has to be in control. When the outings aren't sucessfull, meaning not everyone shows up or if we don't see them for awhile then she lays on a guilt trip to her father..stating we just don't get to see one another. We live only 1/2 hr away from the daughter, have always encouraged them to come our house. They have been here 2 times in over 3 yrs. On our second wedding anniversary his son called (I'm sure he didn't realize it was our anniversary) and asked him to come over because my husband had been wanting him to do some maintance on his truck. They also invited us to go boating along with his daughter. Unfortunately I cannot boat anymore due to my injury. I told my husband to go ahead and go. He enjoys the boat. Well my husband went to his sons but felt he was letting me down so decided not to go boating. His daughter called the next day, whining to him, that he never spent any time with them anymore. (did I mention he works full time too?) But yet they don't darken our door. Several times over these years I've experienced devastating things in my life with loved ones passing and with my health. Not once did they show up at the funeral home or share their condolences. Never do they ask how I am. It's like I just do not exist in their world! It's very hurtful to me. Just to give some background....I told my husband when we married that we would have to live in my house (I already had it paid for) that I couldn't live in his house that he shared with his wife. When he moved out I was the one that suggested he take both of his adult children to his house (no one else aloowed! not even me) and they go through and decide who wants what. I never said I wanted anything out of that house. So it's not like I tried to take any of their mother's things away from them. My husband did bring a piano (nobody wanted), a dresser, and a grandfather clock that his wife bought for him on their 25th wedding anniversary (because he wanted it) and an older TV. I've never treated these kids with malice or been unfair to them in any way...the only thing I did was marry their father after their mother's sudden death. My husband son is quite different...he treats me much better we just live an hour away from them. I've tried everything I know to get along...finally I've given up. This makes me feel really bad for my husband. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Or should I just continue to give up?
Kate Smith answered this in Connecting With Adult Stepchildren In Blended Families - READ MORE
Did you say you were an ADULT daughter? Funny, to think the STEPWOMEN didn't take to you given how lovely you are.
Could you be anymore selfish? and what does your Dad's money have to do with you! good job in helping destroy his chance for happiness.
I'm also taken aback after reading these post. I'm married to a widower, we have our issues like everyone else. IF I knew an answer I wouldn't be here reading. However, there is something seriously wrong with the"adult" children calling you names. I told my husband, when I agreed to marry him, that I would always appreciate whatever he valued in the relationship with the first wife but that our relationship should not be about his past with her, more than the present is about our life together.
all these "adult" kids need to grow up.
A friend of mine told," they are always going to ate you." She's right and I don't take it personally.
I am living with a widower of almost 8 years.  We started dating eight and a half months after his wife died.  I have two daughters and he has two daughters and two sons.  From what I have read on this thread, it seems it is always the daughters who have a problem with the new new relationship and consequently behave badly.   None of our children were happy when we first started dating, but two years later we moved in together and my daughters and his sons learned to adapt to, enjoy and appreciate the new blended-family; however, his daughters still will not accept it.  Their behaviour is beyond being explained by grief.  After reading the posts in this thread, I see that it's not me, it's them as it seems universal.
oh my gosh seriously you did not the read the posts. you perception is sooooooooooooooo ridiculous
I think it is fruitless to try. My companions only son treats me like dirt. I have cooked, cleaned, supported his heavy metal band, given up days to do things for him and I get treated as if I am a jerk. He was not close to his Mom and I dont even know why. I have tried to be a friend but no way. His father spoiled him rotten for years and years and now he is a spoiled rotten 28 year old. I am giving up and walking away. His dad is wonderful to me and I love him dearly but I came out of a abusive marriage and will never allow myself to be treated like less of a person ever again.
I feel for you. My partner's daughters are forgiven everything because they lost their mother.
You are lucky that you are not living in 'their' house. as I moved in to my husbands home when we married (6 years ago) and we had 6 adult kids, four still living with us, and the other two coming and going. I would not recommend this to anyone on earth. My health has deteriorated from the stress of it all and I cant believe we have survived through it. Apart from the non stop interference from other people and constant references to his last wife (died 10 years ago) I have finally given up on trying to get his adult children to accept me. I have bent over backwards for them and made a fool of myself trying to be the perfect stepmother, when the truth is, although they are not cruel or disrespectful to me, they will never let me in. I for one have given up trying. I only wish I had never tried so hard, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache. One thing I would not put up with is them calling the shots and putting guilt trips on my husband. You have to come first especially on your anniversary. They are adults and know what they are doing. Dont let them walk over you. Good luck. Love does not conquer all. unfortunately.
I have been reading the most recent posts and I want to give you all a big thank you because for 6 years I have felt very alone in this situation. I married A widower 4 years ago who has 3 adult daughters, I have one adult son and one adult daughter. I had a major melt down last night after one of his daughters was quite rude to me and my husband again could not see it or be assertive enough to stop it. And it was right in front of him. For me I know I could handle what his daughters feel about me but I need his support. I feel like an outsider when they are around. There is too much history to go into but in short after getting married and looking for a home of our own we both decided that we could make his home into ours. It is a beautiful home. We have spent the past 5 years redecorating since his late wife and I had opposite tastes. Now we have finally decided to move and we are very lucky to have found a beautiful home in another state. We have been stashing his late wife's collections and it was time for the girls to come and look through them to take what they wanted. The long and short of this is the eldest daughter was emotionally charged (fully understandable) I had spent time planning a nice dinner, homemade ice cream, drinks if they wanted to show them support at this difficult time. The eldest was quite rude to me and again my husband bailed out on me. I did finally leave for a couple of hours, we had a talk when I came home that was a bit productive but my husband continues to say there is not a problem. I came to my family beach cottage to regroup. Not too sure what to do next. But thank you all for being here, I now know I am not alone. Oh and my two children love my husband and have totally accepted him.
You've obviously never actually experienced a situation like this and are an idiot!
I am also married to a widower and he has three children from his previous marriage, i don't have any kids for him i have five of my own which they are grown and married and living their life, but my husband's oldest daughter is 40 years old, married for 15 years no children, but has her dad rapped around her finger when she calls he jumps whatever she wants she gets most of the time on weekends she calls him to go over there the spend time with her or she would tell him he needs to spend more time with his grand kids. I used to go with him, but I got tired of going over her house and just sit and watch them drinking and he does know when to leave, he would spend hours and hours 10 to 15 hrs at her house, he would be coming home in the wee hours of the morning. I think is just using me. For Mother's day i did not get a mother's day card, but the youngest daughter got a brand new stove and a expensive microwave. He left the Saturday morning, came the night and left Sunday Morning again until Sunday night again,he spent the mothers day with them, and he also living in the past and cannot move on.
I have been dating a widower for the past two years who has two grown daughters. The resentment from those two has not lessened over time like I hoped it would. Sometimes kindness is seen as a weakness. Yes, you should give up on winning them over. The ugliness I've experienced from their behavior stems from my being their father's live in girlfriend. They honestly see me as his mistress. Join the crowd. Stay strong. "The strength in your character will bring you serenity"
I recently moved out of the house my husband and I shared because I could no longer take his youngest daughter's meddling. We had been married for 11 years, and this daughter is 45, married with one child. My soon-to-be ex always sided with her, always thought I was criticizing her (when i wasn't), always took her side and put HER before me and our marriage. I couldn't take being "the other woman" when I was supposed to be HIS woman. I still love this man, and he still loves me, but there was NO WAY I could continue. My advice, never marry a widower, your life will be hell if you do.
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