re: Being There For A Parent That Abandoned You And Has Been A Source Of Pain Your Entire Life

My children and I are going through something very similar right now.

I caught my wife of 23 years having an affair with the assistant principle of our local middle school just after the first of the year. Turns out I was one of the last to learn of the affair. Our two sons have admitted that there was talk at school from fellow students long before it became "public" knowledge.

She told our children about the affair and told them that it didn't have anything to do with them and that it wouldn't have any negative effects on them. She left that night and hasn't returned since. About a month ago we learned that she had moved to the west coast. She continues to see the man she had the affair with periodically and plans on moving back to the area once "his" divorce is also final.

Two of our three children have blocked her number from their phones and told her that as long as she continues to see this man, they refuse to have any relationship with her. I finally had to take the youngest one to see a counselor for anger issues. I see something very similar for my children in regards to OP.