I can believe him when he says his wife was unkind and controlling and that their libidos were mismatched but that doesn't change the fact that he had an affair and moved out of state to play happy families with his girlfriend and new baby.
Did your ex "encourage [your children] to be bratty and behave badly" or were they angry with you for leaving them behind for your new wife and child?
You're kinder than I am tbh. She "created a messy divorce" (!!!) and the stuff about her encouraging the kids to be bratty (!!!) means I find it hard to believe his ex was controlling. It's just SO MUCH unreliable narrator or weird blame-y POV. Even the "never gave her any flexibility about adjusting to being a stepmom" is so weird and blame-y. Like, I can believe that's true, but they were kids and their dad cheated with her then left them to have a baby with her - blaming them for not managing that level of maturity is so so weird.
no subject
Did your ex "encourage [your children] to be bratty and behave badly" or were they angry with you for leaving them behind for your new wife and child?
You're kinder than I am tbh. She "created a messy divorce" (!!!) and the stuff about her encouraging the kids to be bratty (!!!) means I find it hard to believe his ex was controlling. It's just SO MUCH unreliable narrator or weird blame-y POV. Even the "never gave her any flexibility about adjusting to being a stepmom" is so weird and blame-y. Like, I can believe that's true, but they were kids and their dad cheated with her then left them to have a baby with her - blaming them for not managing that level of maturity is so so weird.