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Adult daughter indifferent about our wedding announcement

PinkSharpie's picture

She's 28 and clearly jealous of me. Her dad and I have been together for 2 years and his divorce is finally FINAL. They have been separated for 3 years. (Long story...bad, lazy lawyers + assets to fight over)

She is not the child of the woman he divorced. Her mother and him were high school sweethearts who did not stay married long but he was a good dad regardless.

Last night she was sitting with us at the dinner table and he told her "My divorce is finally official!". Her reply: "Well,I just don't know what to say about that.... Congratulations????"

This idiot knows what a nightmare the marriage AND divorce has been for her dad and she couldn't even muster up a fake "Congrats!"

She knows we're getting married soon and I'm assuming she can't stand that. She's a miserable, unhappy person and I wholeheartedly believe that she would prefer her dad be miserable too. She is a major drama-filled victim and I am going to bet the drama kicks up several notches when we do get officially engaged.

Jeez.

 

 

JRI's picture

I would just proceed on with my life and ignore her.  By the way,  Congrstulations!

lieutenant_dad's picture

I'd stop disclosing personal information to her. She doesn't care because it doesn't benefit her. She can find out about things the same way everyone else does, or not at all. If special announcements aren't going to be treated as special, then don't include her on the list of people who get the special announcements. 

PinkSharpie's picture

I like that. She clearly doesn't want her dad to be happy. There has been non-stop drama with her since I met her and that is a big reason...jealousy and wanting attention. I've recently decided that I'm going to start treating her the same....I'll be indifferent to her next self-inflicted castastrophe and ignore it.

ESMOD's picture

I'm sure this is a tip of the iceberg issue and that you know about lots more below the waterline.

On the face of it, her reaction wasn't really odd to me.  I mean.. when people say something like "my divorce was finalized". it seems weird to say congrats about the final end of a failed relationship.   Like saying Happy Memorial Day.. it is just a but weird to associate "happy" with an "unhappy" thing.  I mean, she really shouldn't have been too aware of the details and pain of his divorce from his EX (not her mother).. perhaps she acted indifferent because she didn't care about the EX.. and it was a non-event to her?

You say that you assume she is jealous.. you assume she doesn't like that you are getting married.  Without more concrete examples, I don't know.. maybe she is.. but sometimes we attach some motivations to people's actions that are not in any way related.

You think she is not happy about the wedding.. she may have something else completely on her mind.  

tfsimmons's picture

Be very sure of one thing before you go down this frickin' rabbit hole - his daughter hates you and will live to make you miserable.  Parenting never ends - NEVER - especially for divorced dads with daughters.  Think long and hard before you waste all your pretty and young years defending your feelings and fighting for your rightful place in this pyramid.

JRI's picture

Just be polite and civil.  Don't share any personal info.  When your SO discusses her, say, "Gee" or "Really?" and change the subject.

Dovina's picture

Some of these skids are never happy for daddee's happiness, unless it revolves around them.

Congratulations and make sure your DH is on board where he does not tolerate any BS from them towards you and your marriage. Thats huge!!

I remember when we got engaged adult SD cried and cried . Adult SS said "how did that happen" and the day before we eloped SS said "are you sure you know what you are doing, you dont even know Dovina'   Ummmm we had known eachother for years. LOL  These skids live to ruin special occassions...limit their involvement as much as you can. OR be smart and run far far away Wink

Harry's picture

Why care about SD.  You put more energy into being upset at SD , Then she does put energy in being nice to you two 

Disengage I would not have her at the wedding,  She will just cause hell for you. On your day. Screwing up the photos,  And put a bad vib in the wedding 

Crspyew's picture

To congratulate anyone on finalizing a divorce.  Her reaction to the divorce or your marriage should be of no consequence to you.  She can play Eeyore all she wants, can rain on your parade if you don't let her.

Sandybeaches's picture

for 2 years.  How much interaction have you had with this girl?  I only ask to try to get a feel for the situation.  Such as did she like you at first? Was there a turning point? Is she around enough to even have that insight or to worry about it at all? Is she close with her father and likely to be around? 

I agree with the other poster about the part about congratulations some may not think of that as a response to my divorce is final.  No criticism at all but could it be you were thinking that his saying to her my divorce is final meant guess what that you and he were getting married?  and by her not congratulating him she was saying she didn't want you to get married? I get that if you were thinking that but maybe it went past her.  I could be way off and she may be a total selfish brat!! I don't know your story... 

PinkSharpie's picture

Every since the first time that I met her, she literally wouldn't look at me. I had to push myself in her face to get her to speak to me. She's extremely jealous, materialistic, and drains her dad emotionally and financially.That is about as close as she is to her dad...she uses him.  There has been zero drama with me and her dad, only joyful times. We laugh and thorougly enjoy one another and i truly beleive it makes her blood boil because she is miserable with her husband and herself in general. 

His separation was long with his ex because she comes from a family that tried to make this divorce as long and as expensive as possible for him. He was victimized by these people. I won't go into details but I'm not exaggerating. Long story short.....he hired an extrememly expensive pit bull of an attorney and didn't lose everything like the ex would have liked. His daughter was around during all of this and knew exactly how difficult of a divorce it was. 

Sandybeaches's picture

I will say from personal experience, that SK's can be present and see their mother carry on, cause an issue and be the complete problem and still blame their father and Step-mother.  I live in that world or should I say I used to live in that world before I decided to stop trying to win a fight that I couldn't possibly ever win.  

I think I am always seen as the problem because BM is crazy and they know that they can not control her so, they blame me  because it is truly just my presence that sets BM into orbit.  

I am so sorry for you because I would like to say it gets better but it doesn't.  Your soon to be husband will always be connected to that mess and if you choose to try to be connected to it to it is likely to be nothing but problems an heartache for you.  It is why a lot us are here.  If I had a better understanding of what life would be like, I never would have gotten into this situation.  All situations aren't like this but what I have learned, is if they start out this way (interring BM, SK's that don't want their dad to move on etc. ) it is not likely to change.  It usually gets worse.  I am sure there are some that might work out but most don't .  It's a hard road I can tell you that.  

Rags's picture

However, it is not SD that drains her father emotionally and financially. It is your SO that sacrifices himself on the alter of kid worshipping failed parents.

The odds are overwhelming that your relationship will evolve untill SO reverts to his proven history of child worshipping emotionally and financially drained idiocy.

Be very, very, warry. 

MissTexas's picture

and most likely if the daughter has been around for more than one of daddy's divorces, (as appears to be the case, since this wife is not her BM) she may have the attitude of, "well...here we go again." I mean, what do you say when it's happened multiple times? 

I have seen divorce party cakes that look like wedding cakes, but only the plastic bride at the top is kicking the groom to the curb, or down the tiers of cake. While humorous, in reality a relationship that once held so much love, hope and promise is now drawing to a close and normally it's not harmonious or peaceful.

One of our friends had been married 5 times. On his 4th divorce, the judge asked him if he would like to say anything. He said, "Yes. I want one of those titties. I paid for both of them to be made, and if nothing else, I'd like to mount it like a deer head on my wall for posterity." Kind of funny, but beneath that lots of money had to be paid to attorneys, belongings divided up and the emotional roller coaster of emotions have finally drawn to a close.

With you waiting in the wings, the daugther may be thinking "Ok, here's his next mistake."

I am a product of multiple parental divorces as a child. Honestly, I just got to where I felt like it was like a turnstyle going into Macy's or something.It was as if they were on a merry-go-round and one would get off and another would hop on. The names and faces changed but the root of the problem never did. Spouses appeared to be interchangeable like Mr. Potato Head pieces. I had no congratulatory feelings whatsover. 

Similarly, I am a subsequent wife to my DH. We dated for years. When we announced to SD we were married, she turned white as a sheet, looked like Ali had sucker punched her and ALL she managed to say was, "You have a PRENUP RIGHT DAD??" Her husband congratulated us, saying after all these years that was the next logical step. 

She may be miserable and unhappy. I do not know. All I'm saying is not everyone has the same sentiments regarding divorce news. From your perspective, this is a happy occasion. From his perspective it is a relief, and probably happy news. For most adult kids, they see it as their inhertance, or potential inheritance being parceled out with each new spouse.

Also your title states she was indifferent to your wedding announcement, however, I saw no mention of a wedding communicated to his daughter, just that the divorce was final. How could she be indifferent? Was there more announced than the divorce?

In closing, if you are overjoyed by the news, great. Don't expect everyone else to be as excited as you are.

Best wishes going forward.

PinkSharpie's picture

She is extremely miserable and unhappy. She has used her dad emotionally and financially her whole life.The perpetual victim that sabotages herself out of every job, friendship, family relationship she's ever had. She's 27 and on yet another new job. She's been there a whole 4 weeks and already complaining about it. Blaming everything and everyone else.

I beleive that she knows I'm onto her antics. She can't stand to see her dad happy for once in his life. They have always been codependents in their misery and she is losing him. He's finally found his soulmate in me and is content and happy and she can't deal with it.

CLove's picture

SDnow21 was a jerk when we eloped 2 years ago. She refers to me as "the stupid wife". SD14 is more than happy with me...she was excited to get more in her life with me included.

Rags's picture

Please tell me you shred this POS SD-21 every time she pulls her rude nasty crap. Better yet, please tell me her father climbs her ass when she does it.

smh

Rags's picture

It makes my day that this POS is miserable and unhappy.  I hope her life keeps her that way until she figures out that her misery is her own fault.

smh

still learning's picture

This idiot knows what a nightmare the marriage AND divorce has been for her dad and she couldn't even muster up a fake "Congrats!"

Is "Congrats" now the standard response when someone tells you they are getting divorced?  Honestly his daughter shouldn't have known what a nightmare his marriage and divorce were. She wasn't a child of that relationship so why would he have involved her in his drama unless he was intentionally creating a mini wife.  Announcing a failed relationship to his daughter like it's some celebratory event is a bit weird. Maybe she and her SM had a decent relationship and she was sad to see it end.  I get that you're happy since the two of you can move on together but for him this will be marriage #3 (?)  In her eyes you may be just another number. Would you want her to be excited if he announced his divorce from you was final? I hope it works out for you but cut the gal some slack. She's seen it all blow up for her father before. 

Rags's picture

Great comment. Thanks for that. I had not considered the serial marriage parent from the perspective of their older child.  I can see how a kid would see dad's third or greater wife, or mom's third or greater husband, as just a number and protect themselves from their parents serial relationship habit. Wife number three or greater would be well served to put some thought into marrying a serial marriage partner and take some guidance from the children who have experienced mom or dad's at least two prior marriages.

Thanks again for a great perspective on this.

 

Miss T's picture

It can be miserable to live through a kid's gradual realization that Daddy is peeling off. Daddy and offspring do a dance that, in my DH's case, took years to complete. And he has only one kid, a boy, not a pack of mini-wives. Dad and kid(s), have to grow up, basically. Some steps never live to see it happen, and some steps quite understandably lose patience and move on.

Wishing you all the best on the road ahead.