My thoughts are more about my boys. I love them dearly and my job is to do my best in making it OK for them. I know I am getting slagged for having no balls. It's just an awkward situation where I was hoping for some ideas -which I got and followed. Ex and I have come a long way. I couldn't even be near her for a long while. However, we share custody, and need to work through parenting issues. It just works better being civil and amicable. I don't like what she did, it was awful and I don't excuse it either. Again, it's about making the best life for the boys. Some of the comments about me on here, were pretty mean, but that is the Interwebz.
Thanks to those who gave reasonable responses.
Hey Bankerguy,
I wish I would have seen this yesterday and responded, but as someone who can relate to your situation (cheating ex-wife, 2 children, ex-wife is with the guy she cheated on me with although not married yet) I applaud you for how you are going about this. For the guys who are saying to "man up" and to teach your kids to be men first and not door mats, I personally think they are missing the point entirely. As you state above, this isn't about you and your ex-wife, this is about showing your kids how to handle adversity and live a healthy, happy life.
When I talked to my kids about what happened after they asked some pointed questions, I told them 3 things:
1. Their mom cheated on me and that was a deal breaker for me
2. While at first it was the worst pain I have felt in my life, I have since moved on and forgiven their mom and have chosen to live my life happy and not hold on to this. I don't agree with her choices would never choose that path myself, but me holding it against her forever is doing no one any favors.
3. I didn't want something that their mom did to me to impact their relationship with her. It is important and healthy for children to have a relationship with both parents, so as a dad that is first and foremost in my mind.
I probably would have bought a present along with the kids and sent it from all of us. I would reiterate that I don't agree with her choices, but hopefully she can be happy and healthy moving forward, especially for the kids.
In the end, I think you are teaching your kids how to live life happy, not holding onto things that happened in the past. If that makes less of a man, so be it. My focus is on my kids and how to help them become successful, well adjusted happy adults. If that means people think less of me so be it.
Net of the conversation, I think you are looking correctly at the big picture. Good work.