Dad Wonders How He's Going To Tell Son That He Fathered The Child Of His New Girlfriend — 'This Can't Be Kept A Secret'
What an awkward situation...
Prostock-studio / Krakenimages.com / Shutterstock; Reddit A father revealed an awkward conversation that he doesn't know how to have with his son after finding out about his new girlfriend.
Posting to the subreddit r/TrueOffMyChest — an online forum where people can reveal personal things that are happening in their lives — a 45-year-old father shared that his son recently told him about his new girlfriend which led him to make a startling discovery about how he also knows his son's new partner.
He learned that his son's new girlfriend is the same woman he fathered a child with.
In his Reddit post, the father explained that his 28-year-old son recently told him that he's been dating a 35-year-old woman for the last four months. While the news wasn't that unexpected, the dad was horrified upon realizing that he also has a connection to his son's new girlfriend.
"There was no cheating involved whatsoever. I’d never do that to my own son. He’s only been seeing her for about 4 months from what he’s told me but she and I dated 2 years ago," he wrote. Their relationship only ended because he had been traveling and the two lost contact with one another.
While he hadn't met his son's new girlfriend yet, the details given to him about her by his son have confirmed that it's the same woman. He revealed that his son's new girlfriend has a son that's a year and a half old, and after doing the math, he quickly realized that the little boy could be his child.
Photo: PhotoJuli86 / Shutterstock
"My son told me the father isn’t involved but hasn’t given him any other details other than it’s just her raising the kid. I was the one to connect the dots as soon as I realized it was her."
He recalled that the first time meeting her again was incredibly awkward, but thankfully, there were other family members around to save them from having to speak to each other for too long.
"This can’t be kept a secret though if this is my child I need to know. And as much as it pains me to put my son in this messed up position he needs to know too," he continued.
He eventually worked up the courage to tell his son the truth about his relationship with his new girlfriend.
After some time, the father revealed that he eventually had the awkward conversation with his son about his relationship with his son's new girlfriend. While he expected his son to be incredibly angry about it, he was instead just in shock.
"I made sure he knew I’d understand if this is too much for him so whatever he needs from me I will try to do. As of right now he just needs some space," he wrote of his son's reaction.
Photo: Alexander_Safonov / Shutterstock
He acknowledged that his son will just have to get over this on his own time, but he's reached out to his son's new partner about getting a paternity test done to confirm if her son is also his.
Many people in the comments section encouraged him to have an open dialogue about the entire debacle with his son and agreed that he did the right thing by not keeping it a secret.
While this situation is an incredibly unique one, it proves the importance of parents having continued open communication with their children, even if those conversations can be a bit tough to get through.
Open communication plays a crucial role in resolving conflicts that may arise within a parent-adult-child relationship. When both parties can express their concerns, feelings, and perspectives openly, it paves the way for effective problem-solving and resolution.
As this father pointed out in his Reddit post, he was extremely hesitant about revealing these details to his son about his new girlfriend but eventually knew that simply telling him would be the best option.
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In the comments section, people were equally shocked at the connection between all three of them.
"This is a terrible situation to be in and I think you're doing the right thing by everyone involved by bringing the truth to light," one Reddit user wrote.
Another user added, "He has no reason to be mad at you for something you did years ago but he’ll likely be upset in general. I wish you the best."
"This is what a responsible parent does. I commend you for doing right by your son and [possibly] other [son]," a third Reddit user pointed out. "I really think you did the right thing and I hope that you guys can all find peace and connection out of this extraordinary situation."
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.