The Shadow of My Husband's Previous Marriage

"I married a man who was divorced and had a child from his first marriage. While we were dating, I assured myself that I was a mature, understanding girl and that his past would not be a problem for me. I sincerely wanted to become a good stepmother to his little son.

But once daily life began in our apartment in Toronto, a harsh reality hit me. Every other weekend his son comes to stay with us. My husband instantly shifts all his attention to him, and I feel superfluous in my own home. Worse, his ex-wife is constantly present in our life through calls, messages, and discussions about child support or plans for the boy's schooling. Every time my husband compares our household habits with 'how it was in his first home,' everything inside me clenches with pain. The community praised me for my 'Chesed' (kindness) when I agreed to this marriage, but no one warned me how hard it is to share the person you love with his past life, one you have nothing to do with."