I Was Stunned to Hear My Daughter Call My Ex-Husband's New Wife 'Mommy' Last Week – My Story

After Sarah and her husband divorced, she sought solace in her career. For the longest time, it brought her a sense of comfort. However, her tireless working hours brought strain on her relationship with her daughter. After hearing a few unexpected words from her daughter, her perspective changed.

My name is Sarah, and I am a 32-year-old divorcee. I had never in a million years thought those would be the words I would use to describe myself. After all, when you walk down that aisle and utter those two precious words before God at the altar, "I do," you envision the rest of your life with that person. Well, at least I did.

My ex-husband, Dan, and I got married when I was only 24 years old. We were young and madly in love, and after five years of dating, marriage was the next logical step. We believed, from the onset, that we were meant to be together and that fate had a hand in our meeting each other.

However, as fate would have it, he would later leave me for his dentist, Jill, six years into our marriage. As hard as it was, I would be lying if I said our time together was a complete waste. Something beautiful came out of our union, our 5-year-old daughter, Denise.

While the process of divorce was tremendously painful, I believe I handled it rather civilly, considering the circumstances. In fact, if it weren't for my daughter's love, I doubt I would have had the strength to.

"Mommy, can I have more ice cream?"

Unlike our marriage, Dan stayed true to his fatherly duties. He continued to pay for all of Denise's needs and spent the weekends with her.

I would have her on the weekdays, and while I loved every second I got to spend with Denise, it was difficult because of my busy work schedule.

After our divorce, I found myself burying my mind deeper and deeper into my work. And while I must admit I used it as a coping mechanism and a distraction, it paid off quite exceptionally. I even made the assistant director position at the company I worked for, and the hours were demanding.

One week, I went to pick up my daughter after a weekend with her father, and what I witnessed left me speechless. As I stood outside the door, about to hit the doorbell, I heard the sweet voice of my baby Denise, but her words were quite bitter to digest.

"Mommy, can I have more ice cream?" Denise asked.

"Mommy?" I thought. Since when did she start calling this woman 'Mommy?' My world came crashing down that very second. I desperately tried to hold back my tears as I mustered the strength to not overreact.

I managed to pick Denise up without making a scene. But the minute I got back home, I called Dan immediately, fuming.

"Hi, Sarah. Everything okay with Denise?" Dan asked.

"No, everything is not okay, Dan!" I retorted.

"Sarah, calm down. What's wrong?" he asked.

"What's wrong? She called her ‘Mommy,’ Dan!" I responded, bristling with anger.

"Who?" asked Dan.

“Denise. She called your wife 'Mommy' when I was picking her up. I tried to play it cool, but it's too much, Dan. It's too much!" I said.

"Alright, alright! Calm down; I'll talk to her," Dan said before cutting the call.

I was all for Dan spending time with his daughter. But the idea that he and his new wife thought they could replace me made my blood boil. I desperately wanted to ask Denise about it, but my better judgment told me not to. And it was a good thing I didn't because what Dan would later disclose left my heart broken.

“Sarah! You need to spend more time with your child. I know you don't want to hear this, but Jill isn't to blame here. Denise misses you, Sarah,"

"Listen, Sarah… So I spoke to Jill, and she explained everything. It was a complete misunderstanding," Dan said, trying his best to keep calm and careful.

"Yeah, yeah. Get on with it," I impatiently retorted.

"Okay. They had a whole lesson about mothers in daycare in preparation for Mother's Day or something. Their teacher explained to them that a mother was someone who spends time and plays with their child," explained Dan before I rudely chimed in once again.

"W—w—what are you trying to say to me, Dan?" I asked, stammering.

"Sarah! You need to spend more time with your child. I know you don't want to hear this, but Jill isn't to blame here. Denise misses you, Sarah," said Dan earnestly.

As much as I wanted to be mad at him and Jill, they were right. I had neglected my daughter. I had convinced myself that I was working tirelessly to provide a better future for my child, but in all honesty, it was actually selfish of me.

I had found comfort in my work during the divorce, and it made the days pass easier. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that I wasn't the only one going through the storm. Dan, Denise, and I were once a complete family, and as much as it hurt me to see that family destroyed, I had barely taken the time to consider how it would affect Denise.

I briefly discussed the divorce with my daughter, but after that, I always found an excuse not to talk about it. And while it pained me to hear my daughter call another woman 'Mommy,' perhaps Jill had really stepped up where I could not. What should I do? Forbid daughter to see her stepmother or find another job and spend more time with my daughter?

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