Mom Hid Her Husband's Family Tragedy From Kids for Years – Mother-in-Law Reveals It Behind Parents' Back

A couple never told their teen sons about the father's late ex-wife and child because the man chose to hide his past. One day, the children learned about their father's previous life and blamed their parents for keeping secrets.

A mom-of-two with the username "wifeofawidower" opened up about her life on Reddit after her children accused her of something she hadn't done. Before revealing what her teenage boys said, she shared a few things about her past.

The mother of a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old boy first met her husband at an alcohol recovery program after she became an addict because of her past traumas, which she did not disclose.

Gradually, she became friends with him and learned about his own traumatic past, which eventually led him to the recovery program. She learned that he had lost his wife and newborn baby in a horrifying car crash in Canada — a shocking incident that left him with a lifelong emotional scar.

How Did Her Children Learn about the Man's Past?

After meeting him at the recovery program, the woman slowly healed with him before they eventually tied the knot. The man started a new life with her in the U.S., and the couple welcomed two sons together.

"I have always been incredibly respectful of my husband's last wife and child," the woman shared in her Reddit post, stating that she never felt jealous of her. Instead, she felt lucky to have found a man who loves her immensely.

As the couple's children grew up, they never considered telling them about their father's previous family because the man wanted to keep it a secret. The woman said: "He has never healed from his grief, and therapy, etc., has helped him only to a degree."

However, the couple couldn't keep it a secret for long because the woman's mother-in-law spoke to the teenagers about their father's past behind the woman's back. She revealed in her Reddit post:

"My mother-in-law told the kids this Sunday gone, as she decided it was 'time for them to know.'"

When the teenagers learned about their father's previous family, they took offense and blamed their parents for keeping it a secret. Instead of talking about the sensitive topic respectfully, the boys made mean jokes about it.

The woman shared that her younger son told her he was "glad" his father's ex-wife and child were dead. Feeling angry, the woman scolded him, to which the boy degraded the couple for keeping secrets. The mother-of-two recalled:

"He told me that it made 'so much sense' why we were abnormal, why we don't drink, why we are so boring and quiet, why my husband is panicky around roads, etc."

The incident made her husband think about his traumatizing past, while she felt guilty for ruining her sons' lives by not telling them about their father's past. She posted her story on Reddit to ask others if she was at fault, saying:

"I am hurting, my husband is grieving all over again, and I don't know how to proceed."

Many people shared their opinions regarding the situation in the comments section, and most agreed that the woman was not at fault. One Redditor said, "NTA. But your mother-in-law is for thinking she gets to decide when to tell them." The user added:

"Also, your children have a right to be upset, but that behavior is intolerable. Stay strong."

"It sounds like you all need to sit down as a family and talk. Your kids are practically adults at this point," another person said. Meanwhile, one Redditor advised the woman to seek family therapy to deal with the problem.

Click here to read another story about a woman who checked her bedroom's hidden camera footage and learned that her mother-in-law sneaked into the room at night.