No Stupid Questions

No you're not wrong for wanting to keep your dad in your life. Any reputable family counselor would say your mom shouldn't be asking you to pick a side. Your mom does need support though, but it isn't your job. What your dad did sounds really hurtful to her, as it would be for most people. Maybe he is your best friend, but being a parent is more than being a friend. It means being a role model & wanting to teach things like honesty & respect, especially for the people you're supposed to love.

Has your dad offered to pay for counseling for you to process these things & talk to a professional about? It sounds like you could probably use it. I don't know how old you are, but given that you're asking the question here & the way you're asking leads me to believe you'd be much better off talking to a professional about it.

No. That doesn't make you a bad person. Frankly, I think it's awful that she's asking you to, but I imagine she's going through some things herself at the moment.

I think you have the right take here already- your relationship with your dad wasn't the one impacted.

Okay so... your dad is unequivocally a piece of shit. You said he's like your best friend, but are you okay with your best friend being a piece of shit? There need to be social consequences for being an unapologetic piece of shit (which one would need to be to have an affair with their personal assistant and then move in with her). Just business as usual isn't gonna cut it (think if instead of cheating he'd come out as a Nazi) and you would be condoning his actions if there aren't negative consequences of some form for this fiasco, though how much you escalate is up to you.

Edit: I have to say, the attitudes some of y'all have about parent-child relationships range from ungrateful to absolutely deplorable. Like, seriously if I heard "it's the parent's job to emotionally support their children, not the other way around" from someone in real life I wouldn't let that person within five miles within anyone I care about.

When someone gives an ultimatum of "me or them" (a or b), the best choice is almost always never a. It is the least restrictive choice.

If there were an actual reason to not choose b, the best choice is likely neither.

I understand the argument that "she is struggling" but the moment they make their struggle your struggle they are choosing to spread the pain rather than deal with it. This is never acceptable in a parent child relationship, more so if the child is a minor.

I don't get how nothing changed for you? Maybe you're next if a hot new son comes along? Anyway, ofc she shouldn't demand that but it's totally understandable when you've been betrayed by your family. Really, go to her. She doesn't choose, but your dad is a major asshole that isn't honest with his closest people. It's not good for you to absorb that kind of life. It will punish you your entire life. Yeah. I'm giving you my opinion. You don't need to do what your mom says, but if you don't take care of her now she could be ruined forever. I don't know you, but I know that you deserve a better role model than someone that isn't man enough to admit he likes a younger girl. Also probably get you therapy. It is more important now than ever probably, and make sure your mom does too if she doesn't flip back. I'm not saying don't talk to dad anymore, but jesus christ he's got a new kid to be with, and you just got a job. I don't know your age but not stepping up now could be much more devastating than maturing too early. Just trust. People with no respect for themselves will never respect you and vice versa. You make tour own reality.

Why is your mom the one that moved out? Also, the affaire partner moved in?

He's your best friend, so you three like hang out and watch movies together as a new family while your mom sulks in an appartment alone?

Not only does your dad suck but so do you. Maybe one day, you will get cheated on and understand the betrayal it feels like. Hopefully, you wont have children to drive the knife in even deeper. Relationships are suppose to change with a parent who has an affaire, it's abnormal not to be angry at what he did to your mother.

....fuck...that is very hard. This is not your relationship, nor did you cheat, and their problems have now been made yours(ish). I'm sorry you're caught up in this.

That said, your mom raises some excellent points & personally I'd be inclined to live with her. She is correct. But we must also acknowledge that she is way too close to this situation & is blinded by hurt, rage; women are prone to making decisions based on emotion & not logic, reason. How much more when she is cheated on.

The fact remains, this man is your biological father. Personally, I think it is time to reassess the depth of your relationship due to his adultery. But to cut him out entirely, forever is kind of stupid, too. That is your father. You only get one father. Your relationship to him is different than your mother's relationship to him. You can distance yourself & react appropriately to his impropriety without...completely destroying the ties of family. It will hurt your father's feelings, and you know what? I think he should have his feelings hurt. A little. Understand, he threw your mother away, treated her very badly.

But what's done is done. This is the family you have now, and you have to decide what is right for you. If you don't leave your father & distance yourself at least a little, she's right, you do condone his actions & you're hurting your relationship with your mother. If you care about that. But I would keep those lines open, and your mother will fuss, but explain to her that is your biological father & you have made the decision to keep in contact with him. That is your right, as his child.

When you choose to forgive someone you're not necessarily forgiving their mistake. It's not condoning, it's giving someone another chance to do better. Forgiving and protecting against risks isn't mutually exclusive, it just takes more effort to do both.

Ask her to imagine the following: let's say she ends up being really close to your spouse one day, like she couldn't have imagined a better pick. The two of them become super close, but as the years go on, for whatever reason, you end up having an affair. Now ask her if she would go no contact with you because maintaining a relationship would condone your actions and ignore your spouse's suffering.

If she says no, then maybe she could see a bit of where you're coming from. If she says yes, well then I would wonder if a lack of empathy was part of the reason your dad sought a relationship elsewhere (not that that justifies cheating).