Oh how I wish I could send my son-in-law to Dr. Phil’s man
camp. This guy has abused my daughter for the last eight years. He has made her
three children from her previous marriage (she gets visitation every other
weekend) feel completely unwanted and unwelcome. My daughter has struggled with
eating disorders and other addictions for most of her life. I had suspected as
much, but only recently did she reveal to me the depth of the problems.
When they met, I was recently widowed and in a black abyss
of grief over the loss of my beloved husband. I was unable to see the
son-in-law for the kind of person he truly is, and was not capable of telling
my daughter to run – not walk – but run away before it was too late.
He promised me he would take good care of her. Since they’ve
been married, she’s lived in hovels that should be condemned. She has driven
cars that were unsafe at any speed. She is criticized for every dime she spends
on her children. He has a child – get this – the child’s mother (a crack addict
who prostitutes herself for drugs) is HIS brother’s wife! The child’s mother
has never paid a penny toward child support and the child lives with the father
and my daughter. My daughter pays child support for her three children, and is
expected to pay half of the expenses of the household in which he and his
daughter make up two thirds of the population!
In the beginning of the marriage, he came back after having
an extramarital affair and told my daughter that his girlfriend wondered why he
was “going back with that fat b*&ch. My daughter immediately flipped into
anorexia mode and became what she refers to as a “pro anorexic.” She is now at
114 pounds, and 5’ 5” tall.
The laundry list of abusive things he does is too long for a
message board. He allowed his brother to abuse her for over a year, until I
stepped in, brought in the police and the brother spent a year in jail and now
has a permanent injunction keeping him 5 miles away from dear daughter.
Recently, she decided to leave him and come home, a move I
strongly support. Yet, she brought over some of her things, then went back for
just another load, and the next thing I know – he’s schmoozing her with
promises that everything is going to change. Right. Currently she’s telling me
that they are going to a counselor who is giving them six free sessions. Their
first session with this person of unknown credentials (and I am thinking you
get what you pay for….) is Thursday.
So, my guest room is now loaded with clutter because
daughter wants to hang it over his head that she might bail at any moment. I’m
walking around waiting for the other shoe to drop.
My grandchildren now come here on the weekends so that they
don’t have to put up with her husband speaking to them the way he speaks to
her. I refuse to allow them to be with him until such time as I see fit, and I
don’t anticipate that day any time soon. I am nearly apoplectic that my
daughter has sold out her children for this horrible person who treats everyone
with such disrespect. I don’t want them to witness how not to treat a woman,
and I want them to have fun, for a change. So, she picks them up, brings them
here, and we cook together, play games, and have a big slumber party. If she
wants to spend time with them, it is here.
I suppose other than being available to her, there is little
I can do beyond expressing my concerns. She’s a grown (groan sometimes) woman
of 32 years. All I can do is provide my grandchildren with refuge from the
storm. But I sure would love to see MY son-in-law answering to Dr. Phil.
(Original Air Date: 02/06/07) An intensive workshop continues in The Dr. Phil House as three wives turn their husbands in to Man Camp in a last-ditch effort to save their marriages. After Scott refuses to clean up a mess in the house, he has an angry discussion with Dr. Phil and storms out. Can his wife, Tara, convince him to give the experience another shot for the sake of his marriage and his family? Then, John and Nic roll up their sleeves and begin to clean the house, while their wives secretly watch in amazement. Will they have a new appreciation for what their better halves do on a daily basis? Plus, Dr. Phil sits down with Nic and Amanda. What did they do to nearly get kicked out of The Dr. Phil House? And will Amanda agree to bring in the man she’s been having an affair with, so she can tell him in front of Dr. Phil that it’s over, once and for all? Join the discussion.
