My husband and I are an ordinary English couple. This is our first marriage, and weve been together for twenty-five years. Never once have we raised our voices in front of our daughter; we’ve always shown each other love and care. By all accounts, our marriage has been a happy one. Id always hoped that by providing her with such an example, our daughter would follow in our footsteps and build a family of her own with the same values. People often say children model themselves after their parents.
And yet, heres where it all becomes complicated. Our daughter isnt married yet, though she has a boyfriend. Two years ago, my mother passed away and left her a flat in Manchester. My husband and I decided to give it to our daughter. Recently, she told us shes now living there with her boyfriend.
Were not bothered by the fact that she has a personal life. The issue is her boyfriend. Hes simply awful. He doesnt lift a finger around the housenothing remotely resembling the work of a decent man. If the tap breaks or a lightbulb needs changing, our daughter is straight on the phone to her dad. Time and time again, weve asked her why her boyfriend never does any of these things, but she never offers a word in response. She just keeps promising that hell start pitching in soon.
And now, weve learned that hes unemployed. That means he brings home no money at all, and our daughter shoulders every responsibility. She works two jobs just to keep things afloat for the both of them. I dont believe her boyfriend cares for her in the slightest.
I told her outright that hes a poor choice. But she shrugged it off. She believes hell change, she believes everything will work out. She loves him. And I love my daughterand its breaking my heart.
