If your parent's sister or brother gets divorced?

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The discussion centers on the familial status of ex-spouses after a divorce, particularly whether they retain the titles of uncle or aunt. Participants generally agree that an ex-spouse can still be considered an uncle or aunt if that is desired by the family members involved. The nature of the relationship before and after the divorce significantly influences this dynamic; for instance, if there was a close bond, it is likely to continue, while distant relationships may fade. Factors such as the ages of the children involved and the willingness of family members to maintain contact also play a crucial role. Some participants share personal anecdotes illustrating how relationships can persist or diminish post-divorce, emphasizing that family connections can be defined by individual choices rather than strict biological ties. Overall, the conversation highlights the fluidity of family relationships and the importance of personal connections in defining familial roles.
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Is their ex-spouse still your uncle or aunt?
 
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Dremmer said:
Is their spouse still your uncle or aunt?
I'd say yes, but that's a personal matter. One can certainly maintain contact with the spouse of one's aunt or uncle if the couple divorces. My family did on my father's side.
 
It depends on your relationship. My ex-husbands wife cheated on him and left him and she had been my girl's stepmother for at least 8 years. When she dumped their father she cut off all contact with my girls too.

She's a POS.
 
Pos?
 
pail of shinola
 
Piece of something starting with s.
 
Borek said:
Piece of something starting with s.
From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119654/quotes?qt0402567"
Unlimited technology from the whole universe, and we cruise 'round in a Ford P.O.S.

I've always loved that quote. :biggrin:

As far as the OP, I would say that an ex-spouse is still an uncle or aunt as long as that's what everyone wants.
 
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Dremmer said:
Is their ex-spouse still your uncle or aunt?

Yes.

In practice, it kind of depends on age, how close everyone was before the divorce, and how everyone gets along after the divorce.

If it was an uncle or aunt you rarely saw before the divorce (they've always lived out of town or whatever), then you'll probably see them even less after the divorce and they'll quickly become irrelevant.

If the nieces/nephews are kids and their parents want nothing to do with their sister/brothers ex, then the uncle/aunt will probably become irrelevant, as well.

If the nephews/nieces are older, then a divorce between the uncle/aunt will probably have little effect on the relationship with the nephews/nieces.

In my case, most of my nephews/nieces on my ex's side are adults or nearly adults. If I had a close relationship with them when they were growing up, then I still have a close relationship with them after the divorce. If I rarely saw them before the divorce, then I still have no relationship with them after the divorce.

To be honest, there's no guarantee that even the brothers/sisters will accept the idea of being put on one side or the other in a divorce. My ex's family is very close, so I've spoken to her brothers/sisters after the divorce maybe 2 or 3 times in the last 2 1/2 years, but I've gotten the impression that it's a half hearted taking of sides from what they've said to me and by what they've said to my kids.
 
My mother tells me that if I divorced my wife... I'm gone.
My wife would still be welcome to visit whenever she wanted.

 
  • #10
Somehow my husband's ex-spouse's father has decided to become our daughter's grandpa too. After visiting us (including his actual grandchildren, my stepsons -- who yeah, I call "my guys" too) he decided to adopt me; he started calling my husband his son-in-law again. He now visits us more than his own daughter.

I guess family can be what you decide to make it...
 
  • #11
physics girl phd said:
my husband's ex-spouse's father

Can you draw it?

I guess family can be what you decide to make it...

Agreed.
 
  • #12
Family IS what you make it. An old high school friend married my sister back in '71. She saw greener pastures and divorced him after making his life hell for a while. He and I remained friends, and I'd stay at his new place with his new college-age girlfriend whenever I was in that area and wanted to attend a concert, party, whatever. We are still close. My wife and I help him and his wife (the long-ago college chick) open up their camps, clean up for the summer season, put in the dock at the lake camp, etc. They call regularly, and never fail to drop by when they're in the area. I haven't seen his ex-wife (my sister) in more than 25 years.

We have so many common friends and acquaintances that it's ridiculous. Like me, he played music professionally in addition to regular day-jobs, and between us we have contacts with almost every pro musician in central and coastal Maine. A few months ago, he met up with a common friend (who is co-owner of a very large chain of general/clothing stores) and mentioned me. The friend rolled his eyes and said "You don't want to even know about some of the stuff we did in college." I can think of one thing that he might have been referring to - we played a frat party during finals week, and went to be paid (as usual) at our 1/2 time break. The head of the entertainment committee said that they'd take up a collection for us. We didn't like the sound of that, so we packed up our gear and took a fresh keg of beer of their back porch. Our roadie (balls of brass!) stopped the van, wandered back downstairs and "borrowed" a tapper so we could have a party back at his place. We raided a couple of local bars on the way home and invited lots of cute girls to party with us. Free live music and beer... It worked.
 
  • #13
Borek said:
Can you draw it?

Sure, but she'll need a flow chart and a time line.
 
  • #14
lisab said:
Sure, but she'll need a flow chart and a time line.
Glenn Beck might have a couple of free blackboards...
 
  • #15
physics girl phd said:
Somehow my husband's ex-spouse's father has decided to become our daughter's grandpa too. After visiting us (including his actual grandchildren, my stepsons -- who yeah, I call "my guys" too) he decided to adopt me; he started calling my husband his son-in-law again. He now visits us more than his own daughter.

I guess family can be what you decide to make it...

Makes sense to me. When you're grandfather to the 'kids', it's hard to separate all of that into I'm their grandfather and not yours. When my daughter's stepson is in town, I usually take both him and my daughter's son out on hikes, etc.

My sister-in-law had 5 kids by 4 different fathers. The amount of attention each of the father's paid to their kids varied by a lot. It kind of sucked to be the kid whose father seemed to barely exist - especially if a couple of the kids would get attention, cool gifts, etc. from their father(s).

Granted, the daughter's son and the stepson do get treated differently, but at least partly because one's only 18 months old and the other is in grade school and because the stepson is only in town part time. But, if the daughter's stepson were always the red-headed stepchild whenever he visited his father and my daughter, then visiting just wouldn't be all that pleasant an experience.
 
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