The Peterborough Examiner

Husband taking family, work calls on honeymoon

- ELLIE Advice Columnist Read Monday to Saturday. Email ellie@thestar.ca Visit her website, ellieadvic­e.com. Follow @ellieadvic­e.

Q: My fiancé and I are soon getting married in a tropical location, without friends or family present.

This is our decision — to make it about us and not have all the stress that comes with the “big wedding.” We’re an older couple, both previously had traditiona­l marriage events.

My fiancé wants to conduct business while on our honeymoon. He’s in the financial planning and insurance business.

Also, he plans on making/accepting phone calls to/from “Daddy’s girl” while on our honeymoon.

I’m frustrated that he’s unable to separate himself from his adult children for a week! Am I unreasonab­le?

Tropical Bride

A: You’re somewhat unreasonab­le about his daughter, plus starting off on a negative footing by referring to her (even if just in your own mind) as “Daddy’s girl.”

With non-traditiona­l weddings now common, it’s equally common that adult children attend their parents’ second weddings.

Your choice otherwise is fine, but it’s unreasonab­le that he shouldn’t be able to have a chat with his daughter that week.

The more inclusive, positive way to handle this is to suggest that, after the ceremony, you both speak to all adult children and receive congratula­tions. I strongly suggest that you speak to his daughter, too.

If you raise this approach, it’s then logical to say that, given you’re away only one week, you’d prefer if you both limited family calls to just that one (barring emergencie­s).

As for his work calls, he’s in a business that could have him occupied for hours daily, talking to clients.

Gently suggest that he make only essential contacts, and give time to exploring your tropical destinatio­n, relaxing together and appreciati­ng the luxury of a brief honeymoon respite from stress.

Q: I’m a man, 66, stuck between a sixyear relationsh­ip and starting a new one. The old relationsh­ip isn’t going as before and is becoming a problem, with her moved into a retirement home and always wanting me to run there and see her a lot.

She’s not giving me any space to enjoy life and see other people and places.

I’m not married to her. I want to be happy with a very special person, which isn’t easy to find.

How do I handle this rough time?

Caught Between

A: Your letter shows that for some people, the search for happiness sometimes never ends.

The challenge for most of us throughout life, however, is knowing for sure what brings happiness, and what decreases or shatters it.

Apparently, you were happy with the first woman for several years, but her move to a retirement home has restricted your sense of freedom.

You feel pressured to see her there, instead of wherever you choose, and prevented from seeing your friends who live elsewhere, going to events, etc.

If you care for her as a person (why else be together for six years?) you must realize that she’s now much more restricted than you are, and she’s trying to adjust.

But you’ve already started moving on. There’s someone else whom you want in your life, instead.

These things happen, though it sounds somewhat harsh for the woman who must accept being left behind just when she most needed her once-closest companion.

Neverthele­ss, that relationsh­ip is already over in your mind, so tell her.

Be honest and be kind. Say that your lives are in different modes now, that you care about her and will visit her occasional­ly, if she still wants that (mean it, at least for a while).

Ellie’s tip of the day

A wedding should include generosity of thought regarding each other’s children from previous relationsh­ips.

Ellie

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