Every once in a while I read comments to an advice column or AmITheAsshole

[conuly]

and I discover, shockingly, that there are many people who have a totally contrary opinion to mine on this particular issue I'm about to share my opinion on. It just blows me away that in this day and age, people can be so very wrong, not to mention utterly lacking in empathy and compassion.

So here it is:

If you discover that your walking, talking, school-aged child with whom you have a real relationship is actually the product of infidelity, there are no take-backs on your relationship with your child. If you divorce your wife and then proceed to divorce your child as well, then you are a bad person and a bad parent and you should feel bad. And if you know that your SO did this to their own child, or thinks it is okay, then you probably shouldn't marry them or have a child with them, because they are terrible.

Any child old enough to call you Daddy is your child. (And by the way? If you have multiple children but only cut off contact with the one that isn't 'really' yours, that child's siblings will be fully justified when they go no-contact in adulthood. Which they will, because you are a bad father. You cannot be a good father to them if you're deliberately hurting their brother or sister because you're pissy at your ex.)

Comments

[wpadmirer]

Man, do I ever agree with you on that. The child is not the one who was not faithful. Punishing the child for the sins of the parent means you're an asshole.

[conuly]

Pity it's such cold consolation to the child that their daddy was always an asshole and they're better off without him.