I’m gonna be honest, I’m not asking for a friend, I’m asking for myself. Our daughter (24) married this man (65) in September. She herself stated money was the main reason, and he knows it but it doesn’t bother him. Both my husband & I are having a very hard time getting used to the idea.
How much money we talking about
I mean… are you shocked?
Parents raise their kids with a bare system of values and morals. It’s one of the reasons why racism is “hereditary”.
You raised her to be the person she is, or at the very least you allowed her to become the person she is.
she’s 24 years old, an adult (lacking wisdom). It’s too late for you to tell her, “whoa! pump the brakes!”
accept her decision. acknowledge the reasons why. support her when she needs you. These are the ways a parent responds when their adult child moves forward in life.
if you decide to betray that trust, it may only serve to drive a wedge and isolate her from you so far that you won’t be able to support or guide her when it actually matters.
My cynical view on this situation is the pros are 1) she’s fast-tracking home ownership for a generation that generally expects to not own homes, 2) she’s securing financial stability during the traditionally least financially stable era of adult life, 3) working as a paid live-in caregiver pays significantly little comparatively and it is damn hard work, 4) she may have plans on marrying for love later. She’s still maturing, so having a starter marriage that’s lucrative may not be a totally terrible idea.
Honestly at the end of the day, you want her to be happy, right? If she’s walked into this with eyes wide open, considered all the cons and still found the arrangement preferable, is it really the end of the world? What would your feelings be if she had chosen some other non traditional relationship?
Yeah in the old world where a little elbow grease was all you needed to afford a house, this would have been a coward’s move and creepy as hell.
Now, it beats the pants off of most jobs. Which is all the evidence you need of how much of a failure society has become. This situation should be awful, but it’s pretty nifty by comparison.
This is the best comment ^
I’d work on processing my feelings and sorting them into helpful to express, necessary to express, and unhelpful and unnecessary to express
Do you trust your daughter’s ethics and willingness to prioritize her happiness? If not that should be your concern, otherwise learning to trust her to leave if anything goes as wrong as it likely will is something to focus on.
Regardless of everything, therapy is probably a good call for you. It’s not just for the mentally ill, it’s also a resource to help deal with it when life throws you a curveball.
As long as both parties acknowledge what kind of relationship it is, and she gets what she wants out of it, I think I would be able to accept it. Doesn’t mean I would like it, though.
She’s not underage and the husband knows the deal. I would make sure she has a back up (a man is not a plan). Make sure she has a job/career to fall back on, and if she’s stay-at-home, see if she gets any kind of money from her husband on a regular basis that she can put into her own savings. Other than that? Hopefully the wedding was bomb.
If they’re cool, they’re cool.
She’s an adult and I assume she’s mentally capable. Just support her and when/if she ever regrets her decision, she’ll have you around to lean on.
If you openly hate on her decision or shame her for it, you’re only going to drive her away or make her even more firm in her choice.
how do you manage?
I’m relatively conservative, so probably a blend of bonds and market tracking index funds.
There’s nothing wrong with prostitution. At least when her boss dies she gets a payout.
When my boss dies, I’ll still be expected to drive across four cities to do a job that I could do 100% remote during the pandemic
I’ll be very blunt: it’s her life and her decision. There is nothing to ‘manage’. You either accept it or you don’t, but if you don’t, there’s a good chance you will lose her.
I don’t know how I’d deal with it but I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing given the chance, at least at that age. Does she realise that 65 isn’t all that old? He could have decades left in him. Most of my grandparents have lived into their 90s.
She does. And she actually likes him, money was the main reason but it wasn’t the only reason. She said she wouldn’t marry an insufferable person or a vegetable. This man is extremely active, both physically and mentally. I don’t think she’s waiting for his death. Plus he already spoils her to no end now, while he’s alive.
This is interesting and I think it sounds like they are in a better scenario than others who marry for money. I’m glad she actually likes him as well. It’s certainly odd, but it seems like both of them benefit from the partnershipand both seem to be open about it. While unusual, it seems healthier than other types of these relationships where it isn’t clearly stated.
I will say like the one other user said…make sure she has a way that she could support herself in the event he leaves her or something.
Tangent but how the fuck our we in a world where we can lock ourselves in with someone for financial gain, we have tiny computers in our pockets, we can travel the world in a matter of hours, we have set foot on the fucking moon. yet we are chained by capitalism.
We sell our buddies intimately, we give the largest chunk of our waking life to employers. We are fucking slaves. Knelt for our masters.
But the worst part is we accept it. Lion share of comments are praising her, a few are pointing towards a kink which if that the actual reason then what ever. I feel sorry for her, not pity but the fact she is potentially degrading herself/selling her intimacy for a the semblance of dignity in a world which should afford us all dignity.
…we have tiny computers in our pockets, we can travel the world in a matter of hours, we have set foot on the fucking moon.
All brought to you by capitalism. Is it really such a surprise that money rules everything?
If you can’t find something better(because it works and people won’t give it up to go back) then why would things change?
Everyone on the bottom is forced to see what those on top have. Especially in this modern age.
“Why do i have to sacrifice when I’m barely surviving, when those people have way more than ill ever have?”
For the greater good right? Well its become bought sold and corrupted and is now The Greater Good©®™
Life is now a product because it was never prevented from being more than that.
Based on all the replies this seems both are getting what they want out of it, so I don’t see an issue. Not every marriage needs to be a love match, but it does seem like there is some of that, so even better.
I do understand your moral reservations as it seems a bit cynical, but in the end it’s her life and she and any kids they might have are basically set for life.
How much money we talking? 65 and spritely could well mean 25 years or more of marriage
I don’t know the exact net worth, but enough to have 2 “main residences” in Alpine NJ (most of the time, he hates city congestion) & Upper East Side (to stay when there’s work in the city, things like that), summer home in Sagaponack + at least 7 other homes I’m aware of. Flying exclusively private. That kind of wealth.
Your daughter could likely follow her dreams now.
That’s enough to not worry about money again. As long as he treats her well and she’s happy, then you and your husband should do their best to support her and her choices.
You’re her parents, she doesn’t need undue stress from y’all. It sounds like she has a good head on her shoulders, just try to understand, support and love her.
That’s certainly reason enough for most people. So long as there is some actual spark then what’s not to love? You may well still get grandchildren and he’s unlikely to be seen much. The age gap certainly fails the creepiness test, but no crimes are being commited and both are entering into it with good faith. You may well struggle for some time, but for the good of all - button that beak and smile
