"And this might be the moment your niece learns about what it looks like to mind your own business. You can simply explain to her that the information about her mom's infidelity was not yours to share. But her anger isn't really about you keeping a secret. It's about feeling like her family has fallen apart and there's nothing she can do about it."
"She doesn't actually hate you. So try to stick with her through this moment. Keep calling and texting her. Offer to take her out. Don't bring up Candace until she does. And forgive her if she's a jerk for a while. If you could absorb her rage and insist on still being kind to her and being there for her, it could give her something she really needs after having lost trust in her mom:"
An adult knew a sister had been cheating for years and chose not to intervene. A fifteen-year-old niece discovered explicit messages, confronted her mother, and moved in with her father. The mother told the niece that the adult had known and stayed silent, provoking the niece's anger. The adult was advised that keeping the sister's infidelity confidential respected boundaries. The niece's fury stems from loss, powerlessness, and damaged trust rather than actual hatred. The adult should remain present, maintain contact without raising the mother's actions, forgive temporary hostility, and provide consistent, honest emotional support to help rebuild trust.
Read at Slate Magazine
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