I feel heartbroken over watching daughter support her unemployed, gaming-addicted husband

By Duy Thin   November 22, 2024 | 03:51 pm PT
My son-in-law has been unemployed for the past three years, addicted to gaming, and completely dependent on my daughter.

I am a 67-year-old retired official and a father to two sons and one daughter, who is the youngest of my children. I have a deep love for my children, having raised them to be good individuals. My youngest daughter and I have always shared a special bond, treating each other more like close friends throughout her upbringing. I take pride in all my children, who are university graduates, with my first two sons working as a university lecturer and a doctor.

My 34-year-old daughter is intelligent and industrious. She launched her business at 20 and was successful enough to buy her own house. She married at 28. In choosing a son-in-law, my family values moral integrity and perseverance over wealth.

Yet, my son-in-law has proven to be lazy and addicted to gaming, depending on his wife for support and opting for a life of ease. Upon marrying, he moved into the house my daughter had painstakingly secured. After her childbirth, he ceased working. Three years have now elapsed, their child has begun school, yet he remains unemployed. He not only avoids seeking employment but also pressures my daughter to find business opportunities for him. Unfortunately, his efforts are diverted to gaming, leading to disputes and his subsequent exclusion from the business.

I recently stumbled upon distressing entries my daughter wrote about her husband, expressing her unhappiness and disappointment, which evidently brought her to tears. My heart is heavy with her pain. Occasionally, she asks me: "Dad, would you be sad if my marriage ended?"

Such questions leave me speechless and deeply troubled. How can I assist my daughter in this situation?

 
 
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