If you have considered cheating, you may have pondered the question, “What do kids know?” In all your smugness, you may have thought that the only people that know about your secret affair are the kids and they are not talking. You may think that because you are their parent, that you know what is best. You have needs, and the kids will just have to get used to that. In other words, you want to be selfish, and your kids will just have to let you indulge in your self-serving binge.
Children are not dumb. You can talk them into believing what you tell them, but that does not mean that they are OK with what is going on. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, that is a law of physics. That law also comes into play in human relations as well. There will be consequences to your actions. Of course, when your child acts out, you can blame it on the child. You may even sincerely believe that there is no connection between your affair and their behavior problems. Believing that has allowed you to continue living in the affair rather than living with your family and children. The children will always know what is going on and in most cases, they will carry the scars of your affair for years to come. You may think that you are smart enough to escape the consequences. No one escapes the consequences, not even you.
Kids know when they have been lied to. Kids know when they are not a priority in your life. They often have an innate feel for what is right and what is wrong. So, in the long run, kids know a lot.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Murrah
