DEAR ABBY: I have been divorced for a year and have two boys, ages 8 and 9. During this time, my ex-husband has introduced three different women to my children and recently introduced them to a new girlfriend he has been seeing for a few weeks. The first day that they met the girlfriend, he had the children spend the night at her place. The woman has a 9-year-old son of her own.
I do not find this appropriate. When I confronted my ex, he insisted that there is no problem with it. How long do you recommend someone wait before introducing children to the person he/she is dating? Am I wrong to be concerned about this? -- CARING MOM IN KANSAS
DEAR CARING MOM: Unless your ex is trying to teach his sons that relationships are revolving doors, he should slow down the traffic. They need to spend time with their father, not their father plus one. Occasionally having a female friend join him and the boys is all right, provided they understand she's just a friend. But he shouldn't have been diluting the time he was spending with the boys during this first year to the extent that he has because it sends the wrong message.