Dad Starts Dating Six Years After Losing His Wife, Daughter Calls Him A Cheater

After losing his wife six years ago, this father devoted every ounce of himself to raising their two daughters. Now that they’re grown, he’s started seeing someone new, a fellow widower from his support group. But when his daughter found out, she accused him of betraying her mother’s final wish: that he should never date again.

He insists it was just a lighthearted exchange taken too seriously, but the guilt still stings. Is he wrong for trying to find happiness again—or is he finally allowed to move forward after years of grief?

Love can last beyond death, but loneliness can, too

OP later provided an update:

Grief counselor Dr. Melissa Keane, who specializes in post-loss relationships, says this story is painfully common. “When a parent dies young, children often freeze their image of the surviving parent in grief. They can’t imagine that parent as an individual with emotional and physical needs,” she explains.

According to Dr. Keane, the wife’s “don’t date” statement was almost certainly emotional, not literal. “People facing death sometimes say irrational or possessive things out of fear of being forgotten,” she says. “It’s an attempt to hold on to love when they know they’re losing everything.”

Keane stresses that honoring a person’s memory doesn’t mean halting your own life. “Grief changes shape, but it doesn’t vanish. The father can carry love for his late wife and still find joy with someone new that duality is healthy, not disloyal.”

Family therapist Dr. Aaron Feldman adds that daughters often struggle to accept their father’s new relationship because they see it through their lens of loss.

“A daughter mourns her mother; the father mourns his partner. Their grief journeys are parallel, but they’re not the same road,” he explains. “When she sees him dating, she feels like her mother is being replaced. But he’s trying to fill an emotional void, not erase anyone.”

Both experts agree the widower did the right thing by waiting years and discussing therapy. “He modeled respect and patience,” Feldman says. “Now, inviting his daughter into open conversation helps transform guilt into understanding.”

Keane concludes: “He’s not dishonoring his wife’s wish. He’s finally honoring his own humanity.”

These are the responses from Reddit users:

These Redditors urged the dad to explain to his daughter that the “no dating” wish was a joke

This couple called the wife’s request selfish and unfair, arguing that expecting lifelong solitude is unreasonable

These widowers, related to the dad’s loneliness, insist he’s not betraying his wife by moving on after six years

This group encouraged open talks with the daughters, stressing that dating doesn’t diminish his love for their mom

Would you have kept the promise, or chosen to live again?