I saw the mother of one of Sophie's sunday school friends this weekend and she told me some awful news.

Apparently her husband of 22 years left her for his Internet girlfriend. They have 4 kids, from college age to 4 years old. He decided he needed to "start over."

This woman took care of the kids and the home, sewed *all* the kids clothes, and did all those things most of us know too well -- the cooking, the cleaning, the driving, the organizing, the supervising, the late nights, etc.

During the divorce and custody legal proceedings, as they attempted to work out child support, etc., this is what the enlightened judge told her:

"You've sponged off your husband long enough. It's time for you to go out and get a job."

Excuse me?!

Obviously she'll be getting a job -- they were a middle-class family, so no amount of alimony and child support could be enough to keep her from working.

But to be forced to tolerate that kind of humiliation from a judge during the already humiliating divorce proceedings stemming from an Internet romance?!

I've not seen this woman for several months, so I did not feel comfortable asking questions if she didn't offer the information, but doesn't she have some legal recourse for the judge's unprofessionalism?

And what do you think -- is this attitude still so prevalent that a judge would feel free to say that kind of thing in a public courtroom?

The lack of respect this woman has had to endure from two men who, by virtue of their positions, should have been seeking her best interests, is absolutely shocking!

Technorati Tags: Kaffeeklatsch [9]