Dear Eric: I am a male and have been married and divorced twice. My first wife and I had two kids. My second wife had four kids previously. I am still friends with everyone and see them semi-often. My question is: what do I call my ex-step kids, step-grandkids, step-nieces/nephews, etc. I don’t like ex, but I’m not married anymore. My second wife calls me her former husband.

– Exception

Dear Exception: How does “former” feel to you? As in, “former step-kids,” et cetera? If it’s just the word “ex” that you don’t like, you can follow your second former wife’s lead. However, depending on the context, I wonder if you have to worry about calling them anything at all besides their names. If you’re telling a friend about weekend plans, for instance, you might just say, “I’m seeing (ex-wife’s name)’s kids and grandkids on Saturday.” Or to a stranger, “I’m seeing some family friends.”

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