silvia, you said that your friends with the kids. are they above 18? cos if they are, they should act mature and get on with their lives. they can't force their father to do what they want so either they'll learn to accept the situation OR ignore the father and the new wife altogether and forge a life separate from the father. now, if they want a happy family life then they better sort this out with the father. but they should remember that their father is a man, a human being. he has his own needs separate from being a father to them.