I see you have children.
Did they grow up knowing about this lifestyle or if not how did you introduce and openly communicate with your children about it?
So just for clarification, I have 4 children by a previous wife. I have a step-son by my current legal wife. My other wife has three children of her own by a previous husband, to whom my husband is the step father of.
Due to issues with the mother of my children, they were raised by my uncle about 4 hours away from me. The oldest was about 8 or 9 and the youngest almost 2. While looking back I can see how I was always bent towards being poly, I did not know about it back then. When I fist started dating my legal wife, she knew that I did not need to be locked into another relationship right away. She wanted to make sure I was not just rebounding, both for her sake as well as mine. So she encouraged me to date so that I could be sure I knew myself and who i really wanted to be with. It was during these early years that I learned about polyamory, both from the experience I was going through and learning from others. So my kids grew up with me visiting with various women over the years, some of who went on to be their "aunts". And by that they remained close friends, although not lovers, so they also remained close to the kids. But I never outright said to them growing up, "hey I am poly" or explain any of that. Partly, because I felt it was better to theach this one by example, and because my aunt and uncle were very religious (although, thankfully, not uber religious) and I did not want to make a disturbance in their house hold. However, as each one grew up and moved out, I became more open with them, and when my legal wife and I decided to marry the other couple. I outright told them, as they turned 18. My middle daughter has also attempted poly, and sadly that did not work out. My son is open to the idea, but hasn't really found anyone who would be good with that. The other two daughters do not seem to be poly, but both are very happy for our quad, as are the other two, and love all my spouses.
My stepson grew up in my household for most of his life, so he was exposed early on to my having relationships aside from his mom. In fact one time, when she was taking him to visit her parents (I've visited several time myself, but that particular visit, I could get off work), he asked if my then current girlfriend was going to be staying with me. When asked why, he said I shouldn't be alone and she would love me and take care of me. We met the other couple while he was a Junior in high school. They moved in when they suddenly became homeless and we offered up a place till they could get on their feet. So he got to spend a lot of time with them. At the time we were just friends. At one point, when it looked like the husband was going to get a job (she can't work due to medical issues) my wife and I were asking I felt we really wanted them to leave. Mind you, they had now been there for close to two years at this point. Turns out they were asking themselves the same question. It took a friend from the outside to Gibbs slap us all and tell us to talk. That is how we decided to be a married quad. My stepson took it all in stride. He even said they aggravated him like his dad, mom and me did, so why not?
As for the other wife's children, as far as they are concerned, not to mention many of her blood family, we are two couples who have decided to merge household for economic reasons. The daughter thinks that this will never last, but she has a habit of driving all the friends she makes away within two years, so she has a world view that friendships don't last. The two sons are accepting of us, and quite cordial, even to they point that they enjoy playing board games with us, and ask for my and my wife's help if they feel we know the topic best. But they have a bit too much of their father in them, and would comprehend poly. So we don't hide it from them, but we also don't tell them either. I wouldn't be surprised if they knew, but even if they did, I don't think they want to acknowledge it.
