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Divorce/separation

Here you'll find divorce help and support from other Mners. For legal advice, you may find Advice Now guides useful.

How do you cope while separating but still living together?

76 replies

iloveyoubutilovememore · 16/07/2026 08:37

It’s been two weeks since OH & I decided that we need to separate, and to be honest I am all over the place.

The main factor here is that neither one of us can move out right now. I thought living in the same house would be a struggle but my god this is so hard. Having to keep the peace in front of the children, making small talk, seeing him glued to his poxy phone all evening, the list goes on. I don’t feel like I can emotionally cope with this whilst we both remain in the family home :(

Anyone who has been in this position, or currently is - please share some words of wisdom. What helped you navigate, how do we avoid getting into the late night disputes over what he/she said. I’m still really hurt and for many reasons feel so resentful towards him.

OP posts:
ScaredButUnavoidable · 16/07/2026 08:45

Oh I’m sorry OP, this sounds so incredibly difficult.

My friend had to endure this for about 7 months and I know the emotional toll it took on her.

They thankfully had a big house so were able to completely stay out of each others way! They had a massive annexe type thing in the garden which she moved in to (for sleeping) whilst the husband kept the main bedroom. During the evenings the size of the house meant they could pretty much avoid each other and they ate separately.

In the week she did the majority of all things child related and at the weekend she either went to stay with her parents so her husband “had the children” or she shut herself away in the annexe, only appearing for food or to use the bathroom.

They basically set in place the arrangement of her having the children in the week and him having them during the weekend whilst they were still all living together.

It was very challenging but she said it was infinitely easier than having to be around him every day because the anger and resentment was just bubbling over and it was really affecting the children.

How are you currently managing things in a practical sense?