to wonder why men tend to wait till they have someone else before ending a relationship/marriage...

[MistyRocks]

...and women don't?

i speak as someone who ended my previous marriage purely because i was unhappy and didn't want to be with xH anymore. and many of my female friends have done the same, without having anyone waiting in the wings as it were.

but most men i know went from one relationship to another, basically leaving their ex for their new P however they want to dress it up

and reading the relationship boards the stories on there seem to follow a similar pattern. i am not saying its always the case but i think it probably is most of the time.

are men just crap at being on their own or what?

I've seen it equally from both sexes. My mum left my dad for her now DP, my dad has remained single for the past 16 years and is quite happy being on his own. BIL has never been single in the 17 years I've been with DH! That includes 2 marriages he has always left one woman for another.

I see more women doing it than men.

In my experience - friends and some family - it's more women than men who do this.

Just to add some balance, you see....

Given that I think we already have enough sexist, man-bashing threads on MN.

i'm not man bashing shelly, my OP was just my observations from my own friends and family. most men i know end a relationship by going on to the next one.

i was also thinking about it as well, and i think when men have kids they are reluctant to leave a shit relationship, as they know that its most likely their wife/dp will get the kids full time. but women can leave their men knowing they'll still keep their kids. so therefore more women leave if they are unhappy.