My husband is leaving me.....how do we tell our son??

[Jazzerjax50]

I need some advice please.....my husband of 8 years and I are in separate rooms and have been for several months. Our marriage is over and he is intending to leave me next year but we are having to live togther for the moment due to financial constraints. We are, in the main, amicable. But our main concern is how to tell our son, what to say, when, how to help him, etc. so I would really appreciate some advice from others, men and women, who have gone through something similar where the relationship is gone but the couple are still living together for a while? He is a very "grounded" little boy but also very sensitive and we want to do this the best way we can under the circumstances........

I'm afraid I'm in a similar situation and am wondering the same! How old is your son? My DD is almost 4 and has sensed something's not right as Daddy's not around much anymore (he moved out, as a trial separation, 3 weeks ago). She still sees him and he comes over sometimes to put her to bed. She sometimes asks where he is but she hasn't got upset about anything. We haven't told her anything yet and I'm just saying Daddy's doing some work in another house when she asks where he is. I'm dreading telling her and am really worried about how we'll share Christmases and birthdays etc.

I hope you do get some advice on this. I'm sorry i can't help, but sometimes just knowing others are going through something similar is some comfort. x

My chidren are older (17 and 12) but our marriage is over. We are living and sleeping together until the house is sold, whenever that may be. I told our lovely children 3 weeks ago and it was the hardest thing I ever had to do. It broke my heart and theirs but I had no other choice as they are older and knew something was wrong although they had no idea we were separating. There is never a right time but I think you will know when the time comes and you have to be strong. You're not alone in this situation - Good luck

Thank you both for your replies. It really does help to know I'm not alone. My son is 8 years old and although he is very sensititve he is also very grounded and sounds very very similar to Tilly80's DD in that he notices that daddy isn't around as much but isn't actually upset yet........thank God!

I dread telling him as he loves his dad so much.......:-( x