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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.

Can someone hold my hand through the next week please

31 replies

Sadgirl101 · 05/08/2025 17:23

DH and I split in Dec 23. He claimed the usual "falling out of love" spiel but in reality had been having an emotional affair (at a minimum, not sure if physically) and had left me for someone 14 years his junior. Unsurprisingly it didn't last and he has now moved on to a colleague.

Our home is tied to his job so we knew I would have to be the one to move, but I had just started a degree when we split so agreed I would stay until I graduated. That hasn't worked out and I'm now moving back to my parents next week. We will share kids 50:50.

We have no assets and no savings. We pooled money for bills and just kind of divided up extras as we went along, most of the furniture he bought (my extras tended to go on kid stuff, holiday spending money etc) so he is now claiming all the furniture is his and he won't give me any. I know legally it's not true, but I honestly don't have the energy to fight over furniture I'd have to store anyway for at least 2 years. We had agreed I would engage a solicitor to write up a court order based on what we had agreed, and he would contribute towards the costs rather than both paying legal fees. Needless to say, £6k later, he refused to sign it and I haven't seen a penny. Solicitor said she wrote it because we were in agreement, but a court would never enforce it if it he were to contest it, so it was a complete waste of time and money. Going back to the drawing board and going for clean break just so that I can get it done.

I have had so much other stress as well to contend with this year and I just have nothing left to give. My relationship with the kids is deteriorating thanks to mental health while he plays dad of the year so they obviously favour him. He regularly asks what's wrong with me and when I list it all out he gets defensive and says I can't blame him and "it's hard for him too" (his contribution has been setting up broadband in his own name, he hasn't done anything else) and doesn't seem to get while I've no doubt he will miss not having the kids under the same roof full time, that's the only part of his life that is changing, everything else will carry on as normal. I am leaving with absolutely nothing, and still won't have my kids full time either. Every time I try and get him to discuss anything about the future it turns into him getting defensive and making demands/expectations/threats of "if X happens we're going to have issues". We both want to coparent amicably but I can't help but think it's just going to be control by another name, and if I say no I will be painted as the unreasonable one. I have no friends left as he isolated me from them all over the course of the marriage. I was sad but got on well with the partners of some of his friends so it wasn't too bad but obviously they have all disappeared now.

We are telling the kids on Thursday and I am moving on Sunday. He will have the kids first and I will get them back on Wednesday. I know the kids will want to stay with him and lash out at me (they already do, this will only make it worse).

I just don't think I'm strong enough for this, I've used all my energy and resilience on surviving the last 18 months. There's an overwhelming temptation to walk out before we tell them and just never return, they'd probably be happier with their dad.

OP posts:
BookArt55 · 11/08/2025 13:57

@Sadgirl101 your description of accepting help and it being used against you... oh I really understand that. Accepting help had been a really curveball the last 18months which i didn't fully realise was an issue for me until I moved out, so you are a step ahead of me. Boundaries with my mum has also been an issue, she has come around to the fact that I am an adult 😆 and that she doesn't get to decide how to parent the kids, that's my job. We have had to have some tricky conversations, and both had to make adjustments, rather than just trying to sweep it under the rug.

@Mumto21234 if it helps when we moved in wjth my mum, me and the two kids shared a room, my mum had the smallest room, and then two weeks after moving in my brother's girlfriend joined him in his room with her dog in toe. All sudden and unforeseeable. 😄 🤣 it was madness for 9 months, but having a support network actually outweighed the annoying humans I had to live with. It will give you a minute to breathe when it all feels overwhelming. Fingers crossed for you.

Mumto21234 · 11/08/2025 13:59

@BookArt55 that does help thank you! My mum keeps saying it will be a good support network it just seems overwhelming all of us fighting over a shower 😂but maybe better than the isolation of living alone with small kids all winter.
Hope you came out of the other side in a better place x

BookArt55 · 11/08/2025 14:04

Mumto21234 · 11/08/2025 13:59

@BookArt55 that does help thank you! My mum keeps saying it will be a good support network it just seems overwhelming all of us fighting over a shower 😂but maybe better than the isolation of living alone with small kids all winter.
Hope you came out of the other side in a better place x

Oh a shower schedule is an issue for sure 🤣 they'll be times where you'll be so irritated with each other, but then I would remember how I lived before with the ex and it is sooooo much better. 18months on, still with my mum, ex is still a twat, he still lives in the house that i half own 🤣 otherwise soooooo much better than 18months ago, you'll start seeing positive changes with you and the kids having time away from him. It will all be worth it! Well done! You're doing amazingly!

femfemlicious · 11/08/2025 14:07

BookArt55 · 05/08/2025 21:10

I wouldn't be talking to him, everything in writing.
Believe it or not when you move out and get space from him, do some therapy through your GP too, but you will instantly feel better. You won't feel so dragged down by him and his actions.
It is tough with the kids, I know that will be hard. How old are they? Depending on their ages is how you can turn this and work on the relationships. You have time to make this an interesting adventure. You can have your down time when he has the kids, and then rally when it is your time. It will get better, it will get easier.

I agree, is it really that terrible to have the children 50%. I would use that time to rest and earn money so I can be the best mum I can be

Mumto21234 · 11/08/2025 14:46

BookArt55 · 11/08/2025 14:04

Oh a shower schedule is an issue for sure 🤣 they'll be times where you'll be so irritated with each other, but then I would remember how I lived before with the ex and it is sooooo much better. 18months on, still with my mum, ex is still a twat, he still lives in the house that i half own 🤣 otherwise soooooo much better than 18months ago, you'll start seeing positive changes with you and the kids having time away from him. It will all be worth it! Well done! You're doing amazingly!

Yes I suspect this will be an issue and people making noise early in the morning and waking my toddler up 😅but I do think the isolation in winter would get to me as well. Being alone with own thoughts just now tends to take me down a rabbit hole of depression so distraction will help for sure!
I keep my fingers crossed that I come out of the other side happier, just seems so unlikely just now but there's always hope.

Pinkfreedom · 12/08/2025 09:21

Don't be a friend to your ex as he will just exploit this kindness for his own needs.

Legal all the way, most husbands start off saying "sort it amicably" because they don't want to cough up money for their children.

Many mumsnetters will have more up to date advice to give you than I can give you.

I would say don't focus on the now but look forward to the future. This is a horrible stage of a break up but things do get better.

Stay strong and the best of luck CK with everything. Take any support offered by family and friends.

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