Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Husband says marriage is over unless our daughter moves out

205 replies

Wh1teRabb1t · 17/08/2026 16:54

I have been with my husband for 25yrs and married for 15yrs, we have 4 kids together.
My eldest daughter is 19, she has PDA - (Autism spectrum.)
My husband has never really accepted this, he is very old fashioned, just like his parents.
Both of them are very 'hot headed' , They fight over the smallest issues, like him telling her to clean her bedroom.
He has shouted horrible names to her, she attacks in the only way she knows how, shouting and swearing at him,
At this point i will be on his side, as i agree that she should tidy her room and not scream and shout at her dad like that, but then things escalate to her getting in his face shouting at him.
He makes things worse by pushing her and screaming really nasty, horrible, hurtful things to her, He said once to her that he wishes she wasn't here.
My daughter can never unhear this, even though she has tried her best to be civil with him over the recent years.
Anyway, recently they have had a big 'verbal fight' and then got physical pushing each other, ending in him throwing a drink in my face as i stepped in the middle of them both as i thought they was going to get more physical.
He lifted up the TV remote as if to throw it at us, so i pushed him into the bed and he got hurt.
My husband left minutes afterwards, he's not been back for over two weeks.
He has messaged me saying our marriage is over and its all my fault because i always defend our daughter over him.
He even told me that unless she's left home he wont be coming back.
Even though we also have other kids together.
I'm sorry its a bit of a long story, but i really don't know what to do.
All advice welcome, from both mum's and dad's. Please.

OP posts:
ChillWith · 17/08/2026 17:26

BlondeFool · 17/08/2026 17:00

omg I can’t believe what I just read. He’s physically and emotionally bullying your ND daughter. He sounds absolutely vile.

100% this. Sorry OP

trythisforsize · 17/08/2026 17:27

Definitely take him up on the offer of the marriage being over. Verbal and physical abuse is never justifiable.

He sounds really nasty and has no idea how to de-escalate situations. He'll be the same if not worse when your other children reach this age.

You'll have a more peaceful home-life without him.

Castolaya · 17/08/2026 17:28

How many parenting classes has your husband gone along to over the years?

You have clearly adapted and adjusted up having a child with a disability - he has not.

Yes it is difficult. Yes it is much more challenging than a NT child but that does not justify his behaviour.

We also have children with a PDA profile. We both work full time. We both attended parenting classes seperately and together because we needed to learn how to parent the children we have.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

IFinishedTheBiscuits · 17/08/2026 17:30

"He is very old fashioned, just like his parents."

Not making excuses but my mum used to say similar about her Dad. He was "very Victorian". He kicked her out of home when she was 18.

And with hindsight he was probably Autistic. He was very difficult to live with.

JLou08 · 17/08/2026 17:31

itsgettingweird · 17/08/2026 17:15

And I didnt say she did.

I said that now her father’s not there they may become the next victims.

Her father clearly doesn’t handle it well but OP admits when she defends her DD her DD will then get up monies father’s face anyway.

What happens when he’s not there and OP has to deliver the messages he has been?

PDA is caused by an extreme anxiety around demands. Living in their own space supported may be a calmer environment for the DD too and reduce her anxiety.

What's your say that OP or another child won't be the next victim/scapegoat if the DD goes and DH comes back? OP said his parents were hot heads, maybe it him that's been the issue all along.

therewearethen21 · 17/08/2026 17:31

Honestly I would have been gone the first time he screamed at my child, let alone the pushing, that I would have reported to the police because im sorry but there is never an excuse to put your hands on your child like that, I dont care how difficult they are.

I have an adult child with autism. You learn how to deal with things in the right way and you dont just scream and shout and if you cant regulate yourself as a parent then you go get help! He sounds like he has anger issues and im sorry but you have let her down by allowing it to continue.

Let's hope him walking out is the start of her being protected.

Perhaps look at some advice from online services to learn about PDA and ways to communicate to help with this because screaming and shouting to get stuff done will have the absolute opposite effect. There are ways to communicate and it sounds like you need some help in figuring this out and this would probably be a whole lot easier without an aggressive bully in the home!

helpfulperson · 17/08/2026 17:33

I absolutely think yiu need to end your marriage but given the hereditary nature of this perhaps your husband is also ND and possibly PDA, you said they were alike. ND children grow into ND adults. Do you see your daughter ever being able to live independantly ?

thepariscrimefiles · 17/08/2026 17:33

IronEverything · 17/08/2026 17:02

Of course he's the bad guy in all the comments. The man always is on here.

Well he is the fucking bad guy. He is the parent and he should be more mature than his ND daughter. He sounds selfish, cruel and childish.

Bonkers1966 · 17/08/2026 17:33

This is a shocking read. Perhaps he could stay in Denmark.

Deadringer · 17/08/2026 17:34

I wouldn't want him back after that carry on. It sounds like things are difficult with your dd, but parents don't have the luxury of throwing strops when their dc are badly behaved, whatever the reason. On a side note, my dds are teens/adults and I don't make them tidy their rooms. Its their space to have as they please with 3 caveats, 1. Clothes are put in the laundry basket or they wont be washed, 2. Rarely are dishes allowed in bedrooms and if they are they must be brought straight down after, 3. If they want friends over they have to tidy up.

therewearethen21 · 17/08/2026 17:35

IronEverything · 17/08/2026 17:02

Of course he's the bad guy in all the comments. The man always is on here.

In what world is a parent that is verbally and physically abusive not the bad guy? How fucking rock bottom are your standards that this would be ok in your life?

TheoriginalMrDarcy · 17/08/2026 17:35

What a result in that he has actually left and said he won’t be coming back. Saves you the hassle of kicking him out. Hopefully
now your home will be calmer and respectful for both you and your children.

Error404FucksNotFound · 17/08/2026 17:38

IronEverything · 17/08/2026 17:02

Of course he's the bad guy in all the comments. The man always is on here.

When he is and has a long history of being a total dick to his disabled daughter i should bloody well hope he is seen as the bad guy.

What kind of bunch of brain dead handmaidens would we have to be to think otherwise?

BitOutOfPractice · 17/08/2026 17:40

Anyone who laid a finger on my DD or called her names would be out of my life faster than a speeding bullet.

And now I read he works away. Now it all makes sense.

diddl · 17/08/2026 17:46

My husband has never really accepted this

So that's not helpful is it?

He has shouted horrible names to her

Why would he do that to anyone, let alone his own child?

He makes things worse by pushing her and screaming really nasty, horrible, hurtful things to her, He said once to her that he wishes she wasn't here.

Unforgiveable.

And you still love him??

its all my fault because i always defend our daughter over him.

She shouldn't ever need defending from him!

MadeInGrimsby · 17/08/2026 17:46

Error404FucksNotFound · 17/08/2026 17:38

When he is and has a long history of being a total dick to his disabled daughter i should bloody well hope he is seen as the bad guy.

What kind of bunch of brain dead handmaidens would we have to be to think otherwise?

Exactly!

AnonyMumAuDHD · 17/08/2026 17:48

hyggetyggedotorg · 17/08/2026 16:57

I think your marriage is probably over.

DD has PDA & yes, that’s incredibly difficult to live with, but it’s as hard for you as it is for DH.

He still can’t be throwing drinks, remote controls etc & telling his children he wishes they weren’t around.

I agree with this. I have a 21yo AuDHD DD with PDA (and boy does she lean into it). I understand what it is like to feel trapped, frustrated, angry and resentful. DH and I had a bit of a row a few days because DD has decided not to go back to uni and unilaterally decided remain at home this year. I am now trapped - cannot book dogsitters if she is resident, so can’t head off and join DH when he travels with work as planned, or go away for a few days with friends, can’t take a hybrid job in another city knowing my lovely sitters would live-in when needed, can’t even book a week away with DH. Am gutted. I cried. DH cried. My life seemed like it was over and the hopes and dreams I had of just 10 years of something for me - after 21 years of being a FT carer effectively, evaporated. DH saw his retirement plans for 3-5 years ahead crumble to dust but was mostly upset for what this meant for me and whether our marriage could survive it.

Then we wiped the tears, slept on it and the next day made a plan: to call the GP to get meds reviewed, to get a referral to the community MH team (for her, though I considered it for me, but I started therapy last month anyway) and agreed that in 3m we will contact adult social care for a support assessment and look into arranging an assisted living place - ie we sat and agreed that we need to involve other people in her ongoing care and to scaffold her into a space where it was not us [me] that would be her lifelong care support.

I confess to having had moments in the last few years where I have felt beyond angry and, in fact, quite suicidal at the thought of having to look after a belligerent, self centred and, at times, unpleasant and unlikeable person. mental illness is quite ugly, and autism does not excuse or explain it away completely. But then I get a glimpse, beneath the distress, the pain and confusion to the lovely, gifted, loyal and sensitive person I raised. Am not ready to give up on her, but concede what we have been doing is not helping her, is not moving her towards independence - that we need help.

At no time has my DH ever been abusive or physical with me, or my DD. At no time have I done that to him either. We’re a team. We may be at the end of our tether, but in no way is the way OP’s DH has behaved acceptable.

@Wh1teRabb1t I think at this point, it might be worth encouraging a separation: for DH to take some time out and live elsewhere, even if just for a few weeks, while you take stock of where you want your marriage to go and what support you feel you should be receiving from him and other agencies. And I would speak to the GP and to adult social services to arrange a care assessment as you/she should be entitled to support - at home OR to move her out.

Two issues conflated here: your DD, for whom it is well-past the time to enlist help for her to live independently as an adult, because the family is in crisis; and your marriage, which may struggle to survive after this.

Boreded · 17/08/2026 17:48

Get rid of him

Heretohelp1111 · 17/08/2026 17:51

Both of them require external support with emotional regulation, understanding abusive behaviour etc but ultimately he is an adult male and she is a young adult female whose brain hasn’t even finished developing and who has additional needs. As such, it stands to reason that while you shouldn’t justify or excuse her behaviour, when things become physical you will intervene to ensure her safety. I would tell him that you will not be prioritising his wellbeing over any other family member but you think you all need to accept that things can’t go on as they are and seek family therapy.

Sensiblesal · 17/08/2026 17:51

It sounds like you are in a very difficult situation OP. The working away, it sounds like he has reached the point where he doesn’t want to come home, maybe he doesn’t like the person he turns into around your daughter. Who knows.

It must be very hard for you stuck in the middle. A lot of posters missing the nuance of how hard this is for everyone. Like you say you love your husband & you want to protect your daughter who has challenging behaviour which I imagine puts a lot of pressure on & your husband handles in the worst way. It’s not acceptable so removing himself seems like the best outcome right now.

making your daughter move out so hubby can come home is not an option but how is her behaviour without him there?

would she benefit down the line living in supported living, that might be something to explore in the future but not right now.

You have some horrible decisions to make, I hope you have some IRL support around you to help

madaboutpurple · 17/08/2026 17:52

Let your solicitor know he is not contributing financially as he need to no matter where he lives. I would think you will be advised that you and your DC stay in the home you have .In time OP I just hope you come across a wonderful man. All in good time. You have dealt with a truly terrible situation. I am sure everyone on here wishes that from now on you have a more peaceful and happier life. The ex sounds pathetic.

MintChocCat · 17/08/2026 17:53

Sounds like safeguarding and needs reporting to adult social services. Your daughter sounds like a vulnerable adult, imo.

MyKindHiker · 17/08/2026 17:53

Her behaviour will become immeasurably better with him out of the picture.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 17/08/2026 17:54

Your marriage is over because you are married to a violent man who hates his own daughter.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 17/08/2026 17:56

I would say he's got another home set up in Denmark, ready for him to step into, which is why he's saying your marriage is over.

If he's being violent towards your daughter, it is.