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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Anyone biding their time till kids grown up before leaving or splitting up?

73 replies

Overseasmom100 · 14/01/2021 22:45

Just wondering if anyone's got plans to leave their DH once kids have left school and settled etc.

OP posts:
nomoreafool · 15/01/2021 18:33

I've recently asked h to leave.

His shitty actions have caused financial issues along with his selfish tightness and his lack of engagement for a while.

I totally get the relief feeling when he goes out. I feel I can breath again and then he comes back and I sigh inwardly.

Yesterday's conversation obviously hasn't sunk in or he's just ignoring what I'm saying. I also reiterated it in a message today so when he said something earlier implying we were staying together I had to double take and ask him if he's confused or just deliberately ignoring what I've said Hmm

His response was to play dumb for a minute until I told him we won't be staying together and he needs to start making steps to find somewhere to live.

It's amicable at the moment but I have a feeling it won't stay that way when it sinks in he isn't going to get his own way this time.
I've told him enough is enough and he needs to do the right thing for me and the dc now because he's lost my respect and support.

I need to use my energy to emotionally and physically support the dc and look after myself.

He drains me and his life choices which cause havoc also drain me

nomoreafool · 15/01/2021 18:55

And op I've been secretly trying to hold on for the dc for a couple of years but realistically it was never going to work because I spend my life being frustrated by his financial and other decisions and am always the one left sorting it all out.

No matter how much they say it won't happen again trust me it slips back in and before you know it your back to square one.

I've said it out loud now and he's very aware of how I feel even though he's been aware for years but never changed anything.

Ive tried and out my own life on hold to keep everything happy but actually it's not that way.
I realise I've become less and less like myself and it's dawned on me it's because he drains me in every way and it's not good to live in that.

I want my dc to know that it's ok to step away if your aren't happy and there never needs to be a big reason to be unhappy. I want them to see we all have our own choices and decisions to make.

I'm hoping it goes smoothly as there's no need for it not to unless h gets awkward in which case he will just damage his own relationship with his dc and make it hard for them.

GypsyLee · 15/01/2021 19:03

I wish people wouldn't do this to their children.
If you want to separate just do it, your kids will carry guilt that isn't theirs to carry.
It must be awful to know your parents are doing this.

Itstimetoquit · 15/01/2021 20:06

Don't wait your kids will resent you for it

Wannabegreenfingers · 16/01/2021 06:39

Don't wait. My parents did and it was horrible. I had years of shit relationship modelling. It has effected the person I am today.

My ex left last year kids are 8&10. I hope that I'm modelling better behaviours to my children so they can have healthy happy relationships when they are older.

Seenyouontele · 16/01/2021 07:44

My plan is to leave when the kids start school. I've gone over all the ins and outs of when, why, how to leave with 2 therapists and I always reach the same conclusion: I just need to wait a little longer.
My situation isn't awful, but it shouldn't continue long term either. I've fallen out of love with him and don't enjoy being in his company anymore.
He knows how I feel and it's difficult because sometimes, life is on the surface, pleasant between us. There just isn't any substance. DH would prefer to drink beer and watch Netflix on his own than spend time together. I now much prefer sleeping alone. The problem is that this has become our normal, which makes it harder to separate.
I'm someone who can only focus on one major life event at a time and at the moment, two kids under 5, homeschooling my eldest, a pandemic and working from home part-time is enough for me.
I have goals though, which I think are important to have.
I have also (finally) started building my Fuck Off Fund, which I should have started building up a couple of years ago.

Cocogreen · 16/01/2021 07:52

My friend wanted to leave her husband at 34, finally did it at 50 when their 3 children were over 21. The children grew up with a terrible view of adult relationships and have all struggled in romantic relationships and with trust issues. My friend regrets not leaving earlier and the time wasted.

Chocolate123 · 16/01/2021 08:41

I always find these threads really sad. My parents waited until I was 18 and I can't remember any happy times in my teens. There's never a right time and every one is different but staying because of kids is wrong.

Bunchup · 16/01/2021 10:10

it’s brave to stay in a horrible marriage and sacrifice your best years for your kids

It really isn't. It's selfish and cowardly and shit to do this to your children.

The notion that your DC will thank their unhappy parents for their 'sacrifice' is totally fucked up.

mdh2020 · 16/01/2021 10:29

A friend of mine did this years ago. On the day her fifth child left for uni she packed her bags and moved in with the love of her life. When they retired they moved to the South of France. Proof that it is possible.

Molly357 · 16/01/2021 11:42

What about if you know that if you separate, finances will be horrendous and your children will have to move home and literally be on bread line. Already struggling with two incomes and one home. Surely it’s better to just put up with it until they leave home in these circumstances?

Seenyouontele · 16/01/2021 11:54

Just to expand on my original post which is about my current situation.

My parents remained in an unhappy marriage until my sibling and I left home.
It was pretty awful.
Dad was an alcoholic, there was low level violence a few times.
Mum was quite volatile, but definitely the better parent.
As a teen, I desperately just wanted them to separate.
However, controversially, I'm now relieved that they stayed together. My Mum eventually divorced my Dad and ended up, very quickly, in another bad relationship. Another alcoholic.
She also had a short promiscuous period after they separated. Knowing what I know now, I'm glad that my Mum stayed with my Dad and didn't leave sooner. I think we would have gone through a lot of upheaval due to mum's volatile state and low self esteem. I've no doubt she would have had a string of bad relationships. I'm glad we didn't have to go through that and I've no doubt we would have been carted off to another part of the country if she had met someone far away. Atleast we had our grandparents close by and the stability of our friends around us.

I never thought I'd ever look back on things from this perspective and I know others would disagree.

My advice would be to get yourself sorted emotionally and mentally as much as possible on separation or even, beforehand if possible. It's not always a good thing to get up and leave as soon as things get tough. Preparation is key.

I've had a lot of therapy whilst still in my current failing relationship (which isn't particularly toxic) so that I can give my children and I as healthy a life as possible going forward. This has felt the right thing to do along with waiting until my youngest starts school for financial and emotional reasons.

JudyGemstone · 16/01/2021 12:10

I did some sessional counselling for a university for a bit, there was a huge amount of student clients whose parents had split the minute they'd gone away to uni. They were devastated by the idea that their childhoods had been a lie and full of guilt that their parents had only stayed together for their sake.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this approach. There is always a way to split, people do it every single day.

Bubbles1st · 16/01/2021 12:34

Why wait?
Kids pick up on an unhappy marriage and strained home.

Yes it will be hard but it nearly always is. You are having happy times and memories stolen every day you stay.
All of you are missing out on what you deserve.

nomoreafool · 16/01/2021 13:57

I remember a post on here many years ago where a regular gave some good advice when telling the dc.

She said to always remember that life is not over it's just a new way of life.
It will take time to adjust and the routine change will take some working on but as long as you remember life isn't over only taking a different path it will be easier to get through.

The atmosphere here although there's no arguing or shouting and we are having civil conversations is getting thicker by the day.

Made worse by being in lockdown and dh now being home and not at work.

That's how I know this time I can not wait until the dc are older because even with an amicable thought process it still filters I to the house.

I am 100% firm that I would like him to leave ASAP and I don't even want to consider trying as I feel like I've been doing that for some time while he's been oblivious to how unhappy his actions make me feel.

The sooner he gets his head around it and agrees to leave I can start to make headway with the practical and emotional side of things.

again2020 · 16/01/2021 14:12

Yes, my daughter is very young at only 3. I think about leaving when she is older, most days. The relationship with my partner is unsatisfactory at the best of times, emotionally abuse at the worst.
My daughter is a daddy's girl and I'm scared she'd never want to see me if we split now, but equally scared of that if we split when she's an adult. I do feel me and my partner are wasting the best years of our lives together. I've been asked to stay put by my parents who gave us a very large (unprotected) house deposit. 20 years left on the mortgage.

I don't think the situation is that uncommon. Everyone has their reasons. It is depressing, and there's no answers I guess Flowers

movingonup20 · 16/01/2021 14:29

Did it, in retrospect don't recommend it. Have an amazing dp now but can't help thinking I've missed out on the possibility of a family with him (even though he's only recently divorced so actually not a possibility). 10 years of treading water, hoping things would get better but knowing deep down it was over, he left me the day after dd turned 18

movingonup20 · 16/01/2021 14:30

Ps economically it made sense, we could afford two houses etc just I feel I wasted 10 years

GentlemanJay · 16/01/2021 14:38

Please don't wait. Do it. I waited far too long. Like everyone else lots of reasons. If you know you are going one day do it now.

TippledPink · 16/01/2021 14:46

My parents stayed in an unhappy marriage, I hated it, used to beg my Dad to leave my Mum but he never did. I never saw a loving relationship, and I feel this affected me as an adult. Weirdly they have stayed together, although their relationship is still just as shit, my Dad says it's just too late to bother doing anytging about it. They are in their early 70's. I think what a waste of a life spending it with someone you hate most of the time.
My OH also stayed in his awful marriage until the youngest was 15. His kids have no idea what a healthy relationship looks like and it shows through their own relationships.

Cluelessever · 16/01/2021 16:35

🙋🏻‍♀️.

My finances are zero.

I want to leave in 6-7 yrs time. If I leave now, me and my children will be the ones who suffer. I dont want to drag children with me because I am a terrible planner ( I planned very well for H but not for me!).

I dream of not having this mountain on my head and I can live a decent life with my children and he is also free to do whatever shit he wants

ScarfAndGlassesgirl · 16/01/2021 17:00

Fil did this. When asked why he stayed so long he said there was always something he felt he had to stay for. It damaged dh and his perspective on relationships for a long time sadly and completely blind sighted MIL

My sil is doing this now to db. Wish she would leave him they are just no fun to be around its exhausting and draining and the kids are suffering big time age 12 and 9

Overseasmom100 · 16/01/2021 17:08

Some of us are stronger that others.

It was a photo I found a few months ago of me and my DC. It was quite old about 11 years old...I didnt recognise myself...in fact it litetally made me stopped in my tracks...ok Im 11 years younger Smile but I was so happy, so smiley so....relaxed....just not a worry in the world.

Today I feel sad, drained, disappointed, ley down, took advantage of. Ridiculous situation to be in isnt it?!

Homelife isnt bad...no arguments or tension or even an atmosphere. The photo just made me think ... this isnt what I signed up for (20 years ago) it's the disappointment of his actions and selfishness mostly that have really struck a cord lately. No intamacy for prob 3 years now. Thing is he knows...he knows its all gobe, destroyed BUT he hates confrontation, hates discussing matters, hides it all away, sweeps it under the carpet, Mr wonderful to everyone else but just a disappointment to me.

I just need to get my ducks in a row and do it

OP posts:
FippertyGibbett · 16/01/2021 17:12

Yes, I’d love to split but I just can’t take the aggravation.
I wish he would just leave and then let us sort everything out.
There is no way we will still be together when the kids have all left.

FippertyGibbett · 16/01/2021 17:14

Disappointment and resentment. It can never last.