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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

Can living apart help save a relationship when blending families is hard?

6 replies

Row16 · 21/04/2026 13:00

Looking for some advice, myself and partner have been together three years I have two children and he has one he has full custody and mother does not see him, we have been living together for three years tried to make things work but it’s not working kid argue and me and him argue all the time to, he’s decided he wants to move out remain a relationship with me and see if things work out better that way, my kids adore him and his son calls me mum I’ve raised him since he was 3. I just feel like my whole world is ending and that despite him re assuring me daily how much he loves me he doesn’t because he wouldn’t leave if he did i think my defences are up because im hurting right now, anyway the whole point in writing this was to ask advice is this the right thing to do? To save our relationship? Because we are very much in love but our living situation isn’t working

OP posts:
UpDownAllAround1 · 21/04/2026 13:03

What are you arguing about?

FateAmenableToChange · 21/04/2026 13:58

Difficult to know if it will save the relationship. Doesnt really matter. Raising 3 children in an environment where you all argue all the time is toxic and wrong.

Bananalanacake · 21/04/2026 15:09

How long had you been together when he moved in. Always better to live apart as you have your own space.

Nn9011 · 21/04/2026 15:11

Didn't you already post this with the exact same title?

ComtesseDeSpair · 21/04/2026 15:16

What do you argue about? I think you need to think about whether it’s beneficial to either of you to remain in a relationship, even living apart, if you’re so fundamentally incompatible and unable to communicate with each other that you argue and shout all the time and haven’t been able to make a healthy and calm household work despite three years of trying. Even if the majority of your arguments are around parenting - is somebody with such a different approach, which causes conflict they aren’t prepared to address, the right partner?

And you don’t necessarily need to make that decision now; but there’s every possibility that one or both of you will realise that once you have space apart and can focus properly on what you really want.

Missj25 · 21/04/2026 22:33

Row16 · 21/04/2026 13:00

Looking for some advice, myself and partner have been together three years I have two children and he has one he has full custody and mother does not see him, we have been living together for three years tried to make things work but it’s not working kid argue and me and him argue all the time to, he’s decided he wants to move out remain a relationship with me and see if things work out better that way, my kids adore him and his son calls me mum I’ve raised him since he was 3. I just feel like my whole world is ending and that despite him re assuring me daily how much he loves me he doesn’t because he wouldn’t leave if he did i think my defences are up because im hurting right now, anyway the whole point in writing this was to ask advice is this the right thing to do? To save our relationship? Because we are very much in love but our living situation isn’t working

If everyone is arguing OP it is definitely for the best to live separately.
All you can do is see how it goes 🤷🏻‍♀️

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