Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

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

Wife has moved out and I am struggling to understand why

109 replies

Twoboys01 · 25/06/2026 21:41

Hi
My wife has just moved out. She has suffered depression for a few years but thought we were doing ok with it. She fell out with our eldest and hasn’t spoken to him for a few months now. Our youngest is split 50/50 and eldest with me full time. I’m not sure if it’s because of me or our eldest who she doesn’t get on with or depression why she has gone but doesn’t seem right to me? Could also be she’s met someone else which she says she hasn’t.

not sure if anyone has been in this situation before and got any advise? She has also fell out with other family members and doesn’t speak to them anymore either.

OP posts:
NessCaffayy · 26/06/2026 19:48

ALovelyPinkUnicorn · 26/06/2026 19:42

No satire, just the usual response when one parent walks out of the marital home and abandons their children?

Ah I see where you’re going. This is often the response when a man up and leaves. There’s a reason cliches are cliches.

Truth is men tend to stay unless they have a better offer (in their perception). Women do it because things are intolerable.

Whoops75 · 26/06/2026 19:52

My sister is on the brink of doing this, she feels invisible in the house. Husband and kids are happy but she is not, family life drains her.

It makes me sad but I do think she will be happier on her own with access to the children.

LouiseMadetheBestBroccoliPasta · 26/06/2026 20:01

This man was asked dozens and dozens of questions. Here's a few:

"Have you not asked her why [she moved out]?"

"Your timeline is very confused. You say you have 50/50 with her with the youngest but she just moved out. Which is it?"

"How is her relationship with your younger son - is he safe and loved in her care?"

"How was she harsh to your eldest? Did you chat about alternative approaches for discipline? Could she explain what her reasons were for chosing that approach?"

"What was the nature and frequency of your son's "trouble"?
What was your son's response to being grounded and having his phone taken (and by that, do you mean you've left your 15-year-old with no phone at all, or just for a period of time)?
In what way specifically do you think your wife was being "very harsh on him"?
What specifically did you do in response to your feeling she was being too harsh?
What else is going on in your marriage?"

"How does/did your eldest treat her? Did he have a tendency to do what you asked him to but not what she did?"

But there are no answers, because he does NOT want to answer those questions. He doesn't want our insights. No, what he really wants is for us to support his narrative that she's "harsh" and "depressed", that she's all of a sudden gone inexplicably mental, and that it's got absolutely nothing to do with him.

It seems obvious that the wife had to carry the whole mental load of the family, the eldest kid has behaved horribly, and OP has undermined her. That is why he is NOT answering our many direct questions on what really went on - because he doesn't want us to figure out the real story.

Theworldsgonemadagain · 26/06/2026 20:13

Concentrate on being a good dad to your kids not getting back with her. Teens are hard work but no mother should turn her back on a 15 year old that's bloody indefensible and even if she's depressed it's no excuse.

Edit to add go to Citizens advice they can help you with what you need to do to claim for childcare ect and will give some advice if you are struggling.

K8ate · 26/06/2026 20:14

ALovelyPinkUnicorn · 25/06/2026 21:49

She’s lying, there’s the OM but she’ll expect you to fund her, take care of the dc the she’ll fleece you in the divorce

100% this.
She’s had her head turned by someone else.

Theworldsgonemadagain · 26/06/2026 20:20

LouiseMadetheBestBroccoliPasta · 26/06/2026 20:01

This man was asked dozens and dozens of questions. Here's a few:

"Have you not asked her why [she moved out]?"

"Your timeline is very confused. You say you have 50/50 with her with the youngest but she just moved out. Which is it?"

"How is her relationship with your younger son - is he safe and loved in her care?"

"How was she harsh to your eldest? Did you chat about alternative approaches for discipline? Could she explain what her reasons were for chosing that approach?"

"What was the nature and frequency of your son's "trouble"?
What was your son's response to being grounded and having his phone taken (and by that, do you mean you've left your 15-year-old with no phone at all, or just for a period of time)?
In what way specifically do you think your wife was being "very harsh on him"?
What specifically did you do in response to your feeling she was being too harsh?
What else is going on in your marriage?"

"How does/did your eldest treat her? Did he have a tendency to do what you asked him to but not what she did?"

But there are no answers, because he does NOT want to answer those questions. He doesn't want our insights. No, what he really wants is for us to support his narrative that she's "harsh" and "depressed", that she's all of a sudden gone inexplicably mental, and that it's got absolutely nothing to do with him.

It seems obvious that the wife had to carry the whole mental load of the family, the eldest kid has behaved horribly, and OP has undermined her. That is why he is NOT answering our many direct questions on what really went on - because he doesn't want us to figure out the real story.

I think you've invented a big story in your head here! There are sadly women that do put themselves before thier kids. Would you leave your 15 year old child?! If so your a dick. My brother was a nightmare, severe adhd, police round all the time, expelled from school, aggressive, caused both parents untold upset but never did they up and leave him.

LouiseMadetheBestBroccoliPasta · 26/06/2026 22:33

It is much much much more likely that men leave their kids - and drop them completely.

In any case, in a situation where there is aggression from a 15 yo male child that is being (actively or passively) encouraged by his father, yes, I can see the woman (me) leaving. Not to punish the child but because staying would be bad for the kid: because he would see her being abused (by him) and her putting up with it. By leaving, she gets a chance to reset the dynamic with time and space without the influence of the father and whatever is going on between them.

Even OP - who is not a reliable narrator - has said she remains interested in the eldest.

Women are not punching bags, and telling them to stay in an abusive situation does no one any favours, least of all the kids.

Regardless, OP has come along and has selectively revealed the details of the situation. There has been a lot of reflex himpathy for him on this thread and he has conveniently concluded - after very little effort from him - that it is, after all, ALL his wife's fault.

But he's had ample opportunity to address more probing questions that could give him significant insight into his dilemma - "Wife has moved out and I'm struggling to understand why". He has not answered the majority of questions.

Ask yourself: why does he not answer?

Spoiler: he knows why she left.

mathanxiety · 30/06/2026 02:32

ALovelyPinkUnicorn · 26/06/2026 19:42

No satire, just the usual response when one parent walks out of the marital home and abandons their children?

No satire, I agree.

Just a lot of garbage you've picked up from the manosphere.

Naunet · 30/06/2026 09:03

JudgeJ · 26/06/2026 11:10

It's certainly the MN assumption when a husband moves out!

You understand men and women are different, yes?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page