(realizes she was mistaken for assuming "skank" was necessarily classist) (switches to bizarre gender equality point) |
Absolutely agree. NEVER depend on anyone else financially. |
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She deserves better. So do her kids.
Leave his sorry self and kick him out. Then collect alimony and child support. I like the "you work when you don't want to so you can walk when you have to.." logic. While not so pretty, it rings so very true in how we plan our lives out. Always, ALWAYS have a Plan B. Always. I cannot stress this enough. There are never any guarantees in life, most esp. when it comes to love and marriage. Sad, but such is our life. |
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A man is not a plan.
*neither is a woman but the rhyming scheme doesn't work |
| I don't understand: " she can't afford to leave him" Child support and alimony will mean they will have to support two households with the money formerly for one, but that means cutting back, not being destitute. The question is what impact will it have on the kid. It sounds like kid 1 is young, usually they handle divorce better, but it's a tough life of switching/sharing and takes a lot of good faith coordination between parents. Being insecure and scared about being on her own is not a good sign, and NOT a good reason to stay. Husband screwed up once, didn't lie about it, sincerely sorry and willing to go through counseling to try and rebuild trust, MAY be a good reason. Its her behavior her kids will emulate, so being helpless or a martyr thinking it's for their sake is not wise unless she wants them to grow up to be that way too. |
Staying home is ALSO a big gift to the working spouse. The house is managed, kids are cared for, meals and groceries are prepared and purchased, lunches ready to go, doctor, dentist etc appts all made and attended, and so many more things that I make happen so my husband can concentrate on his very demanding career. I can't imagine how we would manage with three kids if we both had demanding careers. It would be really hard for us. So we are have a symbiotic relationship and no one of us is more important than the other - it takes both of us. |
+1 for recognizing this. When I was SAHM, my then DH never missed one day of work due to the kids. No sick days. No time taken off for medical appointments. No time taken off during the day for school events. No having to leave early to drive carpool for sports. Also, my then DH went on multi-week work trips abroad, which he never could have done if I hadn't SAHMed. My SAHM was just as much a boost to his career as a boon to my kids. Of course, because we don't value the work of raising kids, it wasn't a wise choice for ME in retrospect. Hurt my career, diminished my retirement, etc. Pretty sure I would advise my DD never to do such a thing, or at a minimum not to do it without an explicit discussion and some kind of pre- or post-marital agreement with SAHM clause in place. |
| No, I can't think of any circumstance when I could stay with DH if he cheated while I was pregnant. I'd rather live in a tiny apartment and eat Ramen noodles than accept that type of treatment and set that kind of example for my kids. |
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I would tell your friend that she should take her time in making a decision. She will waffle for a while as she considers her options.
Being a single parent is really, really hard. Living with someone who has cheated on you and broken your trust is also miserable. If her DH makes good money, she will get some alimony and child support. IT won't be enough for her to live in her current lifestyle, but sometimes that is a small price to pay for freedom. The worst part about leaving is that she will have ZERO control over the baby's schedule, diet, needs, etc. while the child is with her ex. |