Anonymous wrote:OP: are you having an affair? Because it sounds like you are checking out of the marriage before trying much else.
There are a lot of things you could do before getting a divorce, including bringing another adult into the household. Do either of you have a relative you can move into the home? Hire an au pair? Have a babysitter there when you aren't there?
Suppose you divorce. DH still gets the boy for a minimum of every other weekend. If he is as dangerous as you say, who protects the child for those 60 hours? DH might move to an apartment building (with a pool). Apartments are much more dangerous for children than SFHs (10 times the fire risk to start). He'll also likely get a big chunk of the summer time. Maybe ex-DH will take your son to the beach or the mountains for a couple of weeks of vacation, where really dangerous activities happen.
Worst case for you: DH remarries, has two kids, who grow up to be healthy and successful. Now everyone, but especially your son, knows your unsafe, reckless dad story was all made up. Remember all that documentation you create showing he's a bad dad won't evaporate the day the divorce is over. It's there forever. Your grandchildren will be reading it, if they care.
Anonymous wrote:I feel for you. I had similar concerns about my exH.
I white-knuckled it in a sh*tty marriage for 8 years. I documented the hell out of the various incidents/insanity, but (obviously) no one could guarantee that he wouldn't have the kids for a substantial proportion of time. I waited until they seemed resilient, mature, and self-sufficient enough to hold their own. I filed when they were 11; divorce was finalized when they were 12 and a half. (Insult to injury, bc I was the plaintiff, I had to take a mandatory parenting class. He did not.)
Ultimately, I have them the vast majority of time; he has them every other weekend.
I'm not saying this was the best / right approach. Just sharing my experience.
Anonymous wrote:OP: are you having an affair? Because it sounds like you are checking out of the marriage before trying much else.
There are a lot of things you could do before getting a divorce, including bringing another adult into the household. Do either of you have a relative you can move into the home? Hire an au pair? Have a babysitter there when you aren't there?
Suppose you divorce. DH still gets the boy for a minimum of every other weekend. If he is as dangerous as you say, who protects the child for those 60 hours? DH might move to an apartment building (with a pool). Apartments are much more dangerous for children than SFHs (10 times the fire risk to start). He'll also likely get a big chunk of the summer time. Maybe ex-DH will take your son to the beach or the mountains for a couple of weeks of vacation, where really dangerous activities happen.
Worst case for you: DH remarries, has two kids, who grow up to be healthy and successful. Now everyone, but especially your son, knows your unsafe, reckless dad story was all made up. Remember all that documentation you create showing he's a bad dad won't evaporate the day the divorce is over. It's there forever. Your grandchildren will be reading it, if they care.
Anonymous wrote:OP: are you having an affair? Because it sounds like you are checking out of the marriage before trying much else.
There are a lot of things you could do before getting a divorce, including bringing another adult into the household. Do either of you have a relative you can move into the home? Hire an au pair? Have a babysitter there when you aren't there?
Suppose you divorce. DH still gets the boy for a minimum of every other weekend. If he is as dangerous as you say, who protects the child for those 60 hours? DH might move to an apartment building (with a pool). Apartments are much more dangerous for children than SFHs (10 times the fire risk to start). He'll also likely get a big chunk of the summer time. Maybe ex-DH will take your son to the beach or the mountains for a couple of weeks of vacation, where really dangerous activities happen.
Worst case for you: DH remarries, has two kids, who grow up to be healthy and successful. Now everyone, but especially your son, knows your unsafe, reckless dad story was all made up. Remember all that documentation you create showing he's a bad dad won't evaporate the day the divorce is over. It's there forever. Your grandchildren will be reading it, if they care.