Why doesn’t he leave his wife? “I want to leave my wife, but I can’t bear the separation from the children.
We officially divorced my wife because of my affair with another woman. But I can’t completely leave the family: I have to endure my wife because I love my children and need to be with them constantly. But my life is a torment ...
Dmitry, 39 years old
Let’s, Dmitry, look at what is happening through the eyes of your children - your beloved, the only ones with whom you cannot part. What do they see and feel? Tense (or annoyed) parents, slipping hints, meaningful pauses ...
Child psychoanalyst Francoise Dolto argued that "children and dogs know everything about the family." Believe me, this is true. And with the thought that right now your children “know about the family”, I feel anxiety for them and their future. Of course, they need both mom and dad, but even more they need a predictable and safe environment. And they also need to understand in their children's ways what is happening and not be afraid to ask.
Do they dare to ask direct questions or have they already learned to pretend that everything is normal, although in reality everyone is feeling bad? I think that your children live in a minefield. When was the last time they saw their parents laughing, doing something together, or simply talking peacefully to their parents? You can’t portray it, you can’t fake it.
Your physical presence and even your love do not give them this, excuse me for being straightforward. It turns out that three adults are absorbed in their own feelings, and the children are held hostage. However, adults, unlike children, made decisions themselves, for which they are now paying.
Since you nevertheless created this situation, it’s worth considering not only your feelings - at least now, since you have not done this before.