People Who "Stayed For The Kids" Share How Their Marriages Turned Out
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“Every situation is different. My husband had a host of mental and substance use disorders brought on by emotional and physical pain. I stayed for our daughter and because deep down we still truly loved each other. It got very emotionally messy, and I felt abused and manipulated at times; other times, he was caring and supportive. Plus, there were a lot of financial reasons to stay together. Despite our marital problems, he was an excellent father, always patient and kind to our daughter, who never knew our adult problems. His lifestyle and physical problems led to his death from a heart attack in his mid-50s when our daughter was 13. I do not regret staying, because our daughter has nothing but fond memories of her father.”
“Despite his death, she is a happy, well-adjusted, and confident college student now. After becoming widowed, I moved on and found a new boyfriend who has been a good stepdad and partner to me. Sometimes there is no easy, clear-cut answer; you just do the best you can.”
