Marriage and the Power of Divorce

Tarrant

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Her lucid times are as good as her bad times are bad. So while it won't be a pleasant conversation it'll be one that if I get it at the right time, will be able to be had like an adult.

That's assuming I get presented with that situation, if I don't and everything falls into place with the place I'm moving, filing and what not then I'll act regardless. It'll just be a lot messier and a lot harder on my son.
 

Khane

Got something right about marriage
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and you're 100% positive that telling her that you're filing for divorce won't cause her to immediately crank the crazy back to 11?
Tarrant, He'sRightYouKnow.jpg

Expect the 5 stages of grief when you start talking about it. Anger comes right after Denial. This isn't a slight to your wife, it's essentially how every human reacts to grief, though with varying degrees. And it sounds like your wife has severe emotional reactions so expect it to be heightened.
 

Cad

scientia potentia est
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Tarrant don't take it as criticism, I know what you're going through is very difficult and it'll seem like we're not being sensitive to your situation or needs. That said, the reason people leave first and suddenly is because if you're in the house still when you present this divorce and separation plan, expect the spouse to do everything possible to obstruct you, cost you money, destroy your stuff and make you miserable. If she doesn't, great, but she might. Having sat in family court enough when I was an intern (and just for laughs when I was waiting at the courthouse for something else), family court is BRUTAL. People who supposedly love each other take a giant shit on each others lives out of pure spite. Protect yourself from this if you can.

I think it's noble that you're trying to protect her feelings and treat her reasonably, but at some point that has got to stop. If you don't want to be her husband anymore, then don't be her husband. Doesn't mean you should be jerky or douchey, but start putting yourself first bro.
 

iannis

Musty Nester
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I couldn't even date someone who was "annoyed" with my gaming. I'm not talking 12 hours a day, but I still play a couple hours a day, most days.
For reals.

I'd make her a deal. If i'm not playing with the computer, I'm playing with your boobies.

I think she'd break before I did.
 

Tenks

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My boss at work went through a divorce recently. His wife also works here. I've interacted with her and she was smart and pretty reasonable. But my god the stories he'd tell me about the divorce arbitration. God. Both of them were just so petty. They negotiated that he'd give her a decent amount of his 401k. Her lawyer forgot to write that into the document he was presented with and his lawyer let him know it was gone. He signed anyways without letting her side know it wasn't there. Documents get back and they notice that money is no longer in the paperwork. They ask him to sign a new version with that back in. He refuses. She sues. Its just crazy.
 

Noodleface

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My boss at work went through a divorce recently. His wife also works here. I've interacted with her and she was smart and pretty reasonable. But my god the stories he'd tell me about the divorce arbitration. God. Both of them were just so petty. They negotiated that he'd give her a decent amount of his 401k. Her lawyer forgot to write that into the document he was presented with and his lawyer let him know it was gone. He signed anyways without letting her side know it wasn't there. Documents get back and they notice that money is no longer in the paperwork. They ask him to sign a new version with that back in. He refuses. She sues. Its just crazy.
No matter how petty anything is... you will never be these people:

rrr_img_107299.jpg
 

chaos

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And I can't just up and move out, I'll never get custody if I do, it'll be argued that I abandoned the family.

What I'll end up doing is moving out all non essential stuff in a few weeks to storage, file, and then work on getting him to be able to move with me.

Like I have said before though...she loves our son. She's not a bad mom...she just has mental issues. Even with all of this I think I'm going to draw something up that may benefit us both. Split daycare, no child support with 3 days with her, 3 day with me with the odd day being switched out every week. I'll present this as this will give her time to have her alone time to "recharge" and most important, it doesn't rip my son away from her (good for both him and her), and will have less of an impact on him. I'll also get it in writing that we switch off claiming him on taxes.

This will have to be presented again, once things blow over. If she rejects it, I'll have to go for the throat...which I'd rather not do.
Consider that she isn't a good mom, just for a moment. I know that people make judgements based on small paragraphs, I know more than anyone, so maybe we just don't have enough information, maybe she's great and just had a bad day or two. But, just as a thinking exercise, consider that she is not a good mom, that maybe you say things like "she's a good mom" because that's a kind of story you tell yourself, similar to how we all do, to dull the bad things that happen.

I say this because the kind of abuse you mention (her screaming at your son how his father is a piece of shit, that's abuse) will likely continue. My mom was like this. Is probably still, I don't know, we don't talk. Her crazy lunatic shit drove me to write her off, and when my sister couldn't it drove her to drugs and other "acting out" behaviors. My sister died about five and a half years ago due to drugs. I fully, 100% blame my mother for that. I look back with nothing but regret every time I think about her, I think about what I could have done, SHOULD have done, and didn't. And really it isn't my fault, but I still carry that guilt and did before she died, that was just the topper.

Consider that, even if it's not her fault, she's a bad mom and harming your son, and think about things in that light. Then hey, if that's not really her then throw that thought away. But if it is, bro, you have to stop telling yourself stories to make yourself feel better. We all do.
 

Tarrant

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She could destroy everything I own if she wants, stuff can be replaced.

My having my son can't be.

At any rate, I'm getting a car tomorrow and stuff will slowly start filtering out then. Her rage time has passed. Again, I know my wife better than you guys do. I know her cycles and how she acts and i know the next four steps of what will come next. I've played this game for 5 years and it's like clockwork.

At the end of the day, I'm doing what my lawyer tells me to do which is what I've already stated and which is what I'm doing.
 

Tarrant

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I say this because the kind of abuse you mention (her screaming at your son how his father is a piece of shit, that's abuse) will likely continue. My mom was like this. Is probably still, I don't know, we don't talk. Her crazy lunatic shit drove me to write her off, and when my sister couldn't it drove her to drugs and other "acting out" behaviors. My sister died about five and a half years ago due to drugs. I fully, 100% blame my mother for that. I look back with nothing but regret every time I think about her, I think about what I could have done, SHOULD have done, and didn't. And really it isn't my fault, but I still carry that guilt and did before she died, that was just the topper.
My lawyer has brought his up to me as well and we will be focusing on full custody.
 

Gavinmad

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You didn't know her well enough to know that she'd start destroying your shit over nothing. I mean obviously you know her better than we do, but don't fool yourself into thinking you understand much about the thought processes of a mentally ill person unless you're a doctor.
 

Tarrant

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You didn't know her well enough to know that she'd start destroying your shit over nothing. I mean obviously you know her better than we do, but don't fool yourself into thinking you understand much about the thought processes of a mentally ill person unless you're a doctor.
Yes, I did. I knew going home I had lost some stuff, I had just hoped it wasn't anything major.

EDIT: If you read through the first large post about my weekend you will have seen I changed my password on my computer too because I had thought she would pull something. I knew something would happen because again, I know how she works. And she tried to mess with that too.
 

chaos

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I'm just sorry you have to go through this bro. I hope she gets some help and is able to be a good mom to your son.
 

Tarrant

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You knew because she texted you 'say goodbye to your shit'.
Incorrect, like I said, I did the computer password change because I knew something would happen before it did. I'd rather have her break some minor things than format my computer.

If she wants to break my computer I encourage her to do so, that would look awesome for me.
 

Tarrant

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I'm just sorry you have to go through this bro. I hope she gets some help and is able to be a good mom to your son.
Thanks man. I hope she gets help too. It sucks, I still love her...but the thought of growing old with her has long since dissipated.
frown.png
 

Noodleface

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On the outside it's easy to say "ah fuck it, get the hell outta there!!" but I'd probably have a lot of trouble making sure my son was alright, and he's only 4 months and just shits his pants all day.
 

Tarrant

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If I could get out today I would, but then I'd give up hope of getting my son later. My risking physical possessions is worth it to do it the way the system wants me to for the best shot at getting him.
 

lurkingdirk

AssHat Taint
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Tarrant, I know we're getting the story 100% from your perspective, and I'm sure you're not 100% saintly, but I repeat your concern for your son and (soon to be ex) wife is commendable. Keep thinking, be compassionate, be patient. You'll find a good way to get out, and you'll get your son. Your custody suggestion is more than reasonable, but you may need to go for full custody with a heavy hand.

In any case, you're good peeps. Keep that shit up.
 

Tarrant

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Thank you and oh yeah, I've said from the get go I'm not perfect. I do a lot of things that I'm sure would make a normal person go "wat?" but that's a relationship, that's being human, we all have quirks.

Even her best friend took me aside not long ago and asked "how do you do it?" I was shocked and said "I just do". For all my faults, I'm a good person. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I bend over backwards to help people if I can. I'm tired of not getting anything of value in return.

My Crohns was out of remission this last week and I was in urgent care due to bleeding, she was mad she had to wake up early . It's that sort of thing that I never imagined another doing until now...and yet, i still love her and it's hard to do. -shakes head- Stupid heart.