For those of you who have had stressful marriages, like Dh did the bare minimum to help you around the house, wouldn't take care of money, cheated on you, etc... Did you ever get so depressed you stopped playing with your kids as much or just plain shut down?

Quoting Gir!:" For those of you who have had stressful marriages, like Dh did the bare minimum to help you around the ... [snip!] ... money, cheated on you, etc... Did you ever get so depressed you stopped playing with your kids as much or just plain shut down?"

I went through a phase of this when I kicked DD's sperm donor out. It's not that I loved her any less or was less interested, my brain was just so busy trying to process everything that had been thrown at me that I didn't realize what a haze I was in with her.

I have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old.. With everything going on in the last year I've just shut down for the most part.. To make it worse, the 4yr purposely annoys the 1yr old and the 1yr does this banchee scream ... I've gotten to the point where I yell at him and just don't get up or I ignore them when they start up. I feel so mean and bitter all the time

Quoting Gir!:" I have a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old.. With everything going on in the last year I've just shut down for ... [snip!] ... the point where I yell at him and just don't get up or I ignore them when they start up. I feel so mean and bitter all the time"

If you can, try getting a break from them. My Mom came and visited a few weeks ago and I was just so worn out from DD's attitude lately that one morning she just took her down to the beach and let me nap for a few hours. It made me feel 1000x more refreshed and made the rest of the weekend a lot more enjoyable. I feel for you on the screaming like a banshee, DD does it any time she doesn't get her way. Drives me nuts -.-

I think it would be better if you kicked DH to the curb especially if he cheated on you. I know it's hard but you need to tell yourself it's not the kids fault that this is happening in your life so try not to take your frustration out on them. I am guilty of this after DH and I have a fight, I get mean but I try not too.

I had a long talk with my sister, well into the morning last night. She put the fire under my ass for sure. Her story really is motivating. She is 11 years older than me and we just met in person for the very first time yesterday.