Relationship and family issues

Anything to do with managing relationships and family, including parenting, separation, loneliness, divorce, family and friendships.

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Chris_B PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: 3 important tips to get the most out of this section
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, The Relationships & Family Issues section is one of the busiest here on our forums. It's also one of the areas where we find members can get themselves into trouble! Before posting here, take a deep breath and be mindful of the following... View more

Hi everyone, The Relationships & Family Issues section is one of the busiest here on our forums. It's also one of the areas where we find members can get themselves into trouble! Before posting here, take a deep breath and be mindful of the following 3 tips: 1. Do you really want to share this with the world? This is a public forum. Are you thinking of posting something that could identify you to a friend or family member? Once you've posted, you can't delete what you've written and we don't take posts down from here unless they've broken one of our community rules. This is because our members spend a lot of time composing replies, and there is a much wider audience that gets a lot out of reading what has been written. It's not fair to ask the community for support, then ask to have it removed once you've read it so others can't also benefit. Use discretion when posting here - think about the level of detail you are sharing, and think also about who might know you are posting here. Also, please keep it clean: this is an all ages forum and explicit discussions about sexual problems are not permitted. Threads and posts of this nature will be removed and your account placed on a moderation hold. 2. What do you want to get out of posting here? Relationship and family issues are stressful. Members sometimes post here seeking advice about a relationship that has broken down, but find themselves getting upset when they don't agree with the response they get. This is a peer support forum, meaning we are not mental health professionals. We are people of all ages and backgrounds, with a wide range of life experiences. While we aim for our discussions to be conducted respectfully, people here will respond with the truth as they see it, from their own experiences and perspectives. We are not here to take sides. Offence is almost never intentional, but it can be sometimes taken. The advice you will see here is not intended to be a substitute for professional counselling. 3. What other support do you have? Most people posting on our forums (about any issue) use this space as a supplement to other supports. This forum is not and cannot be a substitute for offline supports, but it is often a good place to start the ball rolling and find the courage for seeking help. If you are relying solely on an internet forum to resolve your relationship or family issues, you are likely to be disappointed. Check out the Healthy Homes section of our Healthy Families website for further information and resources.

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Ileanaf My husband left me and my baby suffers from the separation
  • replies: 2

Hi all, I would like to tell you my story. I’ll try to be breif and I wish I’ll find support here. I got married 2 years ago with someone I loved and he made me move from my country so we can live together and we had a beautiful baby. Everything was ... View more

Hi all, I would like to tell you my story. I’ll try to be breif and I wish I’ll find support here. I got married 2 years ago with someone I loved and he made me move from my country so we can live together and we had a beautiful baby. Everything was ok until the day when I went to my country to introduce the baby who was just 6 months old and I spent 2 months. When I came back o found out that my husband was living with his assistant in my home sleeping in my bed. I overreacted as I couldn’t understand why he did it. And he just packed and left to live with her at 5 minutes from where I live. I’ve been to many psychiatric but no one could help. Well, he came back to live with us but he is still in relation with his assistant and he wants me to act normal and keep smiling or he will deport me and take my baby. I tried but I couldn’t so I’ve been shouting and screaming every time I see message from her or a call. And now we just don’t talk and he spend the weekends outside with her and sometimes traveling and when he’s at home I sleep on the ground as I don’t have where to sleep. I can support all this but my baby started understanding everything so he became very nervous he got several fever he doesn’t eat well and on the top of that he always ask where is my father. So my situation is that I can’t leave the country as he put my baby on the watch list and I can’t leave without him and also he doesn’t want to divorce. When I checked with a lawyer he said that if I request the divorce I’ll not get anything and I may lose my baby too. So I’m stuck in this country and I don’t know what to do. Thank you for your support

Martins Husband dropped the bomb he has 3 kids to 2 other women
  • replies: 5

Hi so I am newly married my husband waited till after our marriage to drop the bombs he said it was because I wouldn't be with him if I had known but to be honest I don't know if I want to be with him now that I know he is a liar. If he can hide 3 sm... View more

Hi so I am newly married my husband waited till after our marriage to drop the bombs he said it was because I wouldn't be with him if I had known but to be honest I don't know if I want to be with him now that I know he is a liar. If he can hide 3 small people and 2 women whom he still has relationships with obviously because they have children together but he refuses to tell them he is married so the conversations inevitably get inappropriate fast,I am hoping there is someway I can get some perspective from other people. How do I move forward with this sitting on my shoulders.

dtmum3 Confused
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone so I have been separated a lil over 5months now.. and feel like my separation isn't getting any easier. I have moved out into my own place and trying my best to start a fresh life for myself and my kids The issue I am having is I dont kno... View more

Hi everyone so I have been separated a lil over 5months now.. and feel like my separation isn't getting any easier. I have moved out into my own place and trying my best to start a fresh life for myself and my kids The issue I am having is I dont know if I should move on or keep trying with my ex. I am 100% still in love with him but he fell out of love with me and broke it off.. the issue is we still sleep together and have a good connection but that's it.. he doesnt seem interested in making things work again.. well I dont think so anyways as he doesnt want to do couple stuff and finds it to much but gets jealous if I joke about a good looking guy.. and says he still feels strongly for me but it's hard can someone please give me advice what to do thankyou!

Concerned123 When is it ok to put yourself first
  • replies: 5

I am part of a blended family, I have a young child and my partner has an older teenager. My partner works fifo and his daughter is with us (me) 100% of the time and my son sees his father alternate weekends. I do more than the lions share of everyth... View more

I am part of a blended family, I have a young child and my partner has an older teenager. My partner works fifo and his daughter is with us (me) 100% of the time and my son sees his father alternate weekends. I do more than the lions share of everything as far as the children and household go, whilst still working a full time job (albeit with flexible work arrangements). When my partner is home, he prefers not to be interrupted in anyway, and really only contributes to the household workload by doing his daughters school drops whilst he is home, everything else remains the same for me. My partner does suffer anxiety and depression, and has finally started seeing someone in relation to this which is great. Whilst I understand the importance of getting out and about and getting a social life again as far as treatment goes, my partner is now making lots of plans with friends which means whilst his home, the little he contributed previously now falls back to me to manage constantly with no breaks or any alone time. Note no plans are made for us to spend time together as a couple or a family, just plans for him. I finally snapped tonight and he turned around and said he had too much to deal with personally than be worried with my s@#t. One can only do so much before their own mental health takes a toll, but as I have no one to fall back on for support how am I meant to keep going if his mental health takes the priority?

Coffeelover1 friendship taken away. can Men & Women be besties ?
  • replies: 24

Hey guys so im 40 with 2 kids & a wife,a good job but because ive focused on work & family friends have slipped away. I was lonely & looking for friends. New neighbours moved into the street & our kids got along well so i used that as an excuse to ca... View more

Hey guys so im 40 with 2 kids & a wife,a good job but because ive focused on work & family friends have slipped away. I was lonely & looking for friends. New neighbours moved into the street & our kids got along well so i used that as an excuse to catch up, my dream was for both families to be close. I organised bbq's get togethers, footy nights, boxing at the pub , lunches out & dinners out.There was a couple of boys nights where the dads had beers & watched footy & a couple of girls nights where the Mums saw a movie or drank wine. I suppose I used our kids friendship to get close to them. After 18 months i thought it was going well. The neighbour's wife was more friendly than the husband & i messaged her a lot to organise the catch ups & kids play dates, i though this helped strengthen the friendship One night the Mums had a wine night at the neighbour's house. my wife txt at midnight for a lift home & i drove the 500m up the street to pick her up. When i got there the neighbours Mum offers me a bourbon and i get on it with her. My Wife decides she is tired & goes home leaving us alone.Me & neighbours Mum have the best night ever as mates drinking & laughing until 5am. I realise she is wasted so i put her to bed innocently at 5am & i walk home thinking we are best friends for life. So i see neighbour's Wife a few times & im chummy as thinking were besties. Then after 2 weeks she just blows up at Me & tells Me she cant remember the night She was too drunk & from now on all our conversation should be left for when her husband is around I lost it a bit & desperately sent a lot of txt & messanger messages saying nothing inappropriate happened, we were mates. Our friendship meant the world to Me After some messaging between us she got nasty & said She felt uncomfortable around Me, we were never friends , she only hung out so our kids could be friends & She dosnt want to speak to Me She's happy to be friends with My Wife but not Me We havent spoken since Im totally devestated & struggling to get over it as she wont talk to me at all obviously the friendship is over but i cant move on

Bbc123 Work Relationships
  • replies: 1

Sorry if this doesn't belong here. I didn't know where else to put it. I am really struggling at work. It's like a really long story, and s**t started happening back in June/July last year. If it wasn't for my family and my partner (which I am in lon... View more

Sorry if this doesn't belong here. I didn't know where else to put it. I am really struggling at work. It's like a really long story, and s**t started happening back in June/July last year. If it wasn't for my family and my partner (which I am in long distance with so it doesn't really help me mentally I don't think but anyways), I would be a lot worse than I am mentally. I love my job. the work I do. I work for a community club and just have to put the club in the community. I get to meet new people, provide opportunities for them to fundraise, socialise, be entertained, and more. It's great. We have approx 100 staff in the club, and I am close to a fraction of them on the floor in a work environment. I am on a Manager's level. in my team there is myself, Community Liaison, another girl (Events/Entertainment Coordinator) and one other girl (Advertising/boss's daughter/best friends with Events/Entertainment Coordinator) and the boss of the whole club. These three people are the reason I can't sleep at night, my mental state is scrambled beyond stablisation and I am anxious a lot of the time. We are going through training for having better culture in our work environment and it's great. I love it. we need it. but I do not fit in with the 'culture' of these 3. i don't get invited to lunches (just today - which has my fretting even now - I was at a training session with these 3 for 5 hours and then we head back to the club where they have lunch pre-ordered and waiting for them to come and eat. I was with them the whole morning & not a mention of 'oh we've pre-ordered lunch, do you want anything? join us for lunch, etc. etc.). The advertising girl ignores my requests for advertisements that I put in for in December and constantly chased up about, asking if she had any questions. xWe are going through training for having better culture in our work environment and it's great.

PJJzippy Feeling trapped
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, im new to BB so please bear with me and my explanations. I'm currently in a relationship that started off rocky about 6 years ago, breaking up twice and dating someone in the middle during a time of seperation, and lately have been feeling d... View more

Hi guys, im new to BB so please bear with me and my explanations. I'm currently in a relationship that started off rocky about 6 years ago, breaking up twice and dating someone in the middle during a time of seperation, and lately have been feeling distant like ive completely removed myself from the relationship. We did long distance for 4 years and that was a very rocky time and moved in together the end of 2017 and started out fine but right now im feeling over encumbered. My partner has never cheated or anything like that so she is not to blame but i am finding it hard to be physical and only able to handle being close for small periods of time. Now me feeling like a jerk, i have had thoughts of other women which can really just set me into a place where i want to be left alone and if i am bothered i lash out. I am a bit of a loner, i like to do things by myself and im fine with that but i don't completely isolate myself and when she goes to visit her family i really enjoy the feeling of being alone again. I was out recently having a few drinks with friends, nothing wild and i felt so light, happy and free to be out alone to the point I did not want to go back home. I do feel like a real jerk but i feel so trapped and held down. My partner is not a bad person, she is lovely, caring and overall a great person. Am I the only one who goes through this? I haven't really been "single" since i was 16 going from relationship to relationship with very little time in between.

Newmum123 Relationship troubles
  • replies: 3

Hi, first time posting. I am having some troubles in my relationship, there seems to be no romance anymore which has then lead to further issues where we just end up always being grumpy with each other and not always getting along the way we use to. ... View more

Hi, first time posting. I am having some troubles in my relationship, there seems to be no romance anymore which has then lead to further issues where we just end up always being grumpy with each other and not always getting along the way we use to. I feel as though its mainly my fault as im always a negative thinker and just somehow always manage to talk myself out of anything, i have tried to change the way i think but its just so difficult to change or to know where to start. I feel as though our relationship is starting to fall apart and that is the last thing i want.

crazylion Friends contact and communication
  • replies: 2

Hi All, I have a few friends/acquintances who never or very rarely contact me. I'm someone who craves regular contact and communication with friends. Further to this, I don't make friends easily and people don't approach me to be friends. I also belo... View more

Hi All, I have a few friends/acquintances who never or very rarely contact me. I'm someone who craves regular contact and communication with friends. Further to this, I don't make friends easily and people don't approach me to be friends. I also belong to a church where there is lacking fellowship / personal contact but due to beliefs I feel this is where I should be. I wonder if others had any thoughts, specifically men or those who work with / minister to men. Is this normal for Men? I'm sick of the excuse of "everyone is busy" and it drives me crazy! I realise people ARE busy and might have different expectations/priorities, I just wonder if this is normal? Do I have high and unrealistic expectations? Am I expecting too much from others? Cheers

sister moon My 8 year old suffering anxiety/ sleep problems
  • replies: 12

Hi All, Was just wondering if there are others out there who have children with anxiety and sleep problems and wanting any ideas or resources that might help. We are on a waiting list to see a child psychologist but will be a 3 month wait. As a full ... View more

Hi All, Was just wondering if there are others out there who have children with anxiety and sleep problems and wanting any ideas or resources that might help. We are on a waiting list to see a child psychologist but will be a 3 month wait. As a full time single parent with very limited support I am finding it difficult to try and support and guide them through these issuse on my own. We are both just so tired. thanks