Hi @t2008, Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear that you are going through this. It must be so difficult to go through this whilst looking after your son. Separations can be so challenging and having children to juggle, I commend you for the effort you are putting in to try to cope. I notice you are trying to connect with griefline.  Do you have any support from friends, family or professionals? We also have some resources that might be relevant for you.  Parents Beyond Breakup is a service which has resources and a business hours counselling line. There are also two websites: health direct and family relationships which both have some information and other referrals. Please feel most welcome to keep us updated  ... View more

Hi @Johnny888 :)  Thank you for sharing your story. It sounds like a stressful situation and that you're feeling quite concerned on what is the right thing to do by your daughters. You care about your daughters, they're very lucky to have you.  I'm wondering how you are looking after yourself ? There is parentline if you wanted to ask a counsellor for some advice from 8am to 10pm. It might help you to process your thoughts and feelings and the ongoing inner conflict that you seem to be dealing with.  Whatever you chose to do, I am sure your daughters will love and appreciate you. Hope this is helpful, let us know how you get on. ... View more

  Hey @Sammy100 , wow what a difficult situation to be in. I’m so sorry that you and your family are going through this. I can tell that you really care about trying to provide your daughter with a stress-free environment during such a stressful time as the VCE. It’s hard to say what the right decision is in this case.   Some things to think about might be whether your kids would be upset to learn that the decision to separate was made much earlier. Another thing to think about is the fact that kids are pretty perceptive – they may notice a shift in you and your partner’s behaviour and communication, leading them to realise that something has changed.   It’s really hard to know what might happen either way. There may be all sorts of feelings that could come up – grief, anger, relief, and confusion are to be expected. It could be worth getting some extra support on board for you and your family, whether you choose to wait to tell them or not. Relationships Australia might be a good place to start. You can also encourage your kids to get in touch with Kids Helpline if ever they need to talk through their feelings with someone outside of the family. For yourself and your partner, you can always give SANE Australia (1800 187 263) or BeyondBlue (1300 224 636) a buzz. Sometimes it can help to talk to a counsellor – it might help you get clarity, and explore what pathway forward feels like the best option.   We also have a few articles that you can read: Separation and teenagers Talking to your teenager about separation Making divorce and separation easier on your teenager   Whatever you decide, I hope that things get easier for you and your family.    ... View more