Don't stay for the kids.

I've read a lot of post where someone's being cheated on, abused, just not in a healthy relationship, etc. and one of the main reasons for their staying is the kids. I just wanted to give perspective coming from a kid growing up and realizing my family was not normal, my parents marriage wasn't healthy and then having my parents divorce. I knew my parents marriage was off by the time I was in the 2nd grade. My dad was rarely loving towards my mom and it always seemed like she bent over backwards to please him. Most of my memories growing up are with my mom, my dad didn't leave but he wasn't there. He was checked out, and I didn't get much quality time with him. He was checked out and in a marriage he obviously didn't want a part of. My mom tried to shield us from their issues but we saw and knew a lot more than she knew we did. I grew up walking on eggshells around my house because my dad was verbally and emotionally abusive to my mom mostly but sometimes to my sister and I as well. He'd lock himself in their room all day and when he came out it was to yell at my mom, sister and/or I for some imaginary transgression. I use to hide and read in my closet because I was scared. And my mom always said she stayed for us. She didn't want to break up the family. My parents finally divorced by the time I was going into the 8th grade because of one too many of my father's infidelities. But by that time the damage had already been done. I went through a very dark depression, and my sister was running away from home. Your parents are your first example of what a relationship should be. When I started dating I didn't realize I was choosing men like my father or mimicking my parents relationship. My sister to this day says she never wants to get married. I kept wondering why I ended up with men who were emotionally unavailable until I went to counseling and starting exploring the way my past has affected me. I say all of that just to say this, when people would ask me about my parents divorce I would say I was happy about it and get the weirdest looks. But I was happy to not be around such toxicity, I was happy both of parents became two happy, healthy and whole adults, I was happy I didn't have to pretend I didn't know my parents weren't happy, and I could just focus on being a kid. don't let staying for your kids be the reason you stay in an abusive, or unhealthy relationship because as much as you try to hide they can still be affected by it. I would much rather have my two separate parents that can coexist peacefully now to my parents that were married and living in a bad situation stay just for me.

That's just my two cents, I hope it helps.