I have been with my boyfriend for five years now.

I fell in love with his charm and his children. I've been with his daughter since she was 2, and I have grown to be a mom figure in her life. His son and I are very close, he comes to me with all his problems and trusts me.

But at this point , I've stayed for the kids. My bf, their father, is awful.

He is mentally abusive. He has been physically abusive before, we all just walk on eggshells before it escalates to that.

When he isn't yelling at one of us, he is moping around like a sad little.man who didn't get his way, and refuses to ever say what is wrong.

It's Christmas break for the kids. They are out of school. His son, 12, loves video games. He just got himself a new gaming setup(he had to use his own money) and of course he has been staying up late playing with his friends.i see no issue in it. To hell with the sleep curfew buddy have fun, right ?

Well, dad didn't think so.

It is currently 3 in the morning and I wake up to my bf screaming at his child. Cussing. Telling him to GROW UP , GET TO FCKN BED , ect.

That boy was in there playing video games, but was being as silent as a mouse.

I know he is laying in his bed crying and my mama heart can't take it. And if I go in there to check on him , I'll get completely destroyed mentally by this man.

I can't leave. I can't leave these kids. But they are not mine. I don't want to be with this man anymore. The good does not outweigh the bad. I'm miserable. Me and the kids.

I guess I should add. He breaks things. He slams doors so hard that the kids no.longer have doors for their bedrooms. The bathroom doesn't even have a door. There are glass window panes completely shattered on the windows. Punch holes in the walls everywhere ..it's a mad house. I feel for these children. I was abused as a child, and my father spent a lot of time behind bars for domestic violence and drug abuse.