Good on you for getting out and showing your kids that it is ok to leave a bad relationship (even if they don't realize that is what you are doing at the time).

Good on you for getting out and showing your kids that it is ok to leave a bad relationship (even if they don't realize that is what you are doing at the time). My father married a woman (my stepmother) who was abusive and manipulative and it took him awhile to be decisive and leave. I didn't appreciate how hard it was for him to leave at the time and blamed him for part of it. Now (a couple decades later) I am just grateful we got out at all. Your kids might not realize everything that is going on right away. From my experience, there is a good chance they will see all you did for them one day.