WB, Good to hear from you again. Thank you for the 2x4! You are right I do have to learn to detach better. It would obviously be easier if he weren't using the kids to try and push my buttons. It's not so much what he says anymore it is the fact that I see them hurt by what he says and the methods he is employing to get to me. I don't feel i can tell my children not to discuss with me what their father says b/c they need the emotional support in order to be able to climb out of the pit he regularly pushes them into. I do feel i am getting better though b/c I'm not reacting directly to him over what he says and does. So for example I did not take him to task yesterday over what he said to D12 about the camping. Neither did I send the email that I drafted telling him i needed a break. I knew he either wouldn't answer it, come back with something even more hurtful or use it against me. So I am learning (I'm just very slow at getting there )
Cat thanks for your thoughts.
Me 43 XH 45 M 2.7.88 Divorce 7.10.09 Kids D20,S17 & D15