A friend of ours went through this exact dilemma, great job, 2 healthy kids, nice house, holidays etc etc.
dropped a bombshell after 13 years of marriage, however he involved his immediate family along with his wife and clearly stated that there were far too many differences within thier personality to continue, he was unhappy and has been for a long time, however continued the marraige (cause thats what your supposed to do)
His wife was like i will change to how you want me to be, but he cleary stated that he did not want to continue a marriage that was based on a threat of divorce as to the only reason to compromise her personality.
Anyway loads of family getting involved/upset/threats etc etc, but he just did it.
6 years later he is remarried and very happy and content with his life, has the utmost respect for his ex wife, however does not regret the decision that he took *( even though she has cut off any contact he has with the kids) * His justification through all this, was i could not continue to keep up a lie of a marraige when i feel no love or attraction towards my wife, i did not want to be one of those husbands who got his cheap thrills outside, and then came home to wifey, i wanted a life that i was content in and a partner that i want to grow old with.
lots of family still don't talk to him, however he says his heart is clean, and from the look of things it really has worked out for him the way he wanted it, and apart from some of his close family, none of us begrudge him, if anything we admire him for his honesty and guts he has shown, it would have been much easier to take the easy route and continue to plod along.
What bullcrap.
Did he not think about divorcing her before they ended up having children? before building a life with her?
I fail to understand that a man can have a happy and content life when he doesnt have any contact with his children.