...when parents fight in front of kids

When parents fight in front of kids, what do you do? Intervene when it becomes very harsh or stay quiet and out of the scene.

In my case, my parents were never the best of a couple. They both had the vision of educating kids well whether they could afford it or not and they actually went crazy with it to the extent that i know no one in our social circle or family has. I respect them utmost for it but there are some points & behaviours i tend not to be able to forgive them on and i feel the disrespect within me specially my father.

They have been married for more than 25 years and for almost every day of these years they have hated & fought over each other’s families & blamed them for every wrong. Honestly, both the families are nice. My mother is a very tolerant & quiet person and she has been through hell with her in-laws which we ourselves has seen but my father seems blind to everything. She worked these 25 years to support our family, she put up with the in-laws **** to the extent that 7-8 of our paternal relatives had their deliveries in our city living in our house, had their operations here, had their big diseases like cancer etc here and mum even stayed in the hospital for months, went to work & managed home with kids.She even worked with many of my father’s siblings studying here while living at our place. My father doesn’t seem thankful for the slightest thing. He keeps humiliating her & her family who in fact are a very humble bunch of people. For all these things, although i love him and every one in the house knows he loves me most i seem to be leaving the respect. I have confronted him many times.

All us kids have argued with him and explained to him how he is wrong but he is so confrontational, harsh and rude with her that i cant tolerate it at all. I don’t respect men who don’t respect women specially their wives and this is what is happening in my case too. I feel guilty and bad that he loves me a lot and still i act so aloof and indifferent sometimes. But all this daily domestic abuse is making me so emotionally weak that i keep having break downs, mood swings, terrified moments, complete melt downs even in front of them. After I have a total break down, they all seem to be okay for a few days so that i am not effected but this is useless since it should be fixed for ever. He is no longer in the situation where he can be talked with or reasoned with.. very rare of the things he pin points at my mum and her family are true but most are utterly wrong and concluded from very narrow scope of view. His own family although sweet to us are total whackos and have extreme interference in each other’s house, even ours. I will be getting married soon and it worries me crazy what will happen of my mum later who already has 2 serious illnesses. I am the only person she vents out with and I will be leaving the country, my other siblings are also either out of country or out of city.

At the same time i love him for how he caters to all my needs and goes to all extents for me and i feel guilty for being indifferent to him but i cant help it because i believe his behaviour isn’t correct.

Re: ...when parents fight in front of kids

this sucks!!! You need to make convince your dad to stay quiet infront of your mom with the taunting as it is dangerous to her health. Tell him that if he continues to go on with the behavior, it will affect your relationship with him alot as you are his favorite one. Honestly I dont see much change happening in him now at this age. Maybe your mom needs to step up for herself.

Re: ...when parents fight in front of kids

My mom has already tried stepping up for herself but he is too powerful in the relationship and in the end she is a woman she cannot do much when she has grown up kids in the scenario.

He is 70+ now, its old age as well. There are some rare moments when he is caring towards her & understands her needs but those trivial times dont count when overall one does not express their love & care.

Due to this, i am so fearful of my own future relation. I am so scared of going through all this that even on the slightest thing with my fiance i stand up for myself and confront which is harmful for my own relation, i know that.

Re: ...when parents fight in front of kids

Your parents are kind of like yours too. My dad had always and still at times says very harshful stuff to my mom. Im not sure what it was that made my dad calm down now, but I've noticed that when he's less stressed hes nicer. The thing is, your mom shouldve stepped up from the first day on . AND YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN UR RELATIONSHIP! it give your life partner limits, and makes it clear to him that he cannot pass those certain lines. Maybe you should have your mom stay over with you for a few weeks or so to relax from her hubby, and maybe he might realize what he has when she isnt there? again, theres maybe 10% chance of him changing now. I myself sometimes think the way my parents were reflects in me at times. stay optimistic.

Re: ...when parents fight in front of kids

Shouldn't age mellow down a person's temper. In my case my mom and dad had arguments and petty issues when we were kids. But now Alhamdullilah they get along so well.

You should intervene and make your dad realise the ugliness of his temper and the harshness of his tone and words. Or you could actually show that you aren't talking to him and are upset with him. And when he is in a good mood calmly talk to him about this and how this is not good for your mom or the general atmosphere of the home. You could cry and say you don't want to get married because you might have to go through the same.

Emotional talking might do the trick. At the end of the day our parents still need each other the most. They just need to realise it.. :/