Ellie Tesher

Advice

A - You must protect your son and yourself from the irrational behaviour and severe bullying of his father.

Even if your daughter’s being spared, she’s negatively affected by the stress in the home.

The father-son relationship is already at risk.

See your counsellor privately, on a crisis basis, so you can make a decision very soon.

Discuss how to alert your husband that he must attend counselling/anger management, too.

And how to help him understand that rage over the boy leaving football isn’t worth destroying his son’s self-worth and inner confidence.Otherwise, a separation from you and both children may well be your only way for him to realize the seriousness of the situation.

HOWEVER, if you fear he’ll become physically abusive, make a safe plan to leave - perhaps phrased as a vacation for a few weeks with the children.

If it becomes necessary to just get away fast to a safe place, do so privately (use a library’s computer to make arrangements) and leave when he’s out. Be prepared to call police for help.

FEEDBACK: Regarding the

Ellie - A very good mathematical assessment! Unfortunately, the letter-writer omitted his wife’s side, so those details are unknown.