Woman Leaves House In Pajamas After Family Drama Over Christmas Gifts, Ends Up Getting A Divorce

People can push through a lot of hardship. Even when our own minds tell us we’re not strong enough, we dig deep and keep going. However, our perseverance can also come at a cost, masking pain until it boils over.

This story is about a woman who didn’t want to have kids but claims she was persuaded to do so by her husband’s insistence and cultural expectations.

Years later, raising not one, not two, but three children, she could no longer hide her true feelings, and the pent-up regret exploded on Christmas in front of her whole family.

This woman tried to create the perfect Christmas

Stressed mom holding her head during Christmas, overwhelmed by running away from her 3 kids and a wake-up call.

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But she couldn’t keep everything under control

Text post about a mom who ran away from her kids on Christmas and reflects on the experience and parental struggles.

Alt text: Mother overwhelmed by her three kids on Christmas feeling regret and questioning her role as a parent.

Text excerpt about a mom hesitant to have another child, reflecting on family dynamics and sibling relationships.

Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas and faces a wake-up call about parenting and family challenges.

Text excerpt about a mom hiding her depression and struggling emotionally during Christmas with her kids.

Mom running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, experiencing a wake-up call during a chaotic holiday season.

Text about family gatherings with parents, siblings, children, many people, and presents under the Christmas tree.

Alt text: Mom wakes up early on Christmas morning to find opened presents and scattered boxes, feeling overwhelmed and emotional.

Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas, leading to an emotional wake-up call during the holiday chaos.

Young boy in festive pajamas sitting on stairs rubbing eyes, conveying emotions related to mom running away from her kids on Christmas.

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Alt text: Mom overwhelmed by her 3 kids on Christmas, feeling traumatized after runaway moment and a wake-up call.

Alt text: Text about mom facing criticism from husband's parents for her <a href=

Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas after family argument, feeling overwhelmed and emotionally distressed.

Tired mom sitting in car, looking stressed and overwhelmed after running away from her kids on Christmas day.

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Mother feeling overwhelmed and running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, experiencing emotional trauma and a wake-up call.

Alt text: Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas feeling overwhelmed and needing a break to cool down.

Text on a plain background reads, I eventually went back home, the children seemed fine, related to mom running away from her kids on Christmas.

Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas but family helps create a memorable Christmas for all the children.

Mom feels guilty for running away from her 3 kids on Christmas and worries about the impact on her family relationships.

Text excerpt showing a mom reflecting on her overreaction and feelings about motherhood during a Christmas moment.

Alt text: Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas, reflecting on her feelings and a wake-up call experience.

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There are signs that women have more control over having children than they used to

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“If you’re a woman in your 20s or 30s, particularly if you’re in a long-term relationship, you’ve probably been asked when you’re going to have children,” says Abigail Locke, Professor of Critical Social and Health Psychology at Keele University, United Kingdom.

Now, you could make a case that the situation has been chasing. For example, in England and Wales in 2021, the average age to become a parent was 30.9 years for women and 33.7 years for men. But in the not-so-distant past—in 2017—the figures were 28.8 years for women and 33.4 years for men. So while dads have seen only a slight increase in age, mothers are becoming parents noticeably later than before.

At the same time, teen pregnancies have plummeted not just in the UK but elsewhere in the Western world, too.

All in all, birth rates in OECD countries have been declining significantly for decades. The average fell from 3.3 children per woman in 1960 to about 1.4 in 2023.

But now that the figure has dropped so far below the replacement rate of 2.1, many are worried that an aging population won’t have enough workers to support a growing number of retirees, placing strain on pay-as-you-go pension systems and healthcare. As a result, renewed attention on declining birth rates may once again translate into increased societal pressure on women to have more children.

But they still face unfair pressure

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When YouGov asked Americans whether men and women in the United States come under pressure from society to have children, people were more than twice as likely to say that women (37%) face pressure to have children than to say that men do (17%).

Four in 10 female respondents say that women face pressure to have children, compared to only three in 10 male respondents. Men were more likely than women to say that men are pressured to have kids: 20% of men say men are, compared to 13% of women who say so about men.

“If you pick up a parenting book, you’ll probably notice that the text is written primarily for mothers,” Locke says. “Even when there is a move to a gender equal ‘parent,’ much of the text still refers to mothers instead of fathers as the one predominantly responsible for caregiving. Meanwhile, fathers are seen as more part-time, bumbling assistants or ‘babysitters.'”

“Parenting is hard work, time-consuming and expensive, and many countries’ working cultures are not set up to support parents,” the professor adds. “It is often the mothers who scale down their paid working hours to pick up more of the childcare when the baby arrives.”

“As I’ve found in my research, media about stay-at-home fathers depicts them as being forced into the role through economic pressure. This is a contrast to what these primary caregiving fathers have told me themselves, which is that they see parenting as an equal partnership.”

The professor acknowledges that there has been some progress toward equal parenting, but the idea of mothers as the primary caregivers persists and means that women in their 20s and 30s still face undue pressure about whether—and when—to try for children.

After pouring her heart out online, the author of the post answered people’s biggest questions

Reddit conversation about a mom feeling overwhelmed and running away from her kids on Christmas, seeking support.

Reddit conversation about a mom running away from her kids on Christmas, discussing family therapy and mental health.

Reddit conversation discussing a mom running away from her kids on Christmas and coping with family stress.

Mom runs away from her 3 kids feeling overwhelmed, sharing emotional struggles and seeking a wake-up call during Christmas.

Conversation about mom feeling overwhelmed and stressed running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, reflecting on trauma.

A lot of the responses offered support

Comment about a mom overwhelmed by her 3 kids on Christmas, suggesting focus on self-care and parenting support.

Comment expressing support for a mom feeling overwhelmed and needing to emotionally cope while raising kids on Christmas.

Reddit comment praising a mom’s self-restraint dealing with her kids on Christmas and reflecting on the consequences.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment saying the kids are fine despite the mom running away from her 3 kids on Christmas.

Comment expressing sympathy for a mom who ran away from her 3 kids on Christmas, reflecting on trauma and motherhood struggles.

Mom overwhelmed by her three kids on Christmas, seeking a moment alone and reflecting on parenting challenges.

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Comment on a parenting forum suggesting divorce and leaving kids with the father most of the time.

Screenshot of an online comment advising a mom to leave with minimal custody while reflecting on motherhood and challenges.

Comment discussing a mom running away from her kids, reflecting on parenting struggles and coping alternatives.

Mom overwhelmed with three kids runs away on Christmas, facing a wake-up call about parenting and family boundaries.

Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas, sharing a wake-up call about family and holiday stress.

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Comment about mom running away from her kids on Christmas, sharing experience of seeking peace at a movie theater.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing family conflict, highlighting a mom feeling overwhelmed by her three kids on Christmas.

Reddit comment discussing a mom running away from her three kids on Christmas and the emotional wake-up call.

Comment about a mom feeling trapped during Christmas trying to create a perfect holiday, highlighting parental trauma and wake-up call.

Alt text: Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas, dealing with family trauma and seeking a wake-up call for healing.

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Comment expressing support for a mom dealing with depression after running away from her kids on Christmas.

Comment discussing a mom’s emotional struggles and the impact of running away from her kids during a traumatic Christmas event.

Screenshot of a social media comment about a mom running away from her kids during Christmas as a wake-up call.

Comment discussing a mom feeling unsupported by her partner and the need for couples counseling amid parenting challenges.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment reflecting on family dynamics and feeling traumatized during Christmas with kids.

Parenting advice about stress and challenges when having another child to fix family issues shared in text post.

Later, the woman said the internet’s response was a wake-up call

Mother comforting her upset young child indoors, capturing a moment related to trauma and parenting challenges on Christmas.

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Text excerpt highlighting a mom reflecting on a wake-up call about family treatment during a challenging Christmas.

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Mom runs away from her three kids on Christmas, sharing emotional struggles and a wake-up call experience.

Text paragraph describing a mom’s feelings about family therapy after struggling with her three kids on Christmas.

Tired mom sitting on floor looking stressed while father plays with baby in living room during family time.

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Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas after family argument, feeling overwhelmed and emotionally distressed.

Text excerpt discussing family therapy struggles and a heated argument leading to a changed perspective on parenting challenges.

Text excerpt describing a mom feeling overwhelmed and running away from her kids on Christmas, experiencing a wake-up call.

Text excerpt about a mom who ran away from her 3 kids on Christmas, revealing emotional family struggles.

Alt text: Mom runs away from her three kids on Christmas, feeling overwhelmed and facing a wake-up call about parenting.

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Mom runs away from her 3 kids on Christmas, experiencing a wake-up call about parenting and family challenges.

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Now, she’s getting a divorce

Mom looking shocked and worried during Christmas, highlighting the stress of running away from her kids on holiday.

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Text excerpt about a mom feeling strong while dealing with a difficult divorce and emotional challenges.

Text discussing a mom running away from her kids on Christmas and the impact of the experience on her family.

Text excerpt about divorce and family struggles, reflecting a mom’s challenges during a difficult time with her kids.

Mom running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, facing a wake-up call about family and trauma.

Alt text: Emotional mom running away from her three kids on Christmas getting a wake-up call about family and parenting challenges.

Text reading about a mom feeling free after divorce amidst challenges with her kids on Christmas.

Text excerpt about a mom feeling guilt and sadness after running away from her kids on Christmas for her well-being.

Family wearing Santa hats during Christmas celebration, capturing candid moments of kids and parents sharing holiday joy.

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Text excerpt showing a mother reflecting on her feelings and connection with her kids after running away on Christmas.

Mom running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, facing a wake-up call while dealing with family and self-care.

Text excerpt showing a mom discussing guilt-tripping and family conflict after running away from her kids on Christmas.

Text about a mom feeling overwhelmed and blocking family during a difficult time amid divorce and parenting challenges.

Text about mom running away from her 3 kids on Christmas, sharing a wake-up call and family conflicts.

Alt text: Mom reflects on her feelings and support received after running away from her kids on Christmas, facing a wake-up call.

Text on a plain background reads I am visiting an old friend over there that I haven't been allowed to visit in years.

Woman in denim outfit sitting with suitcase, holding passport and looking away, depicting a mom running away from her kids.

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Text excerpt from a personal story about a mom running away from her kids on Christmas and getting a wake-up call.

Text excerpt expressing a mom’s feelings of escape and renewal as she plans to run away from her kids on Christmas.

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Many people believe that, in the end, it’s all for the better

Comment expressing support and happiness for a mom who ran away from her kids on Christmas and shared an update online.

Reddit comment praising a mom who ran away from her 3 kids on Christmas and emphasizes self-care and therapy benefits.

Comment text about a mom running away from her three kids on Christmas and concerns about trauma and therapy.

Comment text on a white background expressing hope youngest child gets therapy after mom ran away from her 3 kids on Christmas.

Text post from anon with 1.4k points discussing the impact on children when parents run away during Christmas.

Alt text: Online comment discussing a mom running away from her kids on Christmas and emotional fallout challenges.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment emphasizing respecting a woman’s choice not to have children and avoiding pressure to have kids.

Comment discussing stigma and pressure on women around parenting choices, sharing support for women’s autonomy.

Mom runs away from her kids on Christmas to find herself and overcome stress, leading to a life-changing wake-up call.

Comment discussing mom running away from her kids on Christmas and the impact of trauma on children.

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