They can if they want to, My neighbours are seperated and live together, and they get along just fine. I guess its really up to the couple.

Umm I thought the definition of sepearted was remaining legally married but not living together. Either way I would find yourself a good pastor or marriage councilor and see if you can't patch things up. Divorce is a terrible thing.

I hope so because that is exactly what my husband and I are doing. We were both unhappy in the marriage but did not want to break up the family unit. In a nutshell, my husband and I fell out of love for various unrepairable reasons. Since we basically get along fine and generally like each other, we decided to stay under the same roof to continue to parent our 7 yo son. We explained to him that we were still going to be his parents and live in the same house, but that we weren't going to be married to each other anymore. Of course the rule is that when we go out with other people--we literally "go out" with other people and don't bring them home. And, no, it doesn't bother either of us when the other goes out with another person. In fact, he went on a week long trip to Hawaii with his current friend and after he returned I went away with my own friend for a few days. We are honest with our son and he seems none the worse for wear. I would have to see a lot of research to believe that this option isn't the best for all concerned. In fact the only person who has had a problem with it is hubby's new girlfriend! Dang--I would give the girl a bear hug and a huge thank you if he'd let me!!!

Maybe different couples handle such stuff different. But in my opinion, if you are seperated you should be reeeeaaaallly separated! I understand that some parents choose to live together for the sake of the children, but I dont think it is healthy for the child - it gives him/her a distracted vision of what a marriage is like and should be. This will confuse the child even more than just a simple divorce. If parents continue to stay together the child will never accept that his/her parents are really separated and will always hope that they get back together. And, if parents - who are separated but live together for the child - actually find someone else they truly love, things will get alot worse. So in my opinion, if you get separated - get 100% separated although both parents remain in contact with the child!

well I hope this works as my wife and I of 17 years are seperating today. But due to the ever so evil $$$$ we cant live in 2 seperate homes. We have thousands of dollars in bills together, we own a business and have a 13 year old daughter living in the home. Our other 2 older kids are not living at home as they have their own families and live a couple hours away. What advice can people give me? It is all very raw today, like a fresh open wound. Im torn between how we used to love each other and how we do today. we have always had a volitile relationship and often would argue/yell as "normal" communication. I think the time is right tho as life is not fun, there is no love or sex in the relationship. This has been like this for months and months ...... can we actually make it work living together as room mates??? (we are not legally married, so no need for a "real" divorce). any advice?

My hubby and I decided a while back to separate, but remain together in the marrital home for the sake of our two children, and financial debts etc... However, it has become almost unbearable, and whereas before, I believed it wouldn't affect my children, I now feel it is having repurcussions on them. They see us argue all the time, it's not healthy, and it's giving them a false sense of security, and a jaded view of what marriage can really be like. I am now looking towards divorce, and separating the family unit, which I believe to be better in the long run. I'm not saying that staying together doesn't work for some, it just hasn't unfortunately for us!

Thankfully, the religious right has not yet legislated living together under the same roof as a crime but, of course, that may change at any time

I hope it can work, as my wife has just recently told me she has fallen out of love with me. And says if it wasn't for our 3 year old daughter that she would ask me to leave. I say she would ask me to leave because I am the stay at home dad and live in a house which is contracted by her employers. I still love my wife alot and to say this is hard for me is an understatment. But I know i have to put my feelings aside so that a. I get to still look after my daughter and b. still have a roof over my head. As the alternative is hopefully not going to happen. V

LEGALLY ...you are still considered married until divorce is final....if you live together during the legal process/time ,it takes to divorce...either one can prolong the divorce ,if they desire to....move out til divorce is final and then move back in....unless u 'trust' the other ,not to ever contest final divorce...which is RISKY....

Yes, you can do this if both parties are happy with it.

Absolutely, but it doesn't allow you to have a private life at all.

It's not clear if you mean a married couple, or a never married couple. People can have anyone they want as a roommate, even if they were never married, or even if they are married, but not "sleeping" together. If they are still sleeping in the same room, they are not separated. When I met my Hubby, he was still living with his former girlfriend, but she had her own room.

my husband and i have fallen out of love, his had a fling with a girl he met over seas and is still in contact, we fight about it all the time and have recently separed offically, meaning no more romantic or sexual contact, but were trying to live together for finanial reasons and also to co-parent our 1 yr old daughter, we have been in separate beds for a while, while still remaining a couple. now we are separated i made him a list of rules, mainly involving not fighting around the baby, still needed alot of getting use to, he needs to stop expecting me to be his little house wife and be more independent, most people dont like the idea, but generally we live together well, and mainly only fort about sex or lack of... my now thats not an issue, fingers crossed,