Belle Baden on the Impact of Divorce on Her Kids

Belle Baden, who experienced a tumultuous divorce, revealed that the most challenging part of the situation, for her, was how it affected her children. She shared her story about breaking up with hedge fund executive Henry Davis in her memoir, “Strangers: A Memoir of a Marriage.” Recently, she discussed the family’s struggles on Molly Sims’ podcast.

Initially, the divorce didn’t seem to impact two of her three children too much. The eldest stayed with friends, and the middle child went to boarding school. However, her youngest really needed a space in his father’s new apartment, as Baden noted.

In her podcast appearance, Baden detailed how her daughter, then just 12, sent Davis a link regarding her room décor from Pottery Barn. He reportedly told her that his days of family life—homework, dinner, and all—were over.

Baden recounted how Davis wanted a divorce after discovering Emma had been unfaithful. They had been together for 20 years, but he moved into a smaller apartment, converting an extra bedroom into a workspace.

She candidly reflected, “That was the hardest and longest-lasting part.” When the podcast hosts expressed disbelief over Davis’s decisions, Baden clarified: “It’s not as though he started a new life far away. He lives close by and maintains contact with the kids, showing kindness toward them. But he made it clear he wouldn’t engage in day-to-day parenting anymore.” It felt like a switch had flipped for him.

In her memoir, she noted how, during their marriage, Davis often prioritized her career and even joked about how he didn’t participate in the daily routines of parenting. While he didn’t engage in that routine, he did take the kids on special outings and trips.

The situation got even more complicated after their separation. Baden had her lawyer draft a custody agreement that proposed they share custody equally. However, Davis returned it with all time removed except for Thursday dinner. She speculated that he might have thought he was being “selfless” by not formalizing a plan, believing the children could decide when to see him.

Sims sought insight into whether Baden had discussed Davis’s distancing from their children. Baden expressed that her ex-husband seemed to emotionally disengage, feeling as if something broke inside him. She tried to help her kids understand that their father’s absence wasn’t a reflection of them.

On discussing her children’s ongoing relationship with Davis, she noted, “It’s been great because they still love him. They’re protective and find ways to connect with him, like attending hockey games.” Still, she worries about helping them navigate their feelings, often pointing out that their situation is not typical.

Regarding Davis’s reaction to her memoir’s release, Baden shared he seemed unhappy about it. Previously, snippets of her story had appeared in a New York Times column, and her interpretation was that he believed he could step away from the family without consequences, perhaps feeling he had a societal pass due to gender.

She noted, “He told me, ‘I don’t think this is going to work.'” It appears the aftermath of their divorce continues to unfold, leaving much unresolved in their complex narrative.