<human>: Summarize the given text in a few sentences.

OP is [here] Apologies for any potato formatting, as I'm on mobile.  

So after reading all the commentary in my first post, I took a day to really think it through and decide how I wanted to play it. Did bowing my head at mealtimes really bother me that much? Etc. 

In the end, I decided that I didn't care enough about the head bowing thing to go to war over it, but I just wasn't comfortable being "required" to attend and participate in church services that aren't my own. As for Santa et al, I explained as calmly and respectfully as possible that while I would never undermine her parenting, that I also wouldn't lie to my son, especially when my ex will be telling him the truth no matter what I do. He still loves Christmas and Easter egg hunts and all that (I mean, he's 3!) but he's taught that it's all pretend. 

Her response basically went like this:

* How can we be a real family if you won't participate in our important traditions? You can't be a part of my family if you don't do this. (Church - Apparently it's an all day affair on holidays with services, bible study, and then kid activities). 

* We can't teach them two different things about Santa and I want them to believe as long as possible because it teaches valuable life lessons. (I think it teaches good behavior under threat of punishment... Sound familiar?)

So as you may have surmised, after lengthy discussion (read: argument) we decided that our values just don't match and we are splitting up. It's been a week since then. It's awful, and I'm taking it really hard (I'm avoiding going home and writing this because I don't know how to face her right now without getting upset). Losing the kids is the worst part, because we've been a family for a while now and it's hard to let that go. She's moving out and is supposed to be gone this week. So...yeah.
<bot>: I tried to find a middle ground where possible and explain as much as possible where there wasn't one. It wasn't good enough, we split up. I'm taking it very hard.