3 years sober now. Used to be that guy at barbecues, always had a beer in hand, made bad decisions, missed important stuff. Lost custody for a while which was the wake up call I needed. I'm not gonna get into the whole story but I went through AA, got my life straight, and fought to get my kids back...
After the divorce I got primary custody and had to leave my corporate job to make it work financially and logistically. Honestly one of the best things that ever happened to me. Yeah we're tighter on money but my identity isn't wrapped up in my job title anymore. I'm present for the important stuff....
My 8 year old came home yesterday and told me mom said I left because I didn't want to be a dad anymore. That's not what happened at all. We separated because the marriage wasn't working, not because I wanted out of being a father. How am I supposed to respond to this without making it worse? I don'...
Just wanted to share this win. My ex and I went through hell during the court process but we both realized it wasn't about us anymore, it was about what's best for the kids. We worked with a family law specialist and honestly the mediator made all the difference. Now I have my kids Wed-Sun every oth...
Went to the grocery store with my 6 year old. He wanted every single box because apparently they're all 'part of a balanced breakfast.' I told him balance means only picking 2. He picked the most sugary ones anyway. We compromised on just one. Parenting is basically negotiating with a tiny dictator.
Spent the last month slowly going through everything in my garage and I finally finished today. Installed wall mounted shelving, labeled everything, got a pegboard set up for my tools. My wife joked that I care more about the garage now than the house but honestly having a clean space where I can ac...
Got laid off after 15 years in tech sales. Spent two months actually present at home for the first time since my oldest was born. Started coaching my son's soccer team, helping my wife with the house, actually talking to my kids about their day instead of just asking how school was before checking e...
This time last year I was pushing 280 lbs and barely could walk up stairs without getting winded. My doctor basically said I needed to make changes or I was heading for serious problems. Started with just walking 20 minutes a day. Now I'm training for my second half marathon. What I miss most is sle...
Every single day my ex is sending me texts about what the kids ate, what they wore to school, stuff that honestly doesn't matter to me. I want to be involved but this feels excessive. We're supposed to communicate about big stuff but this feels like she's trying to control everything. How do I set b...
Been thinking about this a lot lately. I want to raise my kids to love Jesus and follow Him but I'm constantly falling short. I lose my temper with them sometimes, I'm not patient like I should be, and I know they see my flaws. How do you model faith when you're struggling? I don't want to be a hypo...
My son literally asks me 100 times a day if he can play Roblox. We let him play on weekends for maybe 30 mins and now he's obsessed. Every conversation ends with him begging for it. Anyone else dealing with this? How do you say no without constant meltdowns? Thinking about just letting him have a ga...
He's 11 and never really showed interest in working with his hands. Saw me fixing the deck railing and asked if he could help. Spent the whole Saturday showing him how to measure, saw straight, and use the level. At the end he did half the work himself. He was so proud. I was proud. That's the stuff...
Three sections were completely rotted out. Spent all day Sunday pulling out old boards and setting new posts. The kids thought it was hilarious watching me get filthy and sweaty. Used up like half a bottle of ibuprofen after but the fence is solid again. Sometimes you just gotta get out there and do...
Three years sober now. Used to be the guy at every party, knew everyone, always had plans. Turns out a lot of those friendships were just drinking buddies. Lost most of them when I quit. What I gained is actually knowing my kids. Not like, knowing about them, but being present. I'm a better dad. Cl...
Before kids I was all about me. Spent money on stupid stuff, went out whenever, had a clean truck. Now I'm the guy clipping coupons and driving a minivan with Goldfish crumbs in the cup holders. I miss the spontaneity and my old friends but what I've gained is being someone my kids actually look up ...