Two years post-divorce and I'm finally not depressed all the time. The first year was rough, man. Thought I'd lost my identity. Went from married guy with a house to apartment living and 50/50 custody. But honestly? I've rediscovered who I was before marriage. Getting back into rock climbing, my fri...
My daughter is 6 weeks old and today she smiled at me. Not the newborn gas smiles, an actual real smile where she saw me and her whole face lit up. I literally teared up. I know it's just a milestone but man it hit me that this little human recognizes me and is happy to see me. 10/10 would recommend...
Going from 50/50 to every other weekend and one weeknight. The lawyer said it was a fair arrangement but it doesn't feel fair. I keep running through the math in my head trying to figure out how many days I'm losing. Anyone else struggle with this transition? I want to do what's best for the kids bu...
My ex is way more strict than I am. Bedtimes are earlier at her place, less screen time, stricter rules on junk food. My kids were complaining that it's not fair. I don't want to undermine her parenting but I also don't want to be the bad cop. Is it normal for kids to have different rules at differe...
I told him I couldn't put it down. He didn't laugh. My wife laughed though which basically means I won.
Took the boys camping last weekend and it rained the entire time. Like sideways rain. My oldest got sick, we forgot half our stuff at home, and I ran out of propane on day 2. We packed it in after one night. I feel like I failed at being a dad but my 5yo said it was still fun because we played cards...
My 6yo wanted her room a different color so I told her we'd do it this weekend. Bought the paint, taped everything off, thought I'd be done in like 3 hours. First coat looked thin, second coat was better, but now I'm realizing I need a third coat and my back is killing me. Also my daughter keeps wan...
My wife and I have been thinking a lot about this lately. We take the kids to church every Sunday, we pray at meals, we read Bible stories. But I don't want them to just go through the motions. I want them to actually understand Jesus and have real faith that carries them through life. We've been ta...
Been drinking garbage coffee my whole life from the office machine. Decided to actually invest in a decent setup at home. Do I go french press or pour over? What's the least complicated way to not screw this up?
Been thinking a lot about what it means to be the head of your household. Not in a dictatorial way, but in the sense of being the anchor. Your kids are watching everything you do. If you cut corners, cheat, or take shortcuts, they see it. The way you treat your wife, how you handle disappointment, t...
My son asked me why I was putting ketchup on my pizza and I said I was just trying to be condiment-al. He groaned so hard he fell off his chair. I call that a win.
Been working with my 8 year old on this. He's naturally shy so the eye contact thing has been tough but we've made it a game where we practice during dinner. I tell him a real man's handshake says something about his character and that's resonating with him. My dad taught me this same way and it's o...
So I've been pretty anxious about work and family stuff for like two years straight. My therapist suggested I try a meditation app, which I thought was stupid but I was desperate. Been doing 10 minutes in the morning before everyone wakes up and honestly it's the best part of my day. Still anxious b...
So I'm at the store with my 6 year old and she's asking for cereal. I point at the shelf and say "That one looks SUPER". She stares at me. My wife later told me the other parents were looking at me like I lost my mind. Worth it.
My oldest is in 4th grade and starting to ask questions about why our family believes different things than some of his friends' families. I want him to be confident in his faith but not judgmental or weird about it at school. How do you guys balance raising kids with strong Christian values while a...