Got sober when my oldest was born. Best decision I ever made but it's complicated. I miss being the fun dad who didn't overthink everything. I miss the confidence I had when I was drinking even though it was fake. Now I'm hyper aware of everything and that's good but also exhausting. What I don't mi...
I'm looking to upgrade my grill situation this spring. Currently have a beat up charcoal grill that's probably 15 years old. Want something that can handle gas and maybe some smoking capability. Budget is probably 800-1200 bucks. Anyone have recommendations for brands that aren't garbage? Looking fo...
I'm struggling to find joy in anything right now including time with my wife and kids. We went to the park yesterday and I just felt numb the whole time. My daughter was showing me stuff on the playground and I could barely muster enthusiasm. I feel like I'm failing them. Started seeing a therapist ...
Took my oldest out to the lake yesterday morning before work and man it was perfect. We caught like 8 bass, water was calm, sun coming up over the trees. My son actually put his phone down the whole time and was just into it. Those are the moments that make all the chaos worth it. Already planning o...
Like when you're running late for something and you do that speed walk that's not quite a run so you don't look desperate. Or when you find a french fry in the car from like two weeks ago. Or when you're in bed trying to find a comfortable spot and you've taken up half the bed but your wife still so...
At breakfast this morning my 7 year old was drinking orange juice and I said 'wow you really like your juice' and he goes 'yeah' and I hit him with 'well you're not the only one who likes orange juice, I'm a big fan too' and my daughter literally threw her cereal spoon down. Mission accomplished. So...
Anyone else deal with constant anxiety about whether you're doing right by your kids? I lie awake at night thinking about stuff I said wrong or decisions I made. My therapist says I'm being too hard on myself but I can't shake the feeling that I'm messing them up somehow. Been on anxiety meds for 2 ...
My 4 year old came up to me yesterday with a serious look on his face and said 'dad, I need to tell you something very important.' I'm thinking oh no what happened. He goes 'I have powers now' and I ask what kind of powers. 'Butt powers' he announces and then farts. My older kids were losing it. Tha...
Got out after 12 years in the service. Lost the brotherhood, the structure, the clear mission. Some days I still wake up at 5 with that habit. What I gained though is actually being present for my family. I missed my oldest kid's first three years while deployed. Now I'm coaching his soccer team and...
Got some grief from my younger brother for sending a handwritten thank you note after his wedding gift. But here's the thing, anyone can send a text. Taking 10 minutes to sit down and write something by hand shows respect for the person. My dad did it, his dad did it, and I'm doing it. It's not abou...
So we got rained out in the 3rd inning and I'm thinking the day is ruined right? Wrong. We ended up playing arcade games in the concourse for 2 hours, the kids beat me at skeeball like 5 times in a row and they were laughing so hard they could barely stand. Honestly that might've been better than wa...
My ex moved closer to the kids' school so now it makes more sense for them to be with her during the week. We're reworking the agreement but I'm worried I'm going to miss stuff. Sports, school events, all that. Has anyone switched to mostly weekends and summer? How do you deal with missing the day t...
Been working with him all summer and today it finally clicked. He went like 50 feet down the driveway without me holding on. The look on his face when he realized he was doing it... man I'm still grinning. My wife got it on video and I've watched it like 20 times already. This parenting thing is pre...
League I've been in for 12 years. Our draft is Labor Day weekend and I'm already stressed. Had two solid years and now everyone's targeting my good players. Thinking about going RB early this year but I always screw that up. What's everyone's strategy this year?
I was that dad who needed a beer after work every single day. Then two. Then hiding the empties. My wife gave me an ultimatum and I actually listened. Went to AA, got a sponsor, did the work. What changed most is how I parent. I'm actually present. I remember bedtimes with the kids instead of being ...