He's been saying 'dada' for a while now but today he looked right at me and clearly said 'dad.' It's such a small thing but it felt huge. He's 18 months old and I got to witness that milestone. My wife recorded it on her phone and I've probably watched it 50 times already. Never thought a single wor...
My 7 year old has been in youth soccer for about 3 months. Not the most athletic kid but she's been working hard at practice. Today in her game she kicked the ball and it actually went in the net. The look on her face was priceless. She was so shocked and happy. I was that annoying dad cheering loud...
After 8 months of her texting me angry paragraphs about every little thing, I suggested we use a co-parenting app. Told her it keeps everything documented for the kids' sake and makes scheduling way easier. She actually agreed. We're trying Our Family Wizard this month. Feels weird having a structur...
I'm not even mad about it. We've been playing together for a few months and he finally got first place on Rainbow Road while I came in 4th. The look on his face when he crossed the finish line was everything. He kept saying 'Dad I won I won I won' and wanted to play again immediately. Pretty sure th...
Found my old man's pocket watch in a box at my mom's house. Haven't seen it in years. Been carrying it the past week and it got me thinking about what I'm actually passing down to my boys. Not just stuff, but how to treat people, how to keep your word, how to be present. That watch means more to me ...
Getting way too into these serial killer documentaries on Netflix. Wife fell asleep watching one and I stayed up till midnight watching episode after episode. Now I'm that guy thinking I could solve crimes. Pretty sure I'd be terrible at it in real life but in my head I'm a detective. Anyone else do...
We're 3 weeks in and my son will only sleep if I'm holding him. The second I put him down in the bassinet he wakes up and cries. My wife keeps saying this is normal but I'm exhausted. I work full time and I'm barely functional. Is there anything we can do to help him sleep independently or do we jus...
Woke up at 4 AM Saturday and headed to the lake solo. First cast of the morning and felt that tug. Fought it for maybe 4 minutes. Thing was massive when it came up. Got it in the boat and my hands were shaking like crazy. Took some pics and let her go. My dad would have loved this. Best part of my w...
So I have my two kids most of the time and their mom gets them every other weekend. Works fine usually but shes been asking to switch to weekdays sometimes because her new job has her traveling on weekends now. I'm not trying to be difficult but that would mess up their school routine and I work fro...
So I promised my son we'd build a treehouse this summer and now I'm standing in my backyard looking at 2x8s and hardware store receipts trying to figure out which branch won't kill us. I've watched like 5 YouTube videos and I'm pretty sure I need to invest in a level and possibly some rope. Anyone e...
Got divorced 2 years ago, split custody week on week off. Sounds fair on paper but it's destroying everything. Every time I get them settled, it's time to pack up again. Can't do sports, can't do anything consistent. My ex moved 45 minutes away without asking. We barely communicate unless it's about...
Been through hell and back but me and my ex finally stopped fighting and started listening. We have 4 kids so week on week off was impossible. Now we do a 2-2-3 split that actually lets them be in one place long enough to do their homework and be in sports. I pick them up Tuesday/Wednesday, she has ...
Never wanted kids, had a whole different life planned. Met my wife and suddenly I'm responsible for two teenagers. First year was brutal, felt like I lost myself. But over time something shifted. Now at 8 years in, these are my kids. The hardest part is that I can't take credit for raising them from...
My old man never apologized for anything. Said it was a sign of weakness. I spent years thinking that was strength until I realized I was just stubborn and alone. With my boys I'm doing different. Teaching them that real strength is admitting when you messed up, looking someone in the eye, and sayin...
Been planning my menu for the past week. Thinking brisket, ribs, and chicken this weekend. My neighbor wants to know all my secrets which honestly feels pretty good. There's something about standing over a grill with a beer that just hits different as a dad. You get to be productive but also kind of...