5 years sober and I almost didn't make it
Hit 5 years yesterday. My kids don't remember me before I got clean which sometimes makes me sad but mostly makes me grateful. I used to be that guy who couldn't go a weekend witho
TTim K.158 views
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How life changed since becoming a dad. Identity shifts, things you miss, things you gained, the transformation of fatherhood.
832 threads
Hit 5 years yesterday. My kids don't remember me before I got clean which sometimes makes me sad but mostly makes me grateful. I used to be that guy who couldn't go a weekend witho
Spent 12 years climbing the corporate ladder, making good money, absolutely miserable. Burned out hard about 3 years ago and decided to go back to school to teach high school math.
Two years ago I weighed 280 pounds and could barely walk up stairs without getting winded. My kids used to ask why I couldn't play tag with them and that hurt more than I can say.
3 years sober now. Used to be the guy who needed a beer after work every single day, then it became 3 beers, then I was drinking to sleep. My kids were scared of me sometimes. Now
Hit 15 years at the same tech company and just walked away last month. Wife makes good money so we decided I'd take the leap. Honestly I miss the paychecks and having an identity b
Grew up in a small town where everyone knew everything about you. Felt suffocating. Moved to the city for a job and reinvented myself completely. Different accent, different friend
Spent 10 years obsessed with working out, meal prepping, counting macros. Had abs you could grate cheese on. Then kids happened and I realized I was miserable constantly worried ab
My wake up call was my oldest asking why daddy was so tired playing tag. That hurt. I was overweight, eating garbage, never moved. Decided I had to be the dad who could actually ke
Used to spend every weekend backpacking or road tripping with buddies. Now I'm the guy who gets excited about a good family hike where my 4yo doesn't complain the whole time. Miss
I was grinding for that promotion, staying late, traveling constantly for work. Got my first kid and something just clicked. All those hours suddenly felt pointless compared to wat
I dropped out of college 10 years ago to work and start a family. Always regretted it. Decided to go back part time while working full time and being a dad. It's been the hardest y
Before kids I was selfish. Like really selfish. I did what I wanted, spent money on stupid stuff, stayed out late, didn't think about anyone but myself. Had my first kid and someth
Three years ago I was 280 pounds, couldn't play with my kids without getting winded, was heading toward diabetes. Started with just walking, then got into lifting, completely chang
Not sure how many people on here will relate but I needed to put this somewhere. I was a pretty heavy drinker for about 8 years. Started as social drinking, turned into drinking al
That's probably the weirdest part of becoming a dad. Yeah I miss the freedom and the sleep and being able to just travel or go out on a whim without planning everything six months
Lost: spontaneity, disposable income, my identity as part of a couple, time with my ex wife (obviously), the family dinners I thought we'd have forever. Gained: an insane amount of
Used to sleep until noon on weekends, hit the bars with my buddies, never had a plan. Then my first kid was born and everything just clicked different. At first I was terrified I'd
Looking at old photos from my 20s before I had kids and I barely recognize myself. I was that guy who stayed up until 2am playing video games, slept until noon on weekends, had a s
My buddies still text me about nights out and I literally have zero interest anymore. Used to be the guy organizing bar crawls and staying out until 3am. Now the idea of that sound
Changed jobs about a year ago and took a pay cut to work local hours. My old company was demanding constant availability and I was always working. I'd come home, see my kids for li