Tad's Overdue Update

[AJM]

Sunshine, your son is obviously afraid to go against his dad. For now. That's a point in time.

My kids are the same in some ways. I respect that it is hard on them and let it go. As long as they are ok, then so be it. The rest is just "now" and not forever.

For the record, my son and I have a great relationship. Now. It wasn't always that way because his mom would get in the way when she lived here.

My daughter and I were always close. She lives with her mom now and won't so much as look at me or talk to me. She has made that very clear.

I don't blame her. She wants a relationship with her mother and missed that for many years while her mother wasn't very available. I don't like what or how she did it, but that's history. She'll be back one day down the road.

Did her mom brainwash her? She influenced her as evidenced by what was in her email. That's obvious.

Are my kids afraid of their mother? Yes. She "flips out" over little things when she doesn't get her way and they are shell shocked.

But like Brookie mentioned, they need to find their way. They are old enough to make their own choices. Their own mistakes. They learn this way

I don't like it, but it seems natural for my daughter to be angry and to take it out on me. To want to be "normal" and loved. To be loved by her mom. To make up for lost time.

In time, she'll make up her own mind. My son will as well.

I try to not say things. I am not perfect but that's life. I'm careful because of my kids. For their sake.

Tad, have patience and be nothing more than you. Recognize the turmoil and the age. Be a father and be kind to him.

He needs you, Tad. Make yourself whole and support your son. Stop worrying about what she says becuase you can't control it. You can't make his decisions nor know why he makes them.

He'll figure it out if you let him Tad. You can take a lot of pressure off him and he'll know.

AJ