For Scorp7...since your thread is locked.

[Scorp7]

Eric:

I think that deep down inside you know you f’d up by not trying to secure access to the kids sooner.

I can see that I made a mistake by not getting a L involved sooner. I tried to be patient, talk it out with my W, etc, and believed that would lead to us working on our M and getting back together. It obviously hasn't happened so far.

Another thing I wonder is…..how much YOU really want the kids. What I mean by this is something that Mach touched on….have you really separated you as a father from you as a husband. My point is, are you using the kids as a ploy to get your W back? If you are, then trust me, your L, a court, your W and more importantly…your kids will see right through it

I want my kids more than anything in this world. I do not view anything I have done in the past or am planning for the future in any way relates to my W. I AM their Dad and I want to be with them and give them the best life I can. This isn't a new thing since my W left, I've always felt that way. I have done and will always do anything for them.

Anyway, I'm not trying to control my W with what I'm doing today. My only priority is my kids and I'm not willing to risk losing them in a custody battle so that I can keep a house, a job etc. All the material things have some importance but they can be replaced, time with my kids can't.

Being a single parent is hard. I've done a fair bit of it since my W has been gone and I watched my parents do it for most of my childhood. I wouldn't trade that for anything! No matter how hard things have been, every second of my time with my kids has always been awesome and I will do whatever I have to in order to make sure they will never have me for anything less than half their time.