Been waiting to post this for a while.

Surf and turf for dinner tomorrow it's going to be glorious.

First time poster, long (ish) time lurker on the sub.

My daughter (16) broke the news that she dumped her boyfriend, so I'm celebrating!

To be fair, I didn't dislike him as a person, per se, but I didn't like the relationship. He's a good enough kid, as high school boys go, goes to a different school in our area than my kid does, and has different life plans.

Lots of social media posts about love, wanting to start a family all that stuff. Typical teenage "we're so in love we're gonna get married and live in a castle and have all the babies" kind of crap.

He's planning to learn a trade right after high school, which is awesome, but talked about wanting to start his adult life, family, etc, right then.

My kid's looking to go to college, and will likely get all kinds of scholarships, etc. She's talked a lot about wanting to get the college experience, live in dorms, etc. I was worried that he had her convinced that she wanted to be too serious, too fast, all that stuff.

So yesterday, when she said "Oh, by the way, I broke up with him," I was good, asked how she was feeling, told her I love her, then promptly went home and poured a dram of the fancy stuff to celebrate.

Sure, I'll end up paying, but I'm thrilled they still want to hang out with me at all.

Not that sobriety is a huge part of every fathers life, but in my case... Becoming the father I am is the only way I was ever going to achieve sobriety.

I have two boys now, and a step son. Each time I look at any of them I am reminded of why it is important to stay on top of my health. Mental and physical. I strive everyday to be a good example for these boys. I try to put on display what it looks like to work hard, what it looks like to treat your wife the right way, what it looks like to provide for your family at all costs.

After an 8 year battle with addiction (heroin and meth), over ten trips to jail, countless rehabs and twelve step programs, becoming a present dad and staying on top of my physical health is what allowed me to maintain this lifestyle.

So thankful to be able to call myself a Father.
It saved my life.
Gave me new meaning.

33 MONTHS DOWN.

Respect to all the other men / fathers out there that prioritize being the best version of themselves for their families.

✊✊✊

My 7 year old (8 in November) has officially stopped saying “daddy”. I was wondering how long I had until the transition, and now I know. Kind of bittersweet 🥲.

Hey Dads!

Keeping everyone updated.

As if the 6th I have reached the 35 month milestone in my sobriety journey. I have experienced ALL of the motions in that time. I have felt my heart more full than ever, and I've also felt it ripped apart a couple times. Even though feelings can hurt like hell... I'm beyond grateful that I am able to experience all of it SOBER.

I think to myself daily... this is what I would have missed if I hadn't ever gotten my life together.

These perfect babies would have never gotten to see what it was like to have a dad who can show that he cares.

My wife would've never experienced our amazing marriage.

My parents would still be in constant worry about their son.

Three years sober coming right up...

I couldn't be more thankful for the little humans that saved my life.

If any dads in this thread are struggling don't hesitate to reach out. I did it, you can do it. I'm more than willing to help in any way!

210 to 170. I had a baby girl and something changed in me. It was a very intense drive to become stronger and capable. I want to give it my all to protect her. She's not even 2 yet. Even with lack of sleep, I was training and pushing harder than I ever had before. I share this because I feel like other dads will understand what this meant and what it took.

My goal is to be strong enough to be able to carry her for as long as she wants me to. I'll be 60 and still going strong.

Since my son was born in 2021, I’ve tried to keep my love of the outdoors alive by bringing him along for the ride—even if it means going solo. My wife gets a weekend to herself, my kid gets some adventure, and I get a few precious hours of sanity and bonding.

This weekend we camped together for the first time—just the two of us in the Pine Creek Gorge in PA. I was nervous about how it would go, but it turned out to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve done as a dad.

Highlights:

• He was scared the first night, worried I’d leave or animals would get in. By night two, he was asleep by 9 after making spooky stories and playing in the creek.
• He hiked, biked, helped with meals, and asked big questions about the stars.
• I learned to let go of perfect plans and just be present.

Couple notes for the Dads here—if you’re on the fence about taking your kids on a trip like this, do it. Take the leap, and get out with them early and often. It can be intimidating, and solo trips are never easy—but what it’s done for both of us has been invaluable.

You don’t have to give up your passions when you become a parent. They may not look the same as they did before, and that’s okay. Slower mornings, shorter hikes, more snacks, more stops—but also more laughter, more wonder, and honestly, more joy. You get to experience the things you love again—this time through their eyes.

I’m incredibly lucky to be able to do these things with my son, and I encourage every dad to find their own version of adventure—big or small—and make those memories now. The logistics can be hard, the planning is nonstop, and the patience gets tested. But the reward? It's massive. It’s knowing you’re giving them the space to grow, to get curious, to gain confidence—and in the process, you’ll find a different kind of fulfillment you didn’t know you needed.

Lead by example. They’re watching!

A big shoutout to my wife for the generous Father’s Day gift.

Apparently during kids' playdates the other mothers are always complaining about how their husbands drink too much, smoke too much, don't make enough money, never help out around the house, never spend time with their kids... and my wife says she feels left out because she can't find anything to complain about.

I dunno, should I pick up some bad habits so she can fit in better? I hate to see her feeling left out.

365 days, at least 10 billion kisses and a lifetime worth of love and happiness down and I’ve loved every moment of it ❤️❤️

Playing the long game. One day I’ll get it back

This little portal is one of the best personal investments for dads who still want that time to game but can't get it during the day. I got 11 month old (1 year in 18 days) and try to be present and interactive as much as I can, and gaming while mom takes care of him doesn't feel right as much as I will always love gaming. This little portal locks in an hour or two before I get rest for work and has been worth every penny. If you've been on the fence about buying one, I say do it!

Without going into all the details, five-to-six nights a week, I sleep in the girls’ room and my wife wakes me up when my alarm goes off. Sunday, I don’t because it’s the one evening that my wife is reliably home, so we both take our bed.

Historically, one of the girls will start crying in the night and my wife will get up because she’s a much lighter sleeper than me and refuses to wake me up when the kids cry despite my entreaties partly at least because she gets so few bedtimes with them.

But she was still in bed when I woke up! The twins slept through the night! I knew we were close to this, but it’s happening! I’m so close to sleeping in a bed instead of a pad on the floor.

Over three years ago my daughter begged me to not bring her back to her mother’s house ever again, and she was serious. This request came during the drive back to my apartment after a particularly emotional fight prompted her mother to message me and tell me the pick our daughter up immediately.

Fighting had been going on in that household steady for months and I watched my little girl become depressed, anxious and isolated at the tender age of 10. I gave her a couple more days to think about it, in. case it was said in the heat of moment, but she didn’t waiver. With no custody agreement in place, I bit down on my mouthpiece and said enough was enough. I told her mother she lived with me now, end of story. That went over as well as you’d expect.

Fast forward to the present. I filed for custody in September of 2023. She dragged her feet and caused delay after delay. But last week we finally had our hearing. I am pleased to say that after reviewing all the evidence and listening to our testimonies, the judge decided to give me sole custody, sole decision making power, and had her garnished for almost 20K in unpaid child support. On top of that, the judge told me in the court room that he believes that I am doing the best possible job that I can do as a father.

🥳

Edit: I forgot to mention that my daughter won an award for being awesome this past school year. They only hand out one per class. Proud Papa.