Fall of the House of Dad

“If you follow this story all the way back to the beginning you’ll see a man who was struggling with his identity post-divorce. All of the previous experiences and dreams had failed me. As you journey with me towards today you will see healing, recovery, gratitude, and rebirth. I’m not there yet, but the journey has become the blessing. As we leave our divorces behind, great things can happen. As we grow we can become better parents, better ex-partners, and better people overall. This is my journey. Welcome.”

Introduction - Why Tell This Story?

ENDINGS ARE ALSO BEGINNINGS
A Once and Future King 
She Would've Liked Me to Just Leave the House

FIRST CHALLENGES: MONEY & DEPRESSION
Followed by the Black Dog (of Depression)
How Much Longer Until I Feel Better?
Depression Is No Joke: Suicide Is Not the Answer
Loneliness. Fessing Up When Things Hurt
Feeling Again or Not Feeling Again
“Responsible Separation”
Money Survival Basics After Divorce
Love and War; It’s all Here – Seeking Love and 34 Peace

FINDING SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT
Team Dad, “Even When We Can No Longer Be Together”
What I Need to Tell You: Take Heart. It Gets Better
Creative Parenting and the Gifts of Enthusiastic Participation
More Play Summer  
A Moment of Zen With the Ex-Wife

THINGS BEGIN AGAIN - FALLING APART
Gone. A Pause at Summer’s End 
Check Engine Light: How Long Until a Breakdown Forces Repairs?
Losing Touch in the Off Times
Winning the Battle, Losing the War
Me, Deadbeat Dad? Um...
Stinging the Hand that Feeds
Reassessing the Deadbeat Dad vs. Good Guy Dad 
I Must Be Insane: It’s the End of the World, and I Feel Fine

SOLDIERING ALONG AS CO-PARENTS
Tell Me Again Why You Think This Is a Good Idea? 
Can Things Get Worse? Yes, Easy! 
I Am Failing in One Critical Area of Life 
A Fool and His Money Soon Go Separate Ways 
Marriage and Money: A Fairy Tale 
The Close of Business Between Us

THROWN TO THE WOLVES
On the Turning Away: Fighting with Your Ex About Money
Terms of Surrender: Our Divorce Papers 
Attorney General’s Office Round 2: Deadbeat Dad
The Fk You that Keeps on Giving
I'm No Divorce Expert: The Case For 50/50 Shared Custody
Losing Everything in Divorce and Learning to Carry on
What an Angry or Distant Divorced Parent Looks Like

ALL THINGS COLLAPSE
Easier to Be Quiet
Reaching Forgiveness and Moving On After Divorce
Waiting for the Other Person to Change
My Divorce: A Searching and Fearless Moral Inventory

WE CARRY ON. WE DO BETTER. WE KEEP GOING.
The Evolving Single Dad: Failure to Hopefulness Again
The Infinitely Desirable Woman with the Fractured Soul
please stay gone (a poem)
Divorce Support: For the Children *and* the Parents
Isn’t Dad’s House Also Important in Divorce?
Happy Mom Chat About How I Got Here: What I Figured Out