Single Dads

Q:I’m a single dad and my daughter is 11. I know I’m going to have some kind of discussion with her about puberty, but I don’t have a clue where to begin. I also don’t know what and how much I should say to my daughter about her body and about sexual feelings she is [Readmore]

Q: I got divorced a number of years ago. I’ve been going out with the same person for a few months now and things are getting serious. She and my kids haven’t met yet, but I think they should. Is there a right way and time to introduce them? What kinds of reactions can I [Readmore]

Q: My kids are having a terrible time coping with my divorce. As their father, I am trying to be there for them as much as I can. But nothing I say or do seems to help. What should I do? A: Sometimes, despite all your efforts, your children will need more help than you’re [Readmore]

Q:I’m a single dad and am just now starting to date again. I’m worried about how this will impact my kids and I’d like to know whether there are any guidelines. Are there rules about how long I should wait before introducing someone to my children? It’s been so long since I’ve dated anyone, what [Readmore]

Q: My wife and I will soon be divorced, and we both want to spend a lot of time with our children. We’re trying to work out a custody agreement that both of us think is fair. A couple we know that got divorced are co-parenting their children. But other people have told us that [Readmore]

Q: My ex and I are getting a divorce. We get along pretty well and we don’t want to spend a bunch of money that we could otherwise use to raise our children haggling about child support in court. Can we come up with our own agreement, rather than getting attorneys and a judge involved? [Readmore]

Q:I’m a single father and I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my kids in line. When I was married, their mother and I could back each other up. But now that I’m alone, I don’t seem to have the energy to take a stand like I know I should as their parent. What [Readmore]

Q: I’ve been divorced for about a year and I can’t get my ex to cooperate with me on anything that has to do with our kids. She seems much more interested in punishing me than in working together. Is there anything I can do to make the mother of my children change? A: Communication [Readmore]

Q:I’m a divorced dad and don’t get to see my kids as much as I’d like to. I have the typical custody arrangement – every other weekend and one night a week. I miss them and I know they miss me, so I try to make it up to them by packing our time together [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are going to get divorced. How do I tell my 3-year old daughter and 7-year old son what’s happening so they’ll understand that it’s about their mother and father, not about them? A: Divorce is never pleasant for anyone. But even if it turns out to be a [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad. I’m the single father of a six-year-old girl. How do I balance being a parent and a friend? I don’t want to lose her by being strict all the time, but I also don’t want her to grow up as a spoiled brat. A: Somehow people got the idea that parenthood and [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a sixth grade teacher and one of my students became very attached to me during the school year. Her parents divorced eight years ago and I began emailing with her dad a couple months ago. We started seeing each other but didn’t let many people know because we wanted to wait until school [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are going through a rough patch in our marriage. We’ve been talking about getting a divorce but are concerned about how it could impact our six-month-old son. Will it? A: Since children are all different and respond differently to the stresses in their lives, it’s impossible to predict [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m dating a single father who says that his relationship with me means the world to him. But is it normal for him to leave in the middle of a number of dates to cater to the whims of his almost 18 yr. old daughter? He’s left to drive her to the [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I have a 13-year old daughter. I was never married to her mother. But recently the mom got married to someone else, had another child, and moved away, taking my daughter with her. Do I still have to pay child support even though she’s married and has full custody of my daughter? [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I have two kids from a previous marriage, ages 7 and 9. My new husband’s two children are almost the same age and spend every weekend and all holidays with us. Problem is, my kids and the step-kids don’t get along. In fact, it seems like they hate each other and they [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a single dad with an 8-year-old daughter. She and I are very close, but something has come between us: her hair. She sees other girls her age on TV, movies, or even at school and they all seem to have these amazing hairstyles and fancy arrangements. My daughter keeps asking me [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I was divorced in 2001, when my daughter was 1. She’s now 11. Here’s my dilemma. The person who was a big part of the divorce is still with my ex. But up until recently, my daughter knew him only as a cousin. After all I been through, I resent him when [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’ve been divorced three years, and have had a couple of serious relationships. My 11-year-old son, who lives with me half time, has met these women and a couple others, and seems pretty indifferent when the subject of my dating comes up. My ex thinks it’s reckless and harmful for my current [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I recently married a man who has a 13-year-old daughter from a previous marriage. He and I met long after his divorced, so it’s not like I caused the breakup. Still, the girl has never liked me and, whenever she visits, she is arrogant and rude. I’m trying hard to be pleasant [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’ve always resented my mother and thought she was a lousy parent. I saw only her negative side and was extremely critical and judgmental. But now that I’m a new mom myself, I see her in a different light and realize that her intentions were good. How do I make up for [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad. I’m getting divorced. My spouse is acting horribly and I have to admit that I haven’t been behaving much better. I’m angry and I find myself wanting to punish him. But maintaining this level of intensity is exhausting—and I can see that it’s hurting our children. Is there a way for me [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My child’s mother and I never married and we split before the baby was born. Nevertheless, she and I used to share parenting equally. We compromised, worked out schedules, and we both spent lots of time with our daughter. But about a year ago, I got married. And immediately, the mother cut [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My daughter is 19 and has been in rehab three times. When she was five, her mother died and my daughter was placed in foster care because I wasn’t mentally stable enough to care for her. She was then adopted by her foster parents, but they divorced. Now I’ve got my life [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m divorced and have full custody of my daughter. I’ve been dating someone for about six months and we practically live together, but I don’t think she’s doing enough to help me out. She says that this is her first real relationship and wants to take things slow. She never offers to [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My husband is 42 but often hangs out with our 13-year-old son and his friends, acting like a kid himself. Am I wrong to want my husband to act his age instead of trying to be our boy’s buddy? A: There’s nothing wrong with expecting your husband to be a good role [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My boyfriend’s former wife does not co-parent with him at all. I have seen vulgar emails, heard her use foul language in front of the kids and tell them “your father is kicking us out of our home.” She signs them up for things without confirming it with him but expects for [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My husband and I have been married 12 years, and have a 7-year old son. The problem is that my husband is a terrible role model. When he’s angry, he throws things around the house. Our son has already picked up on this and now does the same when things don’t go [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: How do I find a way to forgive my 22-year old daughter for attending the marriage of her mother and the man she had an affair with. I have tried and tried and it’s just not in me. I felt my daughter should have informed her mother that she could not attend [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I am currently dating a divorced father of two. I am having trouble communicating to him that being a good father does not exempt him from being a good partner. How can I get him to see my point of view without putting him on the defensive? A: In a perfect world, [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are about to get a divorce. We have a one-year old boy and she’s pregnant with our second. Here’s the problem: She’s been having an affair for the past two years and I’m concerned that the children aren’t actually mine. What can I do to protect myself? A: [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: Six months ago, my wife and I divorced because she was having an affair. After our divorce, she remarried and my 3-year old son has become attached to her new husband, who showers him with expensive presents. I know my son loves me, but it isn’t easy for me not to feel [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I am getting remarried in a few months. I have two teens, 12 and 15, and my fiancé has custody of his 14-year-old. We will be moving to a new house to start our lives together as a family. Any advice on how to make this transition as smooth as possible? A: [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a single dad who has been raising my 14-year old daughter alone for the last five years. While we’ve always been close, I’ve noticed it’s becoming harder for us to talk lately. She’s open with me about her grades, but when it comes to talking about her personal life she clams [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My ex-girlfriend and I broke up even though she’s expecting our baby shortly. I’ve been very clear that I want to be involved in our child’s life, but she’s already excluded me from the labor and delivery and I’m worried that she’ll do the same after the baby is born. Is there [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I am a divorced father of a 9-year-old boy, sharing custody with my ex-wife. The problem is that she’s overindulgent, and after a week in her house, our son comes home feeling and acting helpless. How do I get my ex to understand that our son needs to learn to be independent—and [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My husband and I separated almost a year ago, and we’ve remained on friendly terms. We have two young children together, and we’ve tried to make things as easy as possible for them. With that said, I’m wondering if I should give my ex a Christmas gift this year, as a nice [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: I am a single mother—my husband and I split before our daughter was born. She’s now 4-years-old and keeps asking where her father is. I try to keep in touch with him and encourage him to spend time with his daughter, but he has no interest. I’ve also been trying to meet [Readmore]

Dear Mr. Dad: My husband and I always had a close relationship with our two grandkids, now 9 and 12. However, our son recently went through an acrimonious divorce and now our former daughter-in-law is denying us access to the children. We are heartbroken. Is there anything we can do? A: Your case is a [Readmore]

Guest 1: Judith Ruskay Rabinor, author of Befriending Your Ex after Divorce. Topic: Making life better for you, your kids, and yes, your ex. Issues: How to befriend your ex; the art of creating an ally from an opponent; when anger prevents befriending; how children benefit when exes cooperate. Guest 2: Lisa Rene Reynolds, author [Readmore]

Guest 1: JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, author of Putting Children First. Topic: Proven parenting strategies for helping children thrive through divorce. Issues: The hidden emotions behind the words and behaviors children use; developing flexible, responsive parenting plans that put the needs of the children first; how the parents’ relationship predicts how well the children will cope after [Readmore]

Guest 1: Marc and Amy Vachon, coauthors of Equally Shared Parenting. Topic: Rewriting the rules for a new generation of parents. Issues: Tools to create a balanced life; going beyond “involved dad” and “working mom”; communicating concerns, expectations, and desires to you can build a life that works for both of you. Guest 2: Terry [Readmore]

Guest 1: Sam Buser, coauthor of Guys-Only Guide To Getting Over Divorce. Topic: Practical advice for every man going through divorce. Issues: The nuts and bolts of starting over; why time is on your side; dating again; getting serious; recognizing normal—and not-so-normal feelings. Guest 2: Michele Lowrance, author of The Good Karma Divorce. Topic: Avoid [Readmore]

Guest 1: Mardi Horowitz, author of A Course in Happiness. Topic: Mastering the three levels of self-understanding that lead to true and lasting contentment. Issues: Discovering the conscious and unconscious mental processes that are the core of unhappiness; assembling all the pieces of your life into a complete “me”; remaining closely connected with family, friends, [Readmore]

12/7/08 Guest 1: Bernie Schein, author of If Holden Caulfield Were in My Classroom. Topic: Inspiring love, creativity, and intelligence in middle school kids. Issues: What is No Child Left Behind and what does it mean to your family? Helping your child deal with peer pressure; helping middle schoolers tap into their emotions and realize [Readmore]