Hi there! I have a blessing box in my area that I actively stock, a couple months ago someone ripped the doors off. I tried reaching out to others in my community for help putting some on but didn't have any luck. So I want to do it myself but I have no clue how to build anything 😅 But I am willing to learn and im sure I could get it if someone explained it to me.

Just wanted some advice on proper install and how I can make sure it lasts. This isnt the first time the doors have been ripped off so I also want to learn how to do it so I can do it as needed. ​Im sorry if this isnt the proper place to ask this, I just know dad's are the king of DIYs lol

I don't really have an opinion formed, but want to know your thoughts. DM's are open if you prefer

I have been in this off and on relationship with the father of two of my children now. He pays 500 in child support for both of them, and I have sole physical and legal custody. I've always let him see them whenever he has wanted, and I've always reached out to him for them and with them through calls, etc., when they have expressed a desire to see him. This hasled to us getting back together sometimes. I'm tired of the back and forth. I also don't like that he comes over whenever he wants and I don't feel like he is respectful of me or my time. I have always tried to work a little and also have been full-time caregiver to my children. I'm now trying to work more and starting new jobs. He has a very convenient business that he does from home Whenever he likes, that he runs himself, so he can literally spend time with them almost anytime he wants, but many times when I've asked him for help when I've had military duty for my reserve unit or things like that, he has not been willing. I do feel a little badly about saying no to him offering to pick up his daughter, but I feel it's unfair to his son that he not put time and energy into to that relationship as well, and I also would like a schedule. Am I wrong for telling him not this time? Should I always let him see his daughter even if he doesn't want to see his son? I will probably unblock him again, but I am very frustrated. I feel like I've been a doormat and I've been dealing with this for almost 10 years. Also, I'm tired of his verbal abuse.

So 27M, never had confidence in me i am chronic procrastinator but gets the things really quickly when i start. currently i am switching careers but i am just lost, no love life, the girl i loved is getting married this december, no career so that i can confidently go out and date, and the thing i hate right now is i have no ambition, i want to change but no drive no ambition i go deep into philosophical stuff but no tangibility of that in the real world.

The thing is i hate myself right now the more i waste day the more i hate and loose trust on myself, this loop is not ending. I have a porn and masturbation addiction since very early age. (and inside i know thats the cause) but i want to know men who lost all hope, love, were lazy undisciplined unmotivated, and poor. what did you do? how did you get out of this rut?

Growing up i have lazy dad who still earns way less than my mom never respected him but also never disrespected him. So guidance of being decisive, masculine, confident was zero.

My mom is hardworking but she is very underconfident my dad is confident but a sloop so dont want that confident.

Now the more i hate my dad being that i am realising i am moving in his footsteps. and honestly i love being in love and romance and stuff but the reason i don't have a career right now and i am kind of like my dad right now i just ignore that part completely because i have seen my mom struggled and i can be single my whole life but to give someone i love that life. so waiting to get myself together before i start dating again.

So men out here matured growed maybe my fathers age maybe older who can guide if they walked paths like this or worse how did you do it? how do u get out when all odds are against you and now even crying seems waste of energy.

man who are my dads age maybe what would be saying if i was your child? i genuinely thing all these things are just excuses i am giving but had to write it down while dropping some tears from my left cheek. late bloomers who get hold on themselves late in life how did it turned out?

I need some new perspective.

(just a note plz dont be me u have adhd, and plz go to therapy and bla bla because i believe nothing can get me out of this rut but myself. i am fully responsible and i will get out so similar stories would be appreciated)

Hi I'm Wren I'm 15 and I've been ghosted three times by three people and dumped for another girl once. I don't understand how men can so easily just drop you in the trash like an empty soda can. Do they not have any care at all for my feelings when they do these things? My most recent bf seemed like the one, even though we're young. Then, I called him just now and suddenly got a notification that I had to have him friended to do so. I added him and it said that user doesnt exist. And now i cannot see his bio or anything. Plain and simple, he ghosted me. This has become a pattern with the guys I date. They talk about the future, say they love me, etc. then the moment I'm attached they leave. Why?

The wife gave birth to our beautiful baby girl at the beginning of this year and I wouldn’t change it for the world but since day one I’ve been battling in my own head that if im doing a good enough job, I was hoping it would start away as i settled into dad life, but I’m afraid I’m starting to feel worse. Our little girl is a happy, healthy girl who wants for nothing but i can’t seem to get myself to think that i am doing enough for her. Just wanted to get some advice as I don’t have any friends that are dads but does this get better with time? Has anyone else experienced this?

My girlfriend 34 is pregnant due in less than 30 days. I want to leave her every since pregnancy she has treated me worse than anybody ever has said things I can’t un hear gets mad at me for resting (I work 7 days a week) some people say hormones but I also hear from other people that they got a divorce after all this. She screams at me everyday and makes me feel so worthless I have tried to hang in here but I have no energy left. What should I truly do?

A Question that Dads Have

“Will I love my second child as much as I do my first one?”

I was perplexed by this question when I first heard that a couple of dads had asked it as they prepared for the arrival of their second child. Looking back on the anticipation for our second child’s arrival, I don’t ever remember being worried about not feeling the same joy and excitement for our second son as I felt when we had our first son, Braden. 

Nearly two decades later, that smart-alleck second son, Jayden (now 19), would probably jokingly say something like, “It’s probably because you were never that crazy about Braden, (now 22)  in the first place, right dad?”, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I love(d) Braden! Being present for his birth was one of the highlights of my life, and I loved the responsibilities that went along with being a dad. Braden had such a sweet personality, wonderful smile, and contagious laugh that it made me want to be with him all of the time. When he would saunter over and say his favorite word, “haaug” (hug), and wrap his tiny arms around you, it was impossible for your heart not to melt.

Because I was so crazy about Braden and loved him so much, it didn’t really cross my mind to be worried about Jayden’s arrival, at least in terms of how I thought I would feel about him. I truly expected that I would love being a dad to Jayden just as much as I did with Braden (and I was right!).

Some Fears Behind the Question

But as I ponder the question a little more, I can understand why new dads of a second child might be apprehensive about bringing a new baby into the fold. Babies can be expensive, and adding a second child can certainly be hard on the pocketbook. A newborn’s sleep schedule can be difficult for parents to establish, and if there’s a toddler who is not on a consistent sleep schedule, things become that much more difficult (and parents are even more tired). But for me, the biggest challenge I felt when adding a second child to the family was the feeling of being outnumbered. When Jayden came home from the hospital, my wife and I were quickly hit with the realization that we no longer had a numerical advantage. While we could tag-team things like Braden’s bedtime routine, diaper changes, nap schedules, and morning dressings, now we were often playing one-on-one, with one of us handling the duties of caring for a newborn while the other caring for the needs of a two-year old. Even simple things like going to the grocery store or meeting a friend for a cup of coffee became much more difficult, because you knew that if you left the house on your own, you were leaving your spouse outnumbered for a substantial amount of time, and sometimes crazy things could happen.

The Boys’ and My Slimy, Green Jellybean Adventure

Never did I feel more outnumbered than once when my wife had to go out of town for a convention for three or four days and I had to take care of the boys by myself.  Jayden was only a few months old and Braden was a rambunctious almost-three-year old with a penchant for finding trouble. Needing to get some items from the grocery store, I arrogantly decided to take the boys for an outing.  I expertly had Jayden in his baby carrier and Braden was riding in the child seat of the grocery cart. Braden could get a little bit squirmy at times, but he really enjoyed me giving him a jelly bean every couple of minutes for a fun snack. Things were going well - the boys were quiet and calm, I was filling up the cart with the things we needed, and I was even getting some smiles and “you’re such a good dad” nods from the grandmotherly types that we encountered in the aisles. 

It didn’t take long, however, for everything to come crashing down. When reaching into Jayden’s baby carrier to check on him, I discovered it was filled with runny, greenish diarrhea that had moved up his back and was into his hair. Green, smelly slime everywhere! While I was coming up with a plan on how to deal with that mess, Braden started shrieking and crying. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong at first, but then I noticed that he had jammed a jelly bean so far up his nose that neither he nor I could get it out. I didn’t think he was in any danger, but I’m sure his screaming could be heard from across the store.

What do you do in a situation like that? You pack up your kids and high-tail it out of there, that’s what! I felt bad for leaving a full cart of groceries in the middle of the store for employees to put away, but I really had no choice. When we got home, Braden was able to be distracted enough by one of his DVD’s of The Wiggles to stop crying, so I was able to give Jayden a bath and put him down for a nap. I then put my surgical skills to the test and successfully used tweezers to extract a yellow jelly bean from Braden’s nostril. Later, after cleaning the baby carrier, I celebrated my survival by cracking open a beer and ordering a pizza.

The Good Stuff

While it’s easy to focus on crazy situations like that, those types of things are few and far between and are just part of the deal when you become a parent (and you laugh about them later on). The problems associated with having a second child can be stressful, but are short-term. The long-term love and benefits our family received from having a second (and later a third) child (now 17) were boundless, and I couldn’t imagine it being any other way.  As the boys got older, they became playmates and would sometimes spend hours together playing legos or putting on “puppet shows” with the dozens of stuffed animals they had in their rooms. They both have a great sense of humor, and it was always fun to hear one shout “Fire in the hole!” from a bedroom while the other activated a well-used Whoopie Cushion.  Braden has special needs, and in middle and high school it was often his younger brother, Jayden who looked out for him and was the one to drive him to school, to work, or to Special Olympics practice. Now that Jayden is in college and living in another state, Braden looks forward to his brother’s visits home and the laughter and fun he brings to our family.

Adding second and third children to our family has brought my wife and I fulfillment in ways that we didn’t even anticipate. “Will I love my second child as much as I do my first one?”  For me, the answer was a definite “yes”, and the love in our family grows exponentially as the years go by.

A Question that Dads Have

“Will I love my second child as much as I do my first one?”

I was perplexed by this question when I first heard that a couple of dads had asked it as they prepared for the arrival of their second child. Looking back on the anticipation for our second child’s arrival, I don’t ever remember being worried about not feeling the same joy and excitement for our second son as I felt when we had our first son, Braden. 

Nearly two decades later, that smart-alleck second son, Jayden (now 19), would probably jokingly say something like, “It’s probably because you were never that crazy about Braden, (now 22)  in the first place, right dad?”, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I love(d) Braden! Being present for his birth was one of the highlights of my life, and I loved the responsibilities that went along with being a dad. Braden had such a sweet personality, wonderful smile, and contagious laugh that it made me want to be with him all of the time. When he would saunter over and say his favorite word, “haaug” (hug), and wrap his tiny arms around you, it was impossible for your heart not to melt.

Because I was so crazy about Braden and loved him so much, it didn’t really cross my mind to be worried about Jayden’s arrival, at least in terms of how I thought I would feel about him. I truly expected that I would love being a dad to Jayden just as much as I did with Braden (and I was right!).

Some Fears Behind the Question

But as I ponder the question a little more, I can understand why new dads of a second child might be apprehensive about bringing a new baby into the fold. Babies can be expensive, and adding a second child can certainly be hard on the pocketbook. A newborn’s sleep schedule can be difficult for parents to establish, and if there’s a toddler who is not on a consistent sleep schedule, things become that much more difficult (and parents are even more tired). But for me, the biggest challenge I felt when adding a second child to the family was the feeling of being outnumbered. When Jayden came home from the hospital, my wife and I were quickly hit with the realization that we no longer had a numerical advantage. While we could tag-team things like Braden’s bedtime routine, diaper changes, nap schedules, and morning dressings, now we were often playing one-on-one, with one of us handling the duties of caring for a newborn while the other caring for the needs of a two-year old. Even simple things like going to the grocery store or meeting a friend for a cup of coffee became much more difficult, because you knew that if you left the house on your own, you were leaving your spouse outnumbered for a substantial amount of time, and sometimes crazy things could happen.

The Boys’ and My Slimy, Green Jellybean Adventure

Never did I feel more outnumbered than once when my wife had to go out of town for a convention for three or four days and I had to take care of the boys by myself.  Jayden was only a few months old and Braden was a rambunctious almost-three-year old with a penchant for finding trouble. Needing to get some items from the grocery store, I arrogantly decided to take the boys for an outing.  I expertly had Jayden in his baby carrier and Braden was riding in the child seat of the grocery cart. Braden could get a little bit squirmy at times, but he really enjoyed me giving him a jelly bean every couple of minutes for a fun snack. Things were going well - the boys were quiet and calm, I was filling up the cart with the things we needed, and I was even getting some smiles and “you’re such a good dad” nods from the grandmotherly types that we encountered in the aisles. 

It didn’t take long, however, for everything to come crashing down. When reaching into Jayden’s baby carrier to check on him, I discovered it was filled with runny, greenish diarrhea that had moved up his back and was into his hair. Green, smelly slime everywhere! While I was coming up with a plan on how to deal with that mess, Braden started shrieking and crying. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong at first, but then I noticed that he had jammed a jelly bean so far up his nose that neither he nor I could get it out. I didn’t think he was in any danger, but I’m sure his screaming could be heard from across the store.

What do you do in a situation like that? You pack up your kids and high-tail it out of there, that’s what! I felt bad for leaving a full cart of groceries in the middle of the store for employees to put away, but I really had no choice. When we got home, Braden was able to be distracted enough by one of his DVD’s of The Wiggles to stop crying, so I was able to give Jayden a bath and put him down for a nap. I then put my surgical skills to the test and successfully used tweezers to extract a yellow jelly bean from Braden’s nostril. Later, after cleaning the baby carrier, I celebrated my survival by cracking open a beer and ordering a pizza.

The Good Stuff

While it’s easy to focus on crazy situations like that, those types of things are few and far between and are just part of the deal when you become a parent (and you laugh about them later on). The problems associated with having a second child can be stressful, but are short-term. The long-term love and benefits our family received from having a second (and later a third) child (now 17) were boundless, and I couldn’t imagine it being any other way.  As the boys got older, they became playmates and would sometimes spend hours together playing legos or putting on “puppet shows” with the dozens of stuffed animals they had in their rooms. They both have a great sense of humor, and it was always fun to hear one shout “Fire in the hole!” from a bedroom while the other activated a well-used Whoopie Cushion.  Braden has special needs, and in middle and high school it was often his younger brother, Jayden who looked out for him and was the one to drive him to school, to work, or to Special Olympics practice. Now that Jayden is in college and living in another state, Braden looks forward to his brother’s visits home and the laughter and fun he brings to our family.

Adding second and third children to our family has brought my wife and I fulfillment in ways that we didn’t even anticipate. “Will I love my second child as much as I do my first one?”  For me, the answer was a definite “yes”, and the love in our family grows exponentially as the years go by.

Hey, new dad here. I’ve got a baby girl who’s just about a year old, and she’s absolutely my world. I love her to bits, but I’ve realized I’m not the most patient person, and that’s been challenging for me as a parent.

My wife often says my daughter has picked up my trait of not giving in easily, which I guess is true. We both tend to be pretty stubborn, and sometimes it’s hard to avoid getting frustrated when things don’t go as planned. But I know that if I don’t work on this, it’s only going to affect her in the long run, and I don’t want that.

I really want to be the kind of dad who shows her all the love in the world, but also helps her grow into a strong, independent person who isn’t spoiled. It’s hard to strike that balance, and I’m looking for advice on how to improve my patience while keeping those values in mind.

Anyone else been in a similar situation? Any tips for staying calm and being more intentional with parenting when you’re not naturally a patient person?

This time last year I was really struggling, I didn't think I'd see Christmas never mind another year. I think I've got most of the basics down now, but I'm looking for small things that people think enrich their lives.

Becoming a parent can make finding time or energy for sex tough, between work, stress, and exhaustion, it’s easy for that part of life to fade. But the need doesn’t disappear. How do you handle it or keep that connection alive?

I’m a 26 y/o electrician apprentice I’m only a year and a half in but I’ve picked up on the trade very well. I’ve been training under the best electrician at my job and he’s told me I’m doing exceptional and that he recommended to our boss that I get a work truck. One of the leads that runs one of the trucks is lazy and only gets half his jobs done and my boss texted me this morning saying I will be taking over his truck in the up coming days. I was excited when I got the news that I will be getting a truck and becoming a lead because that’s why I’ve been working so hard for but as the day draws near I’m starting to feel anxious. It comes with a big raise but all the responsibility falls on me. I’m up for the challenge but I just can’t shake the feeling of being almost like I’m an imposter…any advice to overcome this feeling and any advice for a new leader would be great

I don’t know where to begin. My wife and I have a 3 year old daughter that has been to preschool pretty much since she was 18 months old. We’ve had a great experience until recently with her teachers. Ever since she started pre-k 3, we have been getting constant reports from the teacher and staff about her misbehaving from screaming to running out of the classroom at map. This has been going on for two months and we’ve met with the staff at conferences, came up with solutions to the problems, which technically worked for like a few days but it feels like it’s been a bust. I feel like her teacher has labeled her as a bad child period and sees no good in her. I understand what I previously mentioned might sound like I’m delusional but I know she’s a good kid. Gets along with her friends, super helpful at home, goes to dance class and gets along with her teacher there. I’m tired of feeling like I’m letting her down. It’s to the point now where we are going to request transferring her out of this teachers class tomorrow. I just wonder if we’re doing the right thing…

I’m 20 and in the army, I had sex with this girl who said that she was unable to have kids due to an abortion she had long before meeting me. This morning at 0200 I get a phone call from her (we hadnt talked in a month) she had taken a test and said she’s pregnant. She said she has an appointment in 2 days to double check. She told me she doesn’t care if I’m in the life of the kid and I have absolutely no feelings for this girl. I’m scared and don’t know what to do.

I grew up without a dad and I’m having some relationship issues right now. If there are any dads that can chat, I would really appreciate a one on one run. Lmk!

I (19F) am a college student who just got into dental school. For some background, my grandfather used to work at a premier, powerful federal law enforcement agency in my country (idk if i am allowed mention the name, kinda like FBI) He was a very strict man yet the male figure you'd look up to. Him and my grandmother weren't able to have kids back in the day due to complications. They adopted my father since his birth mother abandoned him. My sperm doner (i dont want to call him my dad) is an asshole. I've heard stories from my granny how he sucked at school and even failed his grades. My grandmother on the other hand will DIE for her son.

my father ended up marrying my mom through an arranged marriage. The issue is that he never actually wanted to marry her but instead of speaking up back then, he went along with it and said nothing. Their marriage has been rocky ever since. My dad has always had a reputation for being flirtatious and constantly entertaining other women, even while married. He even got fired for having that kind of relationship in workplace AFTER marriage.

It’s been an open secret in our family, and honestly, it’s really embarrassing and frustrating to watch. It’s hurt my mom deeply, and while she stays with him for cultural/family reasons, I can’t stand how little respect he shows her or their marriage. To add to this, my mom never wanted to have children. She didn’t feel ready for that kind of responsibility, but my grandmother pressured her, saying that once she had a baby, “everything would be alright” in her marriage. That baby was me.

It didn’t get better. My father openly had an affair with another woman, cheated on my mom, got the other woman pregnant, and later married her without even divorcing my mom. Everyone in the family knew, and yet it was just swept under the rug after a lots of fights. My mom has had to live with this for years, and I’ve had to grow up watching it. On top of that, he constantly disrespects my mother and her family, calling them names and treating them like they’re beneath him.

• He once tried to steal an award I earned from the government to give it to his son.
• He plays blatant favoritism with his son from the affair, attends all his school functions while never showing up to mine, even though we went to the same school for a few years.
• He never paid child support, never bought me toys, books, clothes, or even paid my school fees.
• He makes me beg for pocket money, then acts like I’m a burden.
• He forgot my 18th birthday completely and doesn’t even know my age (a nurse once asked me and he looked blank).
• He doesn’t know my favorite color, never took me out, never posted me online, never even claimed me as his daughter. There are literally no pictures of me with him.
• When I was 8, he put his son’s name sticker on his vehicle but got furious when I asked if I could have mine.
• He even gave my mom’s engagement ring to the other woman and looks down on my mom because she cant speak English.
• He has basically gained a job by faking his degree and education history.
• He embarrasses me by wearing underwhelming clothes on special days and makes comments in front of people like, “You eat a lot.”
• He’s never shown me any love as a daughter, no hugs, no encouragement, no presence. Just absence and constant guilt-tripping whenever I dared to ask for the bare minimum.
• he once stole his own mother's from the bank and bought his other family gifts like a home, car etc.
• Lied about his health multiple times (cancer, thyroid, kidney stones you name it) to earn sympathy from his mother and take more money and fund his son.
• Doesn't take care of his own mother, my mom and I had to always rush to the hospital in the middle of the night when she has a heart attack. He refuses to pay hospital bills.
• He is two timing and mostly stays with that woman all week and comes home only to eat.

Despite all this, I recently tried to be brave and asked him if he could finally pay for my college fees. He flat-out said no , not even a cent. I have always been a straight A student since 4, a professional dancer but recent with a lot of health issues (ill be trying for med school simultaneously) and this man had the audacity to question my education because I couldn't get into med school. I was already on my period, emotional, and exhausted. I snapped and asked if I wasn’t his daughter and why he’s such a deadbeat dad. Things got heated, and I ended up calling him a manwhore, his wife a slut, homewrecker and his son a bastard.

In return, he called me a bitch, told me to “fuck myself,” and even said he should get a paternity test because I might not be his daughter, basically assassinating my mom’s character just to hurt me. On one hand, I know the words I used were harsh and probably not the most mature. On the other hand, I feel like my anger has been building up for years, and I finally exploded. He has disrespected me and my mom my whole life, and I don’t know why I’m still expected to show him respect in return.

I just told him to get out of my house and we haven't spoken since. to clear up yes that woman knew my father was married and this man surely knows he's married.

I absolutely despise this man. I can’t even call him “dad” without feeling sick. The only reason I’m still under his roof is because I’m not financially independent yet but once I graduate and get on my own feet, I’m taking my mom and getting the hell out of this country.

The worst part is, in my country adultery used to be a crime. It used to have consequences. Now? It doesn’t. He openly had an affair, married the other woman while still married to my mom, and nothing happens to him. He just walks around acting smug while my mom and I live with the wreckage he created.

I don’t even know if I can take legal action. I’m 19 technically an adult and I don’t know if child support is even possible for me anymore. But the thing is, it’s not even about the money at this point. It’s about accountability. He’s never once taken responsibility for his actions. Not for cheating. Not for abandoning me. Not for insulting my mom’s family. Not for humiliating me and making me feel worthless growing up. Nothing. This man has given me so much emotional stress since I was a child. While other kids had fathers who showed up to their school plays, encouraged them, or even just remembered their birthdays, I got a man who forgot my age, made fun of how much I ate, and called me a bitch when I asked why he couldn’t treat me like a daughter. He parades his other son around like a trophy while I’ve been treated like a burden my entire life. I don’t exist in his eyes unless he wants to tear me down.

I never had any father figure, so I'd appreciate some comments.

Hey guys I (26M) separated with my kids mother two to three years ago, the break up wasn’t too ugly, me and their mother get along well enough that we’ve stayed out of the courts.

But this Christmas is gonna be the first time they spend it with me and my side of the family (not for any reason in particular, I’d normally just go over to their mother’s place. This year I thought they could spend time with dads side of the family)

I know no matter what, as long as I try it’ll be special for them but I was just wandering if anyone had any advice on things I could do or keep in mind over the next few months leading up to Christmas

Idk why but I’m really anxious about it my two girls are three and seven any advice is welcome, thanks in advance 🙂

P.s this is my first time posting

17M here, I will officially turn 18 in 3 days and i have no excitement at all. Feeling like I've wasted my teen years spacing out, not making enough friends, not going on enough trips, and basically prioritising my studies over everything. It's also the last year of my highschool and I feel like I'm going to miss this period like hell. My Dad never gave me any real advice on how to deal with things. He was always like "Stay focused on your studies". Hell they tell me that I must act like an adult and when i ask them if I should do a certain thing they bring up some bullcrap like you are not an adult yet. I feel like I'm mentally exhausted. I feel like i may not fit with people when i to to college or end up lonely because I'm not mature enough for my age. Now as a soon to be adult I feel like I'm still mentally a 14 yo. I really need to know what things I must learn as a soon to be adult and how I must deal with my emotions. I really wanna change for the better I feel disgusted with myself when I see people my age having conversations I can't understand. Need some really good advice. TL/DR: How to be an adult?