Hard men raise harder children...sometimes. I had my own life lessons. I don't remember having the same father/son conversations that I have with my own kids. I read stories to them, dance with them before bed to their favorite songs, and take the time to explain things to them.

You have to let something go when you want it to grow. It doesn't have to be a person that is the thing you let go of. Sometimes it's something intangible like a relationship.

What was my approach with my father? I let him be most of the time and speak with my mother. They're both set in their world and that's fine by me. Their favorite, my sister, is near them both so their Eden is set. We speak from a distance as we're both on opposite sides of a country. My kids see and speak with them on facetime.

I don't have any answers to help you. You should just know that you're not alone. Thank you for sharing.