Hmmm I think.

Stbx needs a couple more jobs.

Just sayin'...

For a short time it might be needed, but for an extended time it isn't worth it.

I don't remember, does your wife work?

Do whatever you have to in order to get more time at home. You need a break.

I begin to wonder why people work

Those are some long hours man. I hope that changes so you can more time with the kiddos.

Sometimes you do what you gotta for the well being of your kids. Myself I'm taking on a 3rd shift job to pull myself out of the hole that I found myself in since my divorce. (Who needs sleep anyway). There's a difference between that and being a workaholic in my humble opinion. It won't be forever, so try not to kick yourself for it!

PS i like this soder called Moxie. I think I'm the only one in the world who likes this stuff lol. Talk about going off on a tangent

Been there, done that, and yeah, working those kind of hours (both myself and my STBX and I) probably cost us our marriage.

Flip-side Rman, yes it takes you away from the kids, but it also takes you out of the vision of the wife. I would assume that would be considered the only advantage.

There has got to be a way that you can cut back.
For your own sanity if nothing else........
Now put down the dang pizza and figure it out baby!

That IS a sad reality....kids grow up quickly and then they're adults and their relationship with you is what it is. there's no going back.. Hope some change can happen for you to get more time with them. I'm sure they miss seeing you as well.

I see my son 4hr everyday awake...I am also working two jobs to help pay the bills cause so far stbx has given us no money or pay for one diaper yet. It really sucks trying to do the best we can sometimes.

Quality vs. Quantity...

Luckily I get to bring my kids back to work with me after I pick them up from school.... they are here, I try to include them in things as much as possible, but it is not quality time..... I normally put in a 10-12 hour day 6 days a week and sometimes on Sunday too, but I try to get those jobs done before they get up...

I am attempting more and more to get the Quality of time up much more than the quantity.... if it is slow, and my employees have the shop covered I will take off with them and go hiking or to the pet store and poke at the animals... whatever it takes to do the one on one thing.... play a game with my son in the evening, he is getting quite good at chess... or sit and draw things with my teenage daughter.... quality more than quantity is important when we work the hours that we work... but we have to do what it takes when we have a spouse that offers no financial or any other type of help

and as for the Pizza thing, my kids love pizza, so I buy the ingredients, buy a tube of Grands Biscuits and flatten them out, and let the kids make their own personal pizzas... they absolutely love them and it gives us one more thing to do together

Dale...quit messing up my thread...

Dale you are one of a kind! You sound like such a great dad! Do you think you could give lessons?? Or write a book?

I know now what you talk about when it comes to seeing your kids. Previously I was a stay at home mom..now I am up and out the door with them ard 6 am...I don't get home until after 5 on a good day and try to make dinner best I can and spend some time goofing off in between homework and such. I miss being to be able to be with them all day...that is why I seem to be sad so often. I see how my 6 year old is so big over 4 1/2 feet and I wonder where the time went. Cherish even those 5 minutes with your girls...they are the most precious minutes you will ever have.

True.

I was a stay at home mom for years. But I always had my kids kiss their dad before he headed off for work and say: "thank you dad for going to work". But then he went to the bar every night after work and didn't come home until after they were asleep. They thought he was at work the whole time. And then he started not seeing them in the morning. Sad. I get so much more help from him now, and they see him more. Oh well....whatever it takes.