I Didn't Put My Kid First...
If you spent any time on the "Our Story" page you are mildly familiar with my drama. My daughter's father faked a child abuse allegation in order to get revenge and gain control. It took hundreds of thousands of dollars and every nerve I had to go through months of court. Eventually I got her back, but only 50/50. Apparently there is no penalty in court for lying.
To this day my ex continues to use my daughter to hurt me. He won't take her to her best friend's house because they are my friends too. He won't allow her to have tutoring because I found the tutor. He lets her watch TV all day instead of sending her to an after school pod she knows and loves.
Over the years I have learned that my situation is not uncommon. In fact, it's mostly women doing this exact thing to fathers. If you're one of these fathers, I want you to know I see you. I stand with you. We must continue to ALWAYS put our kids first. They will remember.
Teaming up with Manny and the Father Hoods crew and launching FlyDad has been a lifesaver for me. There is nothing I needed more in my life than being in the middle of a bunch of dads trying to be better and do better. It has restored my faith that the world is a good place, most people are good, and almost everybody puts their kids first.
If you have an unfortunate situation with an ex, I want you to remember the same thing. For every one person that puts their ego before their kids, there are hundreds more that WILL ALWAYS put their kids first.