Maybe She Wasn't Out to Hurt Me

Divorcing Dads

More than 13 months after the divorce, Mark is excited about a woman he started dating, who shocked and delighted him by bringing him flowers on Father's Day. We talk about how Mark introduced his new relationship to his kids, and how he experienced their response to the news.
Mark continues to process his reactions to his ex, and is moving toward considering her more as unaware and unempathetic than as intentionally malicious.The book Forgive for Good (by Frederic Luskin) has been helpful for Mark as he seeks a sense of internal closure regarding his ex.
This is our first conversation we recorded since the first episode of the podcast came out, which offered an opportunity for interesting meta-conversations about our conversations.
Topics include:
• The shock of realizing a romantic partner can take care of us, rather than only us taking care of the partner
• How knowing our kids miss us when they're away can be a source of mixed emotions for us
• Considering the possibility that the ex's hurtful behavior stems from lack of awareness, rather than out of malicious intent
• How expecting a consistently inconsiderate ex to behave considerately is a way we set ourselves up for disappointment
• The benefit of telling kids, clearly and explicitly, about starting a new romantic relationship

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