https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:09:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1674366 Tue, 03 Jun 2014 01:23:59 +0000 birdofafeather 1674366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hard for the family, and I'm sure hard for him too. I think it's awesome that they are talking about forgiveness and I hope the family gets healing. What an amazing conversation to have recorded. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669471 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:40:17 +0000 mrbee 1669471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: If my spouse just left the family for purely selfish reasons, I would also struggle to forgive them for leaving. But he was struggling with his mental health and severe depression. That changes the equation for me... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669464 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:36:41 +0000 MamaMoose 1669464@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: That's a fair point, and he definitely gets my respect for doing the right thing..... eventually. But if I were the mom I don't know if I could forgive him, take him back, and uproot my whole family to follow him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669454 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:31:26 +0000 mrbee 1669454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@CupQuakeWalk: It's worth listening to the interview, if you can! The written words don't do it justice... especially listening to the son talk about his experience. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669447 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:27:53 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1669447@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: I think the part that makes me emotional ( I didn't even read it) is that so many dads NEVER come back. I don't care about this guy and he is an ass, for sure. But, it makes me so sad that so many child will never even have *this* story.<br /> They only have the story of "my dad left us. The end." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669441 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:25:46 +0000 mrbee 1669441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: He did a terrible thing, definitely. But what moved me is that he came back in time to make whole his oldest son's childhood. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669436 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:22:54 +0000 Bookish 1669436@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: agreed. That was the part that got me, the thought of the wife &amp; kids being left for 2 years. Gah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669429 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:21:00 +0000 MamaMoose 1669429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I'm heartless because it didn't make me cry. I felt emotional, but not tear worthy. Forgiveness is not my strong suit so it was hard for me to not focus on the fact that he left his poor wife to raise three boys on her own for TWO years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669426 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:18:49 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1669426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not clicking.<br /> Maybe I'll do it later. :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669422 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:17:40 +0000 Bookish 1669422@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I heard this on NPR on my way to work a few weeks ago. I had to compose myself before I went into my building! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669421 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:17:05 +0000 cmomma17 1669421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I can't even click on that. I try not to ugly cry at my desk. </p> <p>How old was the son when dad left? and when he came back? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/a-son-talks-to-his-dad-about-the-two-years-when-his-dad-left#post-1669416 Fri, 30 May 2014 15:15:31 +0000 mrbee 1669416@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Listening to this radio story almost made me cry... </p> <p>&lt;&lt; In 2009, Frank Tempone was severely depressed. He had what he calls a midlife crisis, and left his wife and three kids in Massachusetts to live on his own in Chicago.</p> <p>But after two years apart, Frank came back. The entire family moved to Chicago, and Frank brought his oldest son, Jack, to StoryCorps because he wanted to apologize. &gt;&gt;</p> <p><a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/05/02/308615734/leaving-a-dark-time-behind-to-get-through-it-as-a-family" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/2014/05/02/308615734/leaving-a-dark-time-behind-to-get-through-it-as-a-family</a></p> <p>You can tell how hurt the son was at the time, and yet how healing it was for him when his dad came back into his life. It really reminded me how much of an impact our actions have on our kids... sniff sniif, I love you Mom and Dad!</p> <p>ps I was just looking at the comments, and he clarifies that it wasn't really a midlife crisis: "I hate the phrase "midlife crisis" but I did tell them that. That phrase simplifies what was a terrifying, life-altering change in my body chemistry. My thoughts about everything changed in a startlingly short period of time, and it was too much for me."</p> <p>People are really bagging on him in the comments on NPR. He really screwed up while going through a mental health crisis. He found a path to redemption, and wanted to make things right with his kid. What really moved me was how much his son loved him, despite everything. I'd love to hear from the mom too... I'm sure the whole experience was so hard for her. </p>